CURRENT OPERATIONS CELL

Current operations very often is carried out principally by a designated cell, but it does not matter what CFT term is used; it is the function or activity that must be understood and performed by a MOC in support of the

commander. COPS primarily focuses on monitoring and assessing ongoing operations and the execution of the commander’s intentions. COPS is responsible for overseeing and providing quality control during an operation for the implementation and coordination of the commander’s orders. COPS is the central point for all CFTs to

forward key events and to receive information related to the execution of operations. COPS is responsible for monitoring the current situation and reflecting any changes to the execution of assigned orders by all subordinate forces. COPS, in coordination with other cells, must be capable of short-term operation planning, usually through a crisis action team (CAT). COPS must also monitor the commander’s critical information requirements. CCIRs identify key pieces of information that, if received, necessitate immediate action by the commander.

Commander’s critical information requirements constitute information requirements identified by the commander as being critical in facilitating both timely information management and the decision-making process that affect successful mission accomplishment. The two key subcomponents are critical friendly force information

requirements (FFIR) and PIRs. Current CCIRs should be disseminated and known throughout the MOC.

Fulfillment of a CCIR, by definition, requires a decision by the commander and adjustments to current or future operations. COPS is composed of a team of experts in various warfare areas who routinely communicate current events across various planning cells.

3.4.1 Functions

1. Track the readiness of forces assigned to the commander.

2. Maintain situational understanding of operations in execution and those to be executed in the near future.

3. Synchronize, coordinate, deconflict, and/or integrate maritime operations with other joint force operations.

4. Assemble CAT; conduct rapid response planning as required.

5. Supervise the establishment, maintenance, and sharing of the COP.

6. Collect and analyze current operations MOPs, synthesize task assessments, and collect and pass MOE indicator data for effects assessment.

7. Coordinate and monitor orders in execution (OPORDs, FRAGORDs, ATOs, and other current directives).

8. Establish and manage the FCC composition, layout, and organization.

9. Execute the battle rhythm.

10. Manage the execution of the current plan.

11. Communicate the commander’s directions to subordinate commands (task forces, groups, units, and elements).

12. Draft and release intentions or orders messages and the daily situation report.

13. Monitor status of the commander’s critical information links in coordination with the joint communication control center (JCCC); direct rapid restore of alternate communications and satellite communication (SATCOM) links in accordance with operational tasking communication (OPTASK COMM) and/or degraded SATCOM fallout plan.

14. Direct resolution activities in order to regain communications and SATCOM bandwidth; task CIS staff to assess and act to resolve any interference on communication links.

15. Prepare required daily morning update briefings.

16. Track commander’s CCIRs and immediately report relevant information to the MOC director, the director of operations, the SIO, and the commander.

17. Ensure the antiterrorism/force protection (AT/FP) conditions are appropriate for the current situation.

18. Coordinate with staff judge advocate (SJA) to ensure ROE/RUF support the force in carrying out the mission.

19. Track and maintain an operations RFI process.

3.4.2 Composition

COPS is composed of experts in various warfare areas, intelligence, and cryptology who routinely communicate current events across various planning cells. The BWC stands watch in the FCC, leads the 24/7 current operations

watch team, and is the commander’s direct representative for all current operations. Current operations may be carried out by:

1. Director of current operations 2. Battle watch captain

3. Assistant BWC or fleet watch officer (FWO) 4. Intelligence operations/I&W watch officer

5. Intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance operations officer 6. Fires watch officer

7. Maritime dynamic targeting chief (fires watch officer and MDT chief may be combined into one watch if operating tempo allows)

8. Air warfare officer

9. Integrated air and missile defense officer 10. Antisubmarine warfare officer

11. Surface warfare officer 12. Submarine warfare officer 13. Mine warfare officer

14. Amphibious warfare officer 15. Special warfare officer

16. Explosive ordnance disposal (EOD) officer

17. Information operations cell and SIGINT representative 18. Intelligence representative

19. Liaison officers (e.g., joint force air component commander (JFACC); joint force land component commander (JFLCC); joint force special operations component commander (JFSOCC); United States Marine Corps (USMC); commander, task force; coalition; logistics; medical; and major subordinate commands, as appropriate)

20. Global Command and Control System (GCCS) operator (Blue track database manager) 21. Knowledge and information management watch officer

22. Commander’s update briefing team 23. Joint interface control officer (JICO)

24. Crisis action team lead or planner (to support the CAT planning function COPS must perform).

Preferred COPS composition involves both permanent and on-call members and, depending upon the level of operational organization (e.g., Navy component command HQ, JFMCC, JTF) and the type and complexity of the mission FHA/ DSCA to a major combat operation), positions listed above may be expanded, combined, or eliminated altogether.

3.4.3 Points of Coordination 1. Internal:

a. The commander, MOC director, and staff principals b. Future operations cell

c. FUPLANS/MPG/OPTs

d. Fires element targeting team e. Maritime air operations cell

f. IAMD cell

g. Maritime intelligence operations center

h. Communications and information systems center, JICO i. Meteorological and oceanographic cell

j. Component and coalition/combined LNOs k. Knowledge management officer

l. Logistics readiness center m. Staff judge advocate

n. Information operations POC (N6 and JICO for line of sight (LOS) and SATCOM circuits) o. Counterintelligence/human intelligence officer (N2X)

p. Personnel recovery officer

q. AT/FP

r. Communications and information system s. Public affairs officer (PAO).

2. External:

a. Higher headquarters b. Subordinate commands

c. Other component commands.

3.4.4 Inputs

1. Common operational picture

2. Operational plans and approved orders

3. Unit and tactical commander readiness status reports, combat assessments, and evaluations 4. Daily intelligence brief

5. Daily IO brief input

6. Current METOC/space products

7. Results of headquarters principals’ meeting (commander, COS, ACOSs, directors, special assistants) 8. Record message traffic

9. Other joint component and coalition products (ATO, area air defense plan (AADP), status reports, awareness documents, or indicators)

10. Nongovernmental organizations (NGOs), governmental organizations, and international organizations 11. Requests for information, requests for assistance, requests for forces (RFFs)

12. Commander’s critical information requirements 13. Collaboration at Sea Web sites

14. Open-source reporting (e.g., cable, local TV, or radio news programming) 15. E-mail/chat

16. Maritime liaison office/automated information system 17. Maritime assessment group findings

18. IPOE, I&W, and intelligence products from the MIOC 19. MOEs/MOPs

20. CONOPS briefs and plans

21. JFCs TST, high-value target (HVT), HPT matrix 22. JFC, JFMCC dynamic target matrixes and MDT matrix 23. Maritime prioritized target list

24. JFC/JFMCC ROE matrix.

3.4.5 Outputs

The commander’s update brief is a comprehensive review of the events that recently have occurred and operations that are planned for execution in the near future. Input is collated from all staff codes and presented in a briefing format. The brief provides situational understanding for the staff. The daily commander’s update is one of the primary formalized products produced by COPS; however, immediate message traffic and FRAGORDs may be

produced by COPS dependent on the situation. Current operations is also responsible for distributing commander’s guidance. Outputs from current operations may include the following:

1. Daily briefings (up and down the chain)

2. Guidance and intentions messages (daily, weekly, biweekly, monthly intentions, SITREP, etc.) 3. Orders (EXORDS, FRAGORDs)

4. Air support request and allocation requirements to the JFACC (when delegated to subordinate commanders, ensure that it encompasses all JFMCC requirements)

5. Morning summary to commander (overnight update) 6. Message traffic summary for the commander

7. Significant events log/watch log 8. Current operations turnover brief 9. C2 incident reports

10. Crisis action plans.