1. Challenges to Coalition
Operations
Col (Ret) Peter Leentjes
Center of Excellence in
Disaster Management and
Humanitarian Assistance

2. Introduction We have heard a lot about the global coalitions
Need to examine and understand what this means
Particularly important for the military

3. AIM
What are coalitions (particularly those that might support Peace/CT operations)
Key issues in Coalition Operations
Lessons Learned
Interoperability in coalitions
Guidelines for Future Coalition operations

4. Global Coalition Against Terrorism
Terrorism declared a threat to “International Peace and Security”
162 Nations have supported the UN resolution on terrorism
20 or more Nations have participated militarily in the operation in Afghanistan
48 countries provided indirect support to operations including:
Intelligence
Over flight rights
Basing
This is unprecedented but is it a coalition?

5. Coalitions in Peace/CT Operations
Defined as a temporary combination of parties that retain distinctive principles
Coalitions for Peace/CT operations need to be:
Broadly based
Capable of operating on many fronts
Able to assume risks
Involve unprecedented cooperation

6. International Coalitions
Political Coalitions (UN, EU, ASEAN, AC Conference of Islamic Nations)
Permanent Military Coalitions (NATO)
Temporary Military Coalitions (UN PKOs, Gulf War, Afghanistan)
Humanitarian Coalitions (Red Cross, UNHCR)
Trans-National Coalitions (Interpol)
Anti drug
Trans national crime
Border security
Economic/Financial/ Development Coalitions (UNDP, SADC, APEC)

7. To Fight Terrorism Will need a broad base of all these coalitions
Key will be the:
Political Coalitions – to provide the prolonged international support to the war on terror
Military Coalitions – to provide capacity when needed to take appropriate action
Economic coalitions – to deal with the financial sanctions intended to cut off support to terrorism
Trans-national coalitions – to limit cross border criminal activities that contribute to terrorism
Examine the issues surrounding the development and operations of the Military coalition of the willing

8. Military Coalitions Permanent Coalitions
Alliances such as NATO which have a treaty based series of agreed missions, such as collective defense of its members
Coalitions of the willing (MNF)
Nations who come together to deal with a specific issue, generally based on an agreed mission, limited time duration and a limited geographical area of operations

9. Coalition Features
Supported by a UN Resolution provides legitimacy for intervention
Provides authority for use of force
Establishes International Credibility
Generates International & Regional Support
Spreads the Cost Burdens of Intervention

10. Problems of Coalition Participation
Added complexity of combined operations
Cumbersome network of military command
National command issues create difficulties
Generally exceeds span of control
Decision making is slow
Consensus creation takes time
Standards of force capability & levels of military training vary
Differences in language, tradition, doctrine & culture impact on operations
-Cumbersome military command network – broadest level of participation, issues of national command, sovereignty, lack of standardized comms, no multi national doctrine
-Decision making is inherently slow – constrained by UN mandates or national concerns, safety of national forces, national political agenda, new situations require time
-Consensus building is slow process

11. COMPRESSED OPERATING ENVIRONMENT
COALITIONS
COMPRESSED OPERATING ENVIRONMENT
STRATEGIC
OPERATIONAL
Stress to staffs that may not have skills at all levels
There are political elements that may bypass the operational level and influence only the tactical aspects of the mission and vice versa – this sometimes leads to operational commanders feeling left out of the control process. ( Call from the Secretary General )
TACTICAL
The compression may not simply be vertical

12. Criteria for Success
A Coalition force needs military capabilities to succeed
An effective capability to conduct civil-military relations
Cannot substitute for:
Adequate force structure
Personnel with training and experience
Intelligence capacity
Capacity for planning and coordination
Communications systems

13. Keeping It Simple
Watchword in coalition operations – difficult to achieve
Levels of sophistication in of weapons, training, communications, language & technical aspects may differ
Use a combination of tools:
Assign geographical & functional responsibilities
Assign forces together that have a history of working together
Use mission assignments that task to capacities
Be sensitive so that home governments are receptive
Making simple plans within a coalition requires sophisticated and complex decision making and coordination

14. When There Is a Lack of Confidence in Coalition Leadership
Forces assigned to the coalition will:
Operate under a variety of national employment restrictions
Maintain direct contact with national governments for direction
Negotiate missions; not accept assigned ones

15. LEAD NATION CONCEPT
Offers a solution to problems that exist within UN operations
Generates political will, rapid deployment, consistent planning
Offers a common base of doctrine which can be adopted or adapted by participating nations
Capable of operating in a higher risk environment
Unity of command is better, with a lead nation commander
Regional power’s national interests may not make them ideal lead nations. Internationalization is important
Very few nations have the capacity to be a lead nation, without extensive strategic lift and logistics support

16. INTEROPERABILITY IN COALITION OPERATIONS
Interoperability in coalition operations is more focused on human interaction than technological compatibility.
Multi-lateral coordination and cooperation in training, seminars and exercises are excellent tools to enhance interoperability.
Interaction builds trust & comprehension, common understanding and develops habitual working relationships.
Interaction needs to take place at all levels from the strategic to the tactical

17. DOCTRINE IN COUNTER TERRORISM OPERATIONS
Doctrine is a key aspect of interoperability
A comprehensive doctrine may not be possible or wise
Guidance for nations should include:
Philosophy
Principles
Terminology and definitions
Guidance on key issues like Use of Force (ROE)
Common operating procedures
Additional guidance will be needed to support each Peace/CT operation

18. KEY ASPECTS OF INTEROPERABILITY
Human Interaction
Doctrine
Training standards
Guidance for use of force and ROE
Civil military operations
Common logistical acquisition strategies

19. Guidelines for Coalition Operations
Military Plans & Operations need to be segregated from but informed by the other activities associated with the Operation
Political, humanitarian, police, national
Rich set of command arrangements in addition to the operational military C2 is required

20. Guidelines for Coalition Operations
Military activities need to be controlled at the Adaptive level
Potential actions need to be coordinated early
Contingency plans triggered by patterns of action
Standards for equipment and doctrine created to facilitate real time action

21. Guidelines for Coalition Operations
Command Arrangements & C2 must operate effectively
Functional communications systems
Exchange of information
Exchange of liaison personnel
Open meetings of all entities
Information exchange

22. Guidelines for Coalition Operations
Time-Tested approaches and Techniques should be used to simplify the Coalition Operation
Assignment of missions based on capability
Assignment of separate physical space
Use of coordination teams
Exchange of liaison officers
Create informal communications networks
Use mission type orders

23. Guidelines for Coalition Operations
Principles of Counter Terrorism operations differ and need to be balanced at the strategic, operational and tactical levels
Unity of effort
Consensus planning
Simplicity
Adaptive control
Transparency of operations (to participating Nations)

24. Guidelines for Coalition Operations
Provide each Level of Command with appropriate capacity
Qualified personnel
Experience
Linkages
Information handling capacity
Information technology
Translators
Liaison personnel

25. Guidelines for Coalition Operations
Limit the Number of Subordinate Organizations reporting to Key Commanders
Group smaller participants under a regional commander

26. Guidelines for Coalition Operations
Mission Oriented Directives support the Decentralized Nature of Operations
Based on contingency plans
Previously agreed courses of action

27. Guidelines for Coalition Operations
Make Investments prior to participation
Standards for all aspects of Peace/CT operations
Development of doctrine (international)
Conduct seminars, war games and exercises
Create systems to exchange information between agencies
Develop contingency plans as guidelines
Develop valid and reliable assessment tools