Coalition Warfare: Implications for the Naval Operational Commander in the WayAhead

摘要

The new at National Security Strategy emphasizes that ad hoc hybrid coalitionscontaining both nations from traditional alliances and nations not bound to us by formal treaties will be increasingly characteristics in future conflicts. Multinational naval forces in these conflicts could be under a unified commander, or as we observed during the Gulf War under their own national control while cooperating with the efforts of other naval forces. Three underlying elements of coalition warfare, which must be considered by the naval operational commander, are analyzed; the political objectives; command and control; and interoperability. Based on these elements, lessons are derived from U.S. Navy participation in both formal alliances and ad hoc coalitions. Implications for the naval operational commander are then examined. Historically interoperability problems have been solved either over time or on the battlefield.