GEOGRAPHIC SUPPORT REQUIREMENTS FOR FUTURE NATO JOINT EXPEDITIONARY MISSIONS

Abstract

Maps, geographical overviews and digital images provide valuable knowledge of a mission area and are intensively used for planning purposes at every level of command. The key features of a physical and cultural environment, derived from geospatial databases and maps, affect the entire spectrum of military activities at the strategic, operational and tactical levels. However, maps and geospatial1 data must be produced in advance in order to provide detailed information about an area of operations2 before an expeditionary operation can be deployed. Over the last decade, the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) has been NATO’s largest and longest running operation and fulfilling its requirements have proved a challenge for NATO’s military geographic community. The extensive use of advanced technological equipment, as well as comprehensive and complex analyses has required precise geospatial data about Afghanistan.