Multinational Force
Standing Operating Procedures
MNF SOP Overview Brief
06 November 2006
UNCLASSIFIED
Background
•MNF SOP required to improve multinational
crisis response capabilities by MPAT nations
–Not prescriptive, binding or directive
–Will be left “unsigned” intentionally
–Serves as a “guide” (start point)
–A multinational document
•Eight (8) dedicated MNF SOP Development
Workshops have been conducted so far.
2
MNF SOP Purpose
•Increase multinational force (MNF):
–Speed of Initial Response
–Interoperability
–Overall Mission Effectiveness
–Unity of Effort
3
Range of Military Operations
Difficult
• Major Conflict (War)
• Large scale offensive &
defensive combat operations
Simple
Complexity of Operations
MNF SOP “Focus”
Combat unlikely, but possible
• Peacekeeping Ops
• Noncombatant Evacuation
Operations
• Antiterrorism
• Show of Force
• Protection of Shipping
• Freedom of Navigation
• Counterdrug Ops
• Personnel Recovery Ops
Combat may occur
• Counterinsurgency
• Disarmament,
Demobilization &
Reintegration
• Consequence
Management
• Humanitarian
Assistance
• Disaster Relief
• Domestic Support
• Counterterrorism
Combat will occur
• Limited Duration
and Intensity Ops
involving some
degree of combat
• Small Scale
Contingency
• Peace
Enforcement
• Combating
Terrorism
MOOTW
MOOTW
(Mil Ops Other Than War)
Noncombat
Degree of Conflict
Combat
Focus
Levels of Planning and Operations
• Strategic –development & employment of national /
multinational level resources. Involves national interests
and crisis action effects that impact on a nation’s vital or
survival interests.
• Operational – the “link” between tactical & strategic
objectives via strategies, campaigns, and major
operations.
– Employment & arrangement of forces in time, space, & purpose for
synchronization & integration at the JTF / CTF, interagency &
multinational force level.
• Tactical – Employment of units at the “execution level” for
approved military Course of Action (COA). Ordered
arrangement and maneuver of units for crisis response at
the engagement & battle level.
MNF SOP Focus – Campaigns / Major Ops
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Key Principles
• Operational Start Points
–Predetermined “start points” prior to a crisis will improve
CTF speed of initial response / effectiveness
• Clear Understanding & Communications
–It is critical to “agree” or “agree to disagree” based upon
a common set of terms & processes
• Common Planning Process
–CTF planning structure must provide for an “integrated
and managed process” for the development &
execution of plans
These Principles set the foundation
for Unity of Effort
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CTF Operational Start Points
1. Lead Nation Concept
2. Common Command Relationships & / or
Common Control-Coordination Concepts
3. Standardized CTF HQ Organization
4. Common Planning & Decision-Making
Process
5. Clear Understanding & Clarity of
Terminology
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CTF Operational Start Points
(Starting Point 1 – Lead Nation)
• Lead Nation Concept:
–Designated by UN or participating nations in MNF
–Responsible for Strategic Consultation / Coordination
for the MNF



Among Nations
With UN Channels
With IOs & NGOs
–“Single channel” for strategic direction to MNF forces
based on agreements with participating nations
–Provides for Unity of Effort
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CTF Operational Start Points
(Starting Point 2 – C2)
Participating
Nation Authority
Lead Nation
National Authority
Supporting Strategic
Commander
Supported Strategic
Commander
Multinational Chain of Command
National Chain of Command
• MNF Chain of Command (Lead Nation Concept):
Participating
Nation Authority
Supporting Strategic
Commander
National Command Commander National Command
CTF (CCTF)
Element
Element
CTF Participating
Forces
CTF Participating
Forces
Consultation /
Coordination
MNF / CTF
OPCON / TACON
CTF Participating
Forces
National Chain
Of Command
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CTF Operational Start Points
(Starting Point 3 – CTF HQ Organization)
•Standardized CTF Headquarters Organization
(major functions to be addressed):
–Operational Staff (C1 through C7)
–Personal Staff (Legal, Public Affairs, etc.)
–Multinational Coordination
–Civil-Military Coordination
–Logistics Coordination
–Media Support (International and National)
–CTF Planning Process (current & future ops, and
plans)
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CTF Operational Start Points
(Starting Point 4)
Common Decision-Making & Planning
Processes
• CTF Planning Process has 4 Major Components:
–CTF Planning Organization

