Lessons Learned from the Afghan Mission Network: Developing a Coalition Contingency Network

Abstract

This report discusses key lessons learned from the development and evolution of the Afghan Mission Network (AMN) and the lessons born of this effort that are of relevance to the development of future coalition contingency networks. Increasingly, U.S. military operations depend on the support of coalition partners and the networks, like the AMN, that link them. The AMN, a coalition (NATO) funded, sustained, and maintained initiative, was implemented in 2010 and was created as a common network from a collection of national and NATO networks. The AMN is now the primary Coalition, Command, Control, Communications, Computers, Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance (C5ISR) network in the Afghanistan Combined Joint Operations Area (CJOA-A). By providing a common network over which to share critical information, the AMN enabled a shift in information-sharing posture from "need to know" to "need to share," resulting in an increase in situational awareness (SA) among International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) partners. The end result of this effort has been greater situational understanding and serves as an object lesson in how to approach coalition networking. Although the AMN is not an end-state, it provides valuable concepts and processes for future similar efforts.

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Jan 01, 2014
Accession Number
ADA601734

Entities

People

  • Bradley Lossing
  • Chad C. Serena
  • Isaac R. Porche Iii
  • Jan Osburg
  • Joel B. Predd

Organizations

  • RAND Corporation

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • C4I
  • Cyber
  • Energy and Power Technologies
  • Materials and Manufacturing Processes

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Afghanistan Conflict
  • Command And Control
  • Cross Domain
  • Electronic Mail
  • Humanitarian Assistance
  • Information Exchange
  • Information Systems
  • Joint Military Activities
  • Lessons Learned
  • Military Operations
  • Military Science
  • National Security
  • United States
  • United States Africa Command
  • United States Central Command
  • United States Pacific Command
  • Warfare

Readers

  • Enterprise Information Systems Architecture and Joint Command Capability Interoperability Support.
  • Military and Counterinsurgency Studies.

Technology Areas

  • Fully Networked C3
  • Fully Networked C3 - Command and Control