Coalition Operations

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Coalition Operations

• Second Fleet Training
• COALITION OPERATIONS BRIEF

CDR Gary Fletcher, USN NATO CJOS COE /
C2F Unclassified / REL NATO March 2008
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Coalition Operations

• AGENDA
• Introduction to Coalitions
• Rationale for Coalitions
• Organizational Relationships
• Challenges of the Coalition Environment
• Command and Control
• Capabilities
• Information-Sharing
• Networks
• Next Steps and Way Forward
• Coalition Operations Planning
• Best Practices
• Concluding Observations

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Coalition Operations

• From the birth of this great nation and our own
  struggle for freedom to the epic battles of two
  world wars in the 20th century and the ensuing
  Cold War, the strength of our partnership has
  always exceeded the sum of its parts.
• General Henry H. Shelton, Chairman of the Joint
  Chiefs of Staff

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Coalition Operations

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Coalition Operations

• DESERT STORM
• PROVIDE COMFORT RESTORE HOPE
• DENY FLIGHT JOINT ENDEAVOR
• ALLIED FORCE ENDURING FREEDOM
• IRAQI FREEDOM

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Coalition Operations

• Multinational Operation Military action
  conducted by forces of two or more nations.

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Coalition Operations

• Multinational Operation Military action
  conducted by forces of two or more nations.
• Alliance Relationship between two or more
  nations that results from a formal agreement to
  pursue broad, long-term objectives.

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Coalition Operations

• Multinational Operation Military action
  conducted by forces of two or more nations.
• Alliance Relationship between two or more
  nations that results from a formal agreement to
  pursue broad, long-term objectives.
• Coalition An ad hoc arrangement between two or
  more nations for common action, usually formed
  for focused, short-term purposes.

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Coalition Operations

• Characteristics of Coalitions
• Participants are joined in a common cause
• Interoperability at all levels is necessary
• Patience, Cooperation, Willingness to Subordinate
• Each nation brings unique capabilities,
  strengths, and limitations
• Relative commitment of partner nations will vary

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Coalition Operations

• Coalition operations
• are increasingly
• important to
• the US Navy
• Coalition
• communications
• are essential
• to success

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Coalition Operations

• Consensus
• A Necessary Skill in Coalition Operations

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Coalition Operations

• A Note from the US Naval Operations Concept 2006
• Protecting the freedom of the seas and the
  integrity of international borders will require
  more capacity than any one nation can provide we
  must develop the partnerships, protocols and
  procedures that will permit nations with similar
  goals to cooperate for the common good
  partnership and stability through more capable,
  participatory coalitions and alliances.

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Coalition Operations

• WHY COALITION OPERATIONS?
• A Historically Valid Method

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Coalition Operations

• WHY COALITION OPERATIONS?
• A Historically Valid Method
• Political Necessity

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Coalition Operations

• WHY COALITION OPERATIONS?
• A Historically Valid Method
• Political Necessity
• A Force Multiplier

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Coalition Operations

• WHY COALITION OPERATIONS?
• A Historically Valid Method
• Political Necessity
• A Force Multiplier
• Expands Range of Options

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Coalition Operations

• WHY COALITION OPERATIONS?
• A Historically Valid Method
• Political Necessity
• A Force Multiplier
• Expands Range of Options
• Improves Capabilities of All

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Coalition Operations

• A few current coalitions or alliances
• MNF-I / The Multinational Force - Iraq
• OEF / The Operation Enduring Freedom coalition in
  Afghanistan
• NATO / The 26-Nation North Atlantic Treaty
  Organization
• ISAF / The International Security Assistance
  Force - Afghanistan

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Coalition Operations

• A Coalition presence in Second Fleet CJOS
• Combined Joint Operations from the Sea
• NATO Center of Excellence
• Part of the C2F command
• structure
• Multinational Manning
• and Sponsorship
• Operates in conjunction
• with NATO SACT

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Coalition Operations

• Examples of Second Fleet Interaction
• with Coalition Partners via Exercises

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Coalition Operations

• Examples of Second Fleet Interaction
• with Coalition Partners via Exercises
• JTFEX

