What does CDE stand for in combat assessment?

• A. Collateral Damage Estimation
• B. Casualty Damage Evaluation
• C. Collateral Damage Assessment
• D. Civil Damage Estimation

Answer: (C)

Collateral damage assessment focuses on evaluating the unintended harm to people and property that could result from a military action. In combat assessment, this step helps determine whether a strike stays within proportionality and ROE by considering how much collateral harm is likely or has occurred, and what mitigations are needed. This makes it the best match for the acronym, since it denotes the evaluative process used to gauge collateral harm to inform decisions about proceeding, adjusting targets, or applying risk-reduction measures. Other phrasings imply forecasting or different kinds of damage evaluation, which drift from the established practice of assessing collateral effects in this context.