Exploring the Future of Security Force Assistance

through Experimentation

ACT PAO Published on 04 October 2014
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 J oint 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 J ames J ohnston,
participant from NATO J oint Analysis and Lessons Learned Centre (J ALLC).
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 J oint 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 Interarmes
de Concepts, de Doctrines et d'Exprimentations (CICDE), Crisis Management and Disaster
Response (CMDR) COE, HQ KFOR, NATO Liaison and Advisory Team (NLAT), US J oint Center for
International Security Force Assistance, HQ Panzerbrigade 21, NATO Special Operations
Headquarters (NSHQ), J oint Analysis and Lessons Learned Centre (J ALLC), SHAPE, CCOMC
(ISAF), and J oint Force Training Centre (J FTC).
For more information on the SFA LOE, please contact: CDR Narve Toverod, NATO ACT Operational
Experimentation, (757) 747-4147, narve.toverod@act.nato.int