Operations
Operations tests how the AFM plans and executes missions at home and abroad, and how it works with civil authorities.
The operations process
A typical cycle is: receipt of task, mission analysis, estimate, course-of-action development, decision, orders, rehearsal, execution and after-action review. FHQ's Operations Centre is the coordination hub. Joint operations require air, land and maritime elements to share a common picture and a single set of reporting requirements.
Domestic operations
Common tasks include search and rescue, border security, explosive-ordnance disposal, ceremonial support, disaster relief and support to the police. Legal authority, rules of engagement and the principle of minimum force are central. The AFM supports civil authorities; it does not replace them.
Worked example
Severe flooding cuts off a village. The civil authorities request assistance through FHQ. The Operations Centre tasks 4 Regiment engineers with pumps and transport, Air Wing for a reconnaissance sortie, and 1 Regiment for security of the relief point. The commander sets ROE and reporting. The reasoning is a joint, task-organised response under civil primacy.
Traps
Do not describe training as an operation. Do not ignore the legal basis for using force. Do not forget logistics and communications; plans without sustainment fail.