Signal Support to Theater Operations by Department of the Army - HTML preview

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Chapter 1

The Joint Force and Army Networks

The ability to conduct land operations as a part of the joint force is the main focus of today's Army. Using a modular and capabilities-based design, the Army will have greater capacity for a rapid and tailored force that will be more capable of achieving the strategic responsiveness of a full spectrum operation. This will allow combatant commanders (CCDRs) to expand the joint team's ability to deploy rapidly, employ, and  sustain  forces  throughout  the  global  operational  environment   in  any environment. An  Army force empowered by joint capabilities and knowledge- networked forces will be the way of the future.

SECTION I - JOINT AND ARMY OPERATIONS

UNDERSTANDING "JOINTNESS"

1-1 Global interests, diffused technology, and adaptive enemies are critical aspects that influence joint operations as outlined in Joint Vision 2020 .

1-2 The overarching focus of Joint Vision 2020 is "full  spectrum dominance achieved through the interdependent application of dominant maneuver, precision engagement, focused logistics, and full dimensional protection." Army operations focus on employing combined tactical formations conducting battles and engagements geared toward the destruction of enemy forces. Joint operations generate decisive combat power available from all services on a synchronized timeline with a determined scope and purpose of other military service forces, multinational forces, nonmilitary government agencies, nongovernmental organizations (NGOs), and the United Nations. Joint force commanders (JFCs) conduct unified actions, integrating and orchestrating operations directly with the activities and actions of other military forces and nonmilitary organizations in the operational area.

1-3 Joint forces conduct campaigns and major operations, while the functional and service components of the joint force conduct supported, subordinate, and supporting operations, not isolated or independent campaigns. The joint force increases its total effectiveness without necessarily involving all forces or incorporating all forces equally.

1-4.   Joint missions and joint forces drive specific information requirements, procedures, techniques, systems, and capabilities. The goal is to provide rapid information sharing in order to integrate joint force components, allowing them to function effectively to facilitate a common understanding of the current situation - a common operational picture.

1-5 Technological developments, which connect the information systems of partners, will provide the links that lead to improved command and control (C2). Critical to maintaining the tempo of operations which incorporate multi-service and multinational capabilities is the sharing of information needed to develop a common understanding of operational procedures and compatible organizations.

ARMY SUPPORT TO THE JOINT FORCE

1-6 Theater operations are inherently joint and multinational, resulting in the need for greater levels of cooperation between United States (US) forces, other Department of Defense (DOD) components, and governmental, coalition, and host-nation organizations. The Army provides a complete range of force that meets the needs of JFCs, whether by deterring adversaries and potential enemies or by forming the nucleus

of the joint force land component that will prosecute wartime operations. Army Forces provide the Joint

Force Commander (JFC) the capability to-

Deploy quickly into an area of operations (AO).

Establish and secure lodgments for projecting follow-on forces.

Sustain the joint force indefinitely.

Employ airborne and air assault capabilities, which allow JFCs to seize  airfieldoother important facilities.

Conduct amphibious operations in conjunction with the Marine and Naval forces.

Employ Army special operations forces (SOF) which add highly specialized and unique area- focused capabilities to joint forces.

1-7 The developmenomanageable  and coordinated intelligence  and communications  functions continues to provide significant contributions to joint capabilities. Recent operations in the European, Pacific, and Central Command areas of responsibility (AORs) have contributed to the modernization of the communications and automation management that support these intelligence requirements. This resulted in removing traditional barriers that hampered information and intelligence sharing.

1-8 Central to a theater campaign are those forces employed by the JFC. At the Army's operational level, the senior commander responsible for executing the operational fight, C2 of tactical forces, integration of multiple services, and managing the theater support structure is the Army Service component command (ASCC).

1-9 The ASCC challenge is to shape the military environment and set the conditions for qualified success in the joint operations area (JOA) and the theater in general. Success dependon  the  ability  to communicate across a wide range of  agencies  and forces using  networks  that  provide links  which ultimately allow the ASCC commander to conduct his operational mission and enable subordinate commanders to accomplish their missions.

CHANGES IN THE CONTEMPORARY OPERATIONAL ENVIRONMENT

1-10. The United States can no longer view adversaries through the lens of the Cold War and Warsaw Pact, nor can we judge military operations merely by analyzing an adversary's stage of economic development.  Small  scale,  regional,  o local   powers   may   employ   extremely   advanced  military technologies. An adversary's actions  require intelligent analysis of  fields  extending  far  beyond  the traditional battlefield focus. Boundaries between traditional echelons of operations are even more blurred. Current political and technical trends suggest that successful conflict prosecution and termination will depend on multinational commitment, joint operations, and a high professional tolerance for the new forms of conflict.

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