North Atlantic Treaty Organization
Allied Command Transformation
October 4, 2014
Exploring the Future of Security Force Assistance through Experimentation
NATO Allied Command Transformation (ACT) Operational Experimentation supported by NATO ACT Operational Analysis Branch conducted a SFA LOE at the Norwegian Defence Command and Staff College in Oslo, Norway, 30 September – 2 October 2014.
SFA has consistently been identified as a key enabler for achieving success in NATO crisis response operations and this has been underscored during NATO’s International Security Assistance Force mission in Afghanistan and Kosovo Force (KFOR) operations. The operational requirement to train and enable local security forces is a fundamental part of NATO’s comprehensive approach that is embedded within NATO’s approach to crisis response.
As part of the Concept Development and Experimentation (CD&E) process, ACT staff sought to assess select elements of the Allied Joint Doctrine for Security Force Assistance using Alternative Analysis techniques (AltA); an ACT OA developed technique that has now become a standard part of the experimenter’s toolset.
“The AltA techniques proved to be very beneficial in assisting the syndicates to identify the draft doctrine shortfalls and areas requiring greater focus and reevaluation,” said LTC James Johnston, participant from NATO Joint Analysis and Lessons Learned Centre (JALLC).
NATO SFA currently includes all NATO activities that assist the host-nation to develop and improve or provide direct support to the development of local security forces and their associated institution. The Allied Joint Doctrine, currently under development by the UK Doctrine, Concept and Development Centre (DCDC) in coordination with ACT and Allied Command Operations (ACO), specifically addresses the ways and means required to deliver SFA action.
Through a good use of well-designed analytical processes, the SFA experiment has delivered focused questions for the SFA Writing Team to consider,” said Wg Cdr Kevin Cowieson, DCDC Doctrine Developer. “Answering these questions will improve the depth of the doctrine and add clarity to several key elements.”
The event hosted subject matter experts and participants from the UK’s DCDC, Centre Interarmées de Concepts, de Doctrines et d’Expérimentations (CICDE), Crisis Management and Disaster Response (CMDR) COE, HQ KFOR, NATO Liaison and Advisory Team (NLAT), US Joint Center for International Security Force Assistance, HQ Panzerbrigade 21, NATO Special Operations Headquarters (NSHQ), Joint Analysis and Lessons Learned Centre (JALLC), SHAPE, CCOMC (ISAF), and Joint Force Training Centre (JFTC).
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