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Coalition Operations

• Examples of Second Fleet Interaction
• with Coalition Partners via Exercises
• JTFEX PANAMAX

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Coalition Operations

• Examples of Second Fleet Interaction
• with Coalition Partners via Exercises
• JTFEX PANAMAX Trident Warrior

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Coalition Operations

• The Big Challenge of Coalition Operations
• INTEROPERABILITY
• Doctrine
• ROE
• Language
• Information-Sharing
• Logistics
• Training
• Command and Control
• Objectives

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Coalition Operations

• Command and Control
• At the higher levels of command in
  multinational coalition operations, the function
  is more one of coordination than one of control,
  more one of cooperation than command.
• VADM Cairns, CAN Forces

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Coalition Operations

• Organizational Constructs for
• Command and Control
• 1) Parallel Command
• 2) Lead Nation Command
• 3) Integrated Command

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Coalition Operations

• Unity of Command?

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Coalition Operations

• Unity of Command?
• or Unity of Effort?

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Coalition Operations

• The Capabilities Gap

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Coalition Operations

• The Capabilities Gap -
• OBSERVATIONS FROM OPERATION ALLIED FORCE

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Coalition Operations

• The Capabilities Gap -
• OBSERVATIONS FROM OPERATION ALLIED FORCE
• The United States was responsible for a
  disproportionately large share of the effort.

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Coalition Operations

• The Capabilities Gap -
• OBSERVATIONS FROM OPERATION ALLIED FORCE
• The United States was responsible for a
  disproportionately large share of the effort.
• Intra-Alliance politics resulted in political and
  operational constraints that imposed limitations
  on warfare.

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Coalition Operations

• The Capabilities Gap -
• OBSERVATIONS FROM OPERATION ALLIED FORCE
• The United States was responsible for a
  disproportionately large share of the effort.
• Intra-Alliance politics resulted in political and
  operational constraints that imposed limitations
  on warfare.
• Despite years of planning, the allies found it
  difficult to agree on a common approach.

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Coalition Operations

• The Capabilities Gap -
• OBSERVATIONS FROM OPERATION ALLIED FORCE
• The United States was responsible for a
  disproportionately large share of the effort.
• Intra-Alliance politics resulted in political and
  operational constraints that imposed limitations
  on warfare.
• Despite years of planning, the allies found it
  difficult to agree on a common approach.
• Operation Allied Force highlighted key
  differences in the perspectives of the United
  States and the European countries.

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Coalition Operations

• First, we need to really improve the
  interoperability of our forces. In the early
  days of the deployment to Bosnia, we had great
  difficulty communicating with one another because
  we had incompatible equipment Forces still need
  to share more information and data more
  efficiently.
• - Secretary of Defense Cohen, June 1998

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Coalition Operations

• Networks
• ForceNet
• The Technology Gap
• Procedural Gaps

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Coalition Operations

• Ideas for Improvement
• Develop systems in collaboration
• Train together in network-centric operations
• Implement more flexible information-sharing
  procedures

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Coalition Operations

• A Particular Problem
• US Foreign Disclosure Policies are Restrictive

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Coalition Operations

• A Particular Problem
• US Foreign Disclosure Policies are Restrictive
• A Partial Solution
• Forward-Thinking Marking of Documents for Release
• REL NATO REL MNF-I REL ISAF

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Coalition Operations

• Networking to Enable Coalition Operations
• Collaboration is increasingly important
• Effective networks are not always available to
  coalition partners
• Operations have been hampered by
  non-interoperable hardware
• Future systems must
• Be coalition-centric
• Exist in peacetime to enable training

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Coalition Operations

• Networking to Enable Coalition Operations
• 1. Policy Advocate releasability policies that
  remove impediments to coalition operations
• 2. Training Establish a training program that
  fully integrates coalition partner nations on a
  routine basis.
• 3. Technology Aggressively promote essential
  technology developments
• 4. Systems Establish a coalition network
  environment and encourage allies to develop
  interoperable systems

