On 29 January 2015 the NATO Federated Mission Networking Implementation Plan (NFIP) was approved by the North Atlantic Council (NAC) [Ref. C-M(2015)0003-AS1, dated 30 Jan 2015].
To rapidly and routinely create federated mission networks for future operations, the NFIP has been created to apply the lessons identified from the Afghanistan Mission Network (AMN) and also from the deployed multinational communication information systems (CIS) provided to the NATO Response Force (NRF). The NFIP will require changes to the technologies, standards and configurations of the networks provided by the Nations, Partner Nations and common funded NATO resources. It will also require collective changes to the processes and organizations that establish and develop the capabilities required for operations networks.
Over the next two years, NCI Agency will be required to play its part in this transformation. This will require NCI Agency (through its work for Allied Command for Operations (ACO), Allied Command Transformation (ACT) and the NATO Consultation, Command and Control Board (NC3B)) to re-focus many of its services and implementation programs and projects to support the successful implementation of the Federated Mission Networking (FMN) capability by common funded NATO organizations and in co-ordination with Affiliated National forces of the Alliance and interested Partner Nations. Key events in the near future will be the Exercises Steadfast Cobalt and Trident Juncture in 2015 and 2016, for which NCI Agency will be tasked to begin to demonstrate the application of FMN principles and also to prepare NATO Response Force 16 (NRF16) and NATO Response Force 17 (NRF17).
For further information please see the FMN Video.