scope:

This document originated from a SHAPE proposal to the 28th Combat Engineer Working Group meeting in January 2001, that Joint Engineering doctrine should be developed to address the organization, roles and responsibilities of engineers in support of the full spectrum of Alliance Missions. Following validation of the proposal by the Army Board and approval from the Joint Service Board, a Joint Engineer Doctrine Panel was established to develop this publication.

Engineering is a multi-faceted activity. It is undertaken by all Services and is a force multiplier across the full spectrum of Alliance operations. It includes the delivery of military and civil engineering to support combined and joint operations. As the Alliance Strategic Concept has evolved, the requirement for joint engineering support has grown. Military engineers are particularly suited for rapid deployment in support of the three 'Missions of Alliance Military Forces' (Article 5 Collective Defence, Non-Article 5 Crisis Response, and Consultation and Co-operation); and are required to support the 'Essential Operational Capabilities of Alliance Forces and Headquarters'.(Footnote 1)

To meet the challenges of the evolving strategic and security environment, Allied Joint Publication (AJP) Joint Engineering reflects developing Alliance strategy, concepts and doctrine, particularly the Combined Joint Task Force operational concept,(Footnote 2,3) which introduces, inter alia, the Combined Joint Engineer (CJ Engineer). Consistent with AJP-01 Allied Joint Doctrine, the generic term Joint Force Commander (JFC) is used and by extension, the Joint Force Engineer (JFEngr) concept is introduced as the generic interpretation of the CJ Engr. At the operational level, the impact of joint engineering as a key campaign 'enabler' is of crucial significance. At the tactical level, combat engineer doctrine supporting air, land and maritime forces is mature and detailed within current ATP-35 Land Force Tactical Doctrine and ATP 52 Land Force Combat Engineer Doctrine. However, until now there has been no engineering doctrine above the single service level. Whilst other AJPs describe various aspects of engineering support, no publication explains the Joint Engineering concept that links strategy and tactics. AJP-3.12 Joint Engineering corrects this deficiency.

Although military engineering may appear to be a predominantly land-focused activity, it plays a vital role in the sustainment and survivability of the Joint Force as a whole. Not only in what has been termed the 'Force Support' function - the provision of life-support infrastructure and sustainment - but also in the 'Combat Support' function - the provision of immediate support to ongoing and imminent operations, where land-based engineers have a key role in support of the maritime and air components. Aside from the role engineers have traditionally played in direct support of amphibious forces, they offer the Maritime Component the capability to develop and maintain SPOD facilities that cannot be taken for granted in expeditionary warfare. Similarly for the Air Component, engineers offer not only the longer-term 'Force Support' development of APODs and operating bases, but also the 'Combat Support' immediate emergency repair of operating surfaces and essential services. The coordination and control of engineers at Joint Force level, as envisaged in this publication, will ensure the best use of limited resources, both manpower and materiel, in meeting the various demands across the components and between the 2 major functions.

Therefore, this publication is a keystone document that sets out the fundamental principles for Joint Engineering. It complements existing publications particularly AJP-01 Allied Joint Doctrine, AJP-3 Allied Joint Operations and AJP-4 Allied Joint Logistics Doctrine. Although intended for Alliance use, the doctrine is equally applicable for use by a coalition of NATO and non-NATO nations within the framework of any combined and joint operation. It is aimed primarily at the Joint Force level (be this Combined Joint Task