MAGAZINE
FALL 2019
THE MAIN EVENTS LIST / MAIN INCIDENTS LIST ( MEL / MIL ) SCRIPTING WORKSHOP FOR NATO EXERCISE TRIDENT JACKAL 2019 ( TRJA19 ) TOOK PLACE FROM JULY 9-18 AT JOINT WARFARE CENTRE ’ S ( JWC ) TRAINING FACILITY IN STAVANGER , NORWAY
Mission Analysis
During the fifth day of the exercise JOPG members conducted a comprehensive mission analysis briefing to COM NRDC- SP . The group credits their success to that point to deliberate integration of the COM ’ s guidance from previous days , their focus on adversarial centres of gravity for analysis of possible adversarial courses of action , and their own operational design , all of which facilitated a successful alignment between the command group and the JOPG . These efforts were also bolstered by senior mentors and training team members from the Joint Warfare Centre serving in advisory roles .
There were two critical aspects underpinning the successful planning process during the mission analysis step . These included feedback provided to the JOPG by the OLRT deployed to the host nation ( simulated by JWC at Stavanger ,
“ SIMPLICITY IN PLANNING FOSTERS ENERGY IN EXECUTION .” ON WAR -CARL VON CLAUSEWITZ
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Norway ), either through daily VTCs or requests for information ( RFIs ) facilitated through the NATO web portal . Secondly , the JOPGs firm grasp of both the COPD , as well as the solid understanding by most CRP participants of TOPFAS / OPT 1 , resulted in the timely production of planning products .
Courses of Action and War Gaming
Operational Planning Guidance , established the end of the mission analysis , provided the JOPG with refined guidance for further development of two friendly force courses of action ( COAs ). From this point the blue team , charged with friendly COA development and refinement , rapidly facilitated analysis on the advantages , disadvantages , similarities , and differences of the two COAs . A subsequent brief comparing the COAs resulted in additional guidance from COM and additional refinement prior to the war gaming phase . War gaming , considered very useful when operating in a time constrained environment , once again
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The JOPG ’ s war gaming was both well planned and well executed . Each COA was only war gamed against the most dangerous adversarial COA as it was considered the most likely to occur . For each friendly COA war gamed , the JOPG conducted additional analysis focused on the time required from JTF initial operating capacity ( IOC ) to full operating capacity ( FOC ). They also conducted a second analysis focusing on a Key Decisive Condition , which is identified by JWC in the First Impression Report II as a best practice for war gaming .
Tools for Operational Planning Functional Area Service ( TOPFAS )/ Operational Planning Tool ( OPT )