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Coalition Operations

• NEXT STEPS WAY FORWARD TRAINING
• Standing coalitions should not need to rely on
  inventiveness and adaptability during conflict.
  Peacetime training should be designed to engage
  coalition forces in the most difficult... tasks
  they may be asked to perform in war.
• Robert W RiCassi, "Principles for Coalition
  Warfare." Joint Force Quarterly (1993)

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Coalition Operations

• NEXT STEPS WAY FORWARD - PARTNERSHIP
• The Global Maritime Partnership
• Continually engage allied and non-aligned navies
• Enhance communication and networking at sea

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Coalition Operations

• NEXT STEPS WAY FORWARD
• SPECIALIZATION

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Coalition Operations

• NEXT STEPS WAY FORWARD -
• The United States in Coalition Operations
• Continue to play the role of force integrator
• Encourage potential allies to improve their
  military capabilities
• Take action to facilitate networking and
  information-sharing in coalition operations
• Support the development of multinational training
  exercises and scenarios to require practice of
  consultation and deliberative action

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Coalition Operations

• NEXT STEPS WAY FORWARD -
• Recommendations for Future Coalitions
• Plan so that all can contribute
• Ensure that nations which opt out do not unduly
  impact the coalition
• Find ways to deliver effective military leverage
  in support of political-diplomatic initiatives
• Collect and disseminate lessons learned, and
  respond to them
• Integrate coalition-building into multinational
  exercises

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• Alliances have established methods for force
  integration.
• Coalitions are created on short notice.
• COALITION OPERATIONS PLANNING

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Coalition Operations

• COALITION OPERATIONS PLANNING -
• MISSION ANALYSIS
• End-State
• Lead nation
• Assess cost
• Determine legitimizing authority
• Select alternate courses of action in the event
  of withdrawal

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Coalition Operations

• COALITION OPERATIONS PLANNING -
• OPERATING SYSTEMS
• Establish C2 responsibilities and relationships
• Establish a minimum Communications Suite for each
  member
• Assess systems support that will be required
• Determine how intelligence and information are to
  be shared. Ensure all partners are treated
  equally.
• Agree on a logistics support structure

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Coalition Operations

• COALITION OPERATIONS PLANNING
• CONTROL MECHANISMS
• Establish the Language for force-wide use
• Determine the command level at which elements may
  use a national language
• Select interpreters
• Identify key Liaison Officers

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Coalition Operations

• COALITION OPERATIONS PLANNING -
• RULES OF ENGAGEMENT (ROE)
• Determine who sets the ROE
• Establish and promulgate the ROE
• Determine how national ROE may affect force
  operations
• Decide on procedures to request a change in the
  ROE

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Coalition Operations

• From the USAF Study Networking to Enable
  Coalition Operations
• BEST PRACTICES COALITIONS
• Coalition relations are an important instrument
  of foreign policy.
• The US will almost always conduct operations as a
  member of a coalition of the willing, most often
  as the lead.
• The GWOT will demand diverse contributions and
  political support from non-traditional coalition
  partners.
• Coalition support is essential for achieving the
  peace after combat

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Coalition Operations

• BEST PRACTICES TRAINING
• Effective networking is based on trust developed
  through coalition training. US forces and likely
  coalition partners should routinely train
• together to build trust.
• Train as you will fight -- in coalitions. The
  US military should make coalition warfare an
  integral element of every activity
• Exercises should optimize use of both U.S. and
  coalition partners operational capabilities

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Coalition Operations

• BEST PRACTICES SYSTEMS
• Currently, most US operating forces use a SIPRNET
  (US Secret network) baseline, which excludes
  coalition partner participation in most cases.
• Coalition-compatible network improvement
  initiatives are underway but they are disjointed
  and sometimes redundant or conflicting.
• Coalition members must be able to collaborate
  with one another in real-time over secure systems

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Coalition Operations

• BEST PRACTICES - INFORMATION-SHARING
• A more effective balance must be struck between
  the need to share information and concerns for
  information protection
• Information access is granted by the Coalition
  Forces Commander based on assigned roles and
  responsibilities
• Coalition members must be confident that
  information they share will only be disseminated
  to the extent needed to support the mission

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Coalition Operations

• The only thing worse than an Alliance is No
  Alliance.
• - Field Marshal Sir Arthur Wellesley, Duke of
  Wellington

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Coalition Operations

• CONCLUDING OBSERVATIONS about COALITION
  OPERATIONS

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Coalition Operations

• CONCLUDING OBSERVATIONS about COALITION
  OPERATIONS
• 1. The enemy will see a coalition as one of the
  most important centers of gravity, and will focus
  his efforts to disrupt and destroy it.

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Coalition Operations

• CONCLUDING OBSERVATIONS about COALITION
  OPERATIONS
• 1. The enemy will see a coalition as one of the
  most important centers of gravity, and will focus
  his efforts to disrupt and destroy it.
• 2. Each coalition partner brings unique
  experiences and special skills to the
  battlefield. The key is to properly employ them
  to maximize capabilities.

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Coalition Operations

• CONCLUDING OBSERVATIONS about COALITION
  OPERATIONS
• 1. The enemy will see a coalition as one of the
  most important centers of gravity, and will focus
  his efforts to disrupt and destroy it.
• 2. Each coalition partner brings unique
  experiences and special skills to the
  battlefield. The key is to properly employ them
  to maximize capabilities.
• 3. Respect coalition partners national
  restrictions or limitations.

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Coalition Operations

• CONCLUDING OBSERVATIONS about COALITION
  OPERATIONS
• 1. The enemy will see a coalition as one of the
  most important centers of gravity, and will focus
  his efforts to disrupt and destroy it.
• 2. Each coalition partner brings unique
  experiences and special skills to the
  battlefield. The key is to properly employ them
  to maximize capabilities.
• 3. Respect coalition partners national
  restrictions or limitations.
• 4. Never pressure a coalition commander to accept
  a mission beyond his authority.

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Coalition Operations

• CONCLUDING OBSERVATIONS about COALITION
  OPERATIONS
• 5. Interoperability goes way beyond equipment.
  The key is to be able to operate together in a
  challenging environment.

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Coalition Operations

• CONCLUDING OBSERVATIONS about COALITION
  OPERATIONS
• 5. Interoperability goes way beyond equipment.
  The key is to be able to operate together in a
  challenging environment.
• 6. Understand and respect coalition members
  customs and cultures.

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Coalition Operations

• CONCLUDING OBSERVATIONS about COALITION
  OPERATIONS
• 5. Interoperability goes way beyond equipment.
  The key is to be able to operate together in a
  challenging environment.
• 6. Understand and respect coalition members
  customs and cultures.
• 7. Language! Have qualified linguists to work
  with coalition members.

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Coalition Operations

• CONCLUDING OBSERVATIONS about COALITION
  OPERATIONS
• 5. Interoperability goes way beyond equipment.
  The key is to be able to operate together in a
  challenging environment.
• 6. Understand and respect coalition members
  customs and cultures.
• 7. Language! Have qualified linguists to work
  with coalition members.
• 8. A coalition must speak with one voice.

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Coalition Operations

• CONCLUDING OBSERVATIONS about COALITION
  OPERATIONS
• 9. Listen to coalition members.

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Coalition Operations

• CONCLUDING OBSERVATIONS about COALITION
  OPERATIONS
• 9. Listen to coalition members.
• 10. Figure out HOW to share National intelligence
  with coalition partners. Not sharing, or the
  perception of not sharing, may do more damage to
  the coalition than the enemy will be able to do.

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Coalition Operations

• CONCLUDING OBSERVATIONS about COALITION
  OPERATIONS
• 9. Listen to coalition members.
• 10. Figure out HOW to share National intelligence
  with coalition partners. Not sharing, or the
  perception of not sharing, may do more damage to
  the coalition than the enemy will be able to do.
• 11. Do not wait for a crisis or force generation
  conference to build a coalition. Coalition
  building is a continual effort and national
  process.

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Coalition Operations