Page 177 - Le Operazioni Interforze e Multinazionali nella Storia Militare - ACTA Tomo II

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ActA
Time-out for Jointness – Time for the
Comprehensive Approach

Joerg HIllmANN

hen the Italian Minister of Defence Mauro opened the conference he stated, that
W those countries who are conducting a joint operation and those countries con-
ducting a combined operation commonly are preparing peace. He underlined that mili-
tary was and is a contributor to a process which is guided by politicians – and we have to
consider that the involvement of military is the last step of diplomacy; when diplomacy
fails, politicians can use military to pave the ground for a new diplomatic approach in
the future. Following that, military engagement as a part of an overall process is clearly
earmarked with a beginning and an end point – this underlines that involvement of mili-
tary is not intended during the overall process. If the job is done, the military should be
redeployed to their barracks.
Different forms of military engagement could be identified.
Within a “classical” conflict between two neighbour countries, jointness for both
involved parties is mandatory, as per definition: “Jointness is the integration of the
strengths of at least two limbs of the military in a coordinated effort to achieve a com-
mon goal.” Even if not neighbour countries are at war, jointness for both involved coun-
tries deems mandatory as well – the one due to direct involvement, the other one due to
geographic reasons.
“By combining the Navy, Army and the Air Force and recently also Special Forces
and PsyOps, you are able to reach a concept of jointness. The staffs are consisting of
1
officers from the different services with the special knowledge of their specific service.”
Looking back in the younger history, the Falklands War between Great Britain and
Argentina could be taken as one example for joint operations on both sides. Coordina-
tion in planning processes, coordination of all means and activities, as well as a well
proven communication are some of the preconditions for the conduct of a joint opera-
tion.
After Argentina’s occupation of the Falklands, Great Britain dispatched a Joint Task
Force to liberate their islands, encompassing ships from the Royal Navy, Royal Fleet
Auxiliary and Merchant Navy. These ships transported both Marine Commando Bri-
gades as well as Army Brigades, with air cover being provided by the Fleet Air Arm and
with the Air Force providing logistical support. However the deployment of such a Joint
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Task Force was far from unproblematic, as was proven by the “Bluff Cove Disaster”.

1 Österberg, V.P.: Military Theory and the Concept of Jointness. A Study of Connection, Copenhagen 2004, p.
12.
2 Bolia, Robert S.: The Falklands War. The Bluff Cove Disaster, in: Military Review, November-December
2004, p. 66-72.