CTF’s organization approach for planning

Synchronization Procedures within the CTF HQ (and with
organizations external to the CTF)
–CTF Battle / Operational Rhythm
–Broad Crisis Action Planning (CAP) Process

Major Strategic – Operational Planning Interaction

How the CTF headquarters and command conducts operational
planning
–Detailed Planning Process
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CTF Operational Start Points
(Starting Point 4)
CTF HQ Planning Process Required Functions:
Focus:
What’s Next?
Mid-Term
to
Long Range
Focus:
What’s the
Situation & What
refinements
“Hand-Off” are required?
of Plan
“Hand-Off”
of Plan
Focus: What
Adjustments
CTF:Are
24-96 Hrs
Required”
Current
Near Term
168 Hours
& Beyond**
96 – 168
Hours**
0 – 96
Hours**
“Provides an integrated & managed process to move plans
From planning, to refinement stage, & to execution”
** Timeframes indicated above are an initial guide. CCTF & staff will develop planning
based upon actual mission requirements.
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CTF Operational Start Points
(Starting Point 4)
CTF HQ Battle Rhythm:
0430
0630
0830
1030
Lead Nation (e.g., K time)
1830
2030
2230
0030
Z time
8 Oct
1230
1430
1630
1830
0230
0430
0630
0830
1030
0430
1230
1630
1830
1430
SITREP from Components
1800
2000
2200
2400
9 Oct
CCDR Meeting w/ Staff &
CTF Component Cdrs
CCDR Meeting w/ Staff &
CTF Component Cdrs
COC shift
change
0230
CCDR VTC w/
Supported Strat Cdr
2400
0200
0400
0600
0800
1000
1200
1400
1600
Area of Operations (e.g., E* time) (E* is a nonstandard time zone)
Internal
to CTF
0030
SITREP to Supported Stat Cdr
CCDR VTC w/
Supported Strat Cdr
8 Oct
2230
9 Oct
H hour
0600E*
External
to CTF
2030
CCTB
& ESG
CCDR
Press conf
COC shift
change
ATO A
Execute
Coalition Planning
Group
C5 Plans
SITREP from Components
Coalition Collection
Mgmt Board
Operational Planning Team
C3 FOPS
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CTF Operational Start Points
(Starting Point 4)
Crisis Action Planning (CAP) Process
Phase II
Crisis
Assessment
STRATEGIC
STRATEGIC
OPERATIONAL
CTF
THEATER
NATIONAL
Phase I
Situation
Development
Nations NCA
Consultations & Assessments
1. Strategic Assessment
2. Essential Strategic
Guidance Developed
3. Situation Monitored
4. Collective NCA decision
for multinational military
crisis response
Phase III
COA
Development
Phase IV
COA
Selection
Phase V
Execution
Planning
Phase VI
Execution
ONGOING LEAD NATION NATIONAL AUTH CONSULTATION
Deployment Order (s) Issued As Required
EXECUTE
WARNING
ORDER
WARNING
ORDER
CDR’S
ESTIMATE
ORDER
PLANNING & ALERT
ORDER
Note: Planning Order
Is optional; Alert Order
required.
Review
Supported
Strat. Cmdr
OPORD
EXECUTE
ORDER
5. Lead nation designated
6. Supported Strategic
Commander, CCTF, and
Supporting Commands
Designated.
CDR’S
ESTIMATE
CTF ACTIVATED – CTF Planning
(C5 PLANS, C3 FOPS, C3 COPS)
LNOs/MPAT CADRE DEPLOYS
CTF DRAFT
OPORD
CTF COMPONENTS
ORGANIZED
Approved
ORDER
CTF COMMAND
OPERATIONAL
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CTF MULTINATIONAL COORDINATION CENTER ACTIVATED
CTF Detailed
Planning Process
(SP4)
MNF SOP Recognizes a Base
Planning Model For all Planning
Methods
Five Basic Steps:
1 – Situation Review (common level of
understanding)
2 – Define the Problem
Base Multinational
CTF Planning Model
Warning Order
Mission
Analysis
Mission
Analysis
Brief to Cdr
CDR
Planning
Guidance
COA
Development
COA Decision
Brief to Cdr
COA
Analysis
COA
Selection
COA
Comparison
Commander’s Est.
To Lead Nation
National Authority
Plan/Order
Development
National Authority
Approval
3 – Analyze the Problem
4 – Explore Possible Solutions
5 – Select & Develop the Preferred
Solution
CTF Operational Start Points
(Starting Point 5)
•Clear Understanding & Clarity of
Terminology
–Concerted MPAT effort to develop base
definitions for CTF Operational Start Points
–CTF Glossary addresses (almost) all terms and
abbreviations
–MPAT events used to continually update the
MNF SOP terms
Required to Improve Multinational Interoperability
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Work Group Organization
• Group 1 – MNF SOP Primer Review (Mr Bratton)
• Group 2 – Medical (Major Casey)
• Group 3 – International Standards of Conduct (Mr
Miller)
• Group 4 – Boards, Bureaus, Cells, & Center (Mr
Holub)
• Group 5 – Consequence Management (Mr Carey)
• Group 6 – CBRN-TIM Special Staff Procedures
(Ms Elliott)
Co-chaired by a non-US participant
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Workshop Process
Workgroups will review their relevant section of the
MNF SOP daily within their workgroups
• Daily AAR (5 minute recap of the previous day’s
work)
• Friday Final AAR (max 15 minute recap of the
groups’ major work at the end of the week)
• Final Integration (final review, formatting, and
lining to the rest of the SOP; conducted in Hawaii
by MPAT Secretariat; then new SOP version
posted to web – target is 2 weeks posted)
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SOP Format
•Each section is “formatted” in new standard
template (part of MNF SOP improvements)
•Please maintain this format – if problems
please do not hesitate to immediately
contact:
–Ms Kate Elliott or Mr John Bratton
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Equipment Security
• Set-up each morning by 0730 by the Workgroup
leader
• Taken-down each day by Workgroup leader and
turned in during the daily facilitator meetings
• Computers MAY be borrowed only:
–With prior coordination with Mr Bob Holub
–Only for working on sections of the SOP at night
–The individual borrowing the computer is responsible
for the computer
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Terminology
• Write down any term that is:
–Confusing or required
–Needs to be added to the Glossary
–Please outline area it pertains to and the context
–Suggested definition or working definition is helpful for
research.
–On 3’ x 5” cards handed out to each group
–Turn in to the group Facilitator
• Facilitators turn over cards to Mr Bratton daily
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Work Group Products
•Daily:
–Daily AAR Brief for each group
–Group Facilitator bring to Facilitator Meeting at
the end of the day (electronically)
•Final (NLT 1630 Thursday):
–Final AAR Slides from each group
(electronically)
–SOP Section (with “track changes accepted”)
Properly Formatted!
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Support Material
• Two computers per Work Group
–One reference computer (connected to internet)
–One working computer (with work group chapter,
annex, appendix) for SOP changes
• On each computer and the MNF SOP Tab of the
MPAT website
–Daily AAR Brief Formats
–Final AAR Brief Format
• Printer
–Limited Use Only!!!
–Bring file on memory stick (“thumb drive”) to MPAT
Admin Room to use admin computer
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Summary
•MNF SOP is the basic building block for
Multinational Contingency Crisis Response:
–Serves as “Guide” with Operational Start
Points – not prescriptive, binding or directive.
–Focused at the Operational Level (CTF HQ)
–Multinational Program – 33 MPAT Nations
•Improves:
–Speed of Response
–Interoperability
–Mission Effectiveness
–Unity of Effort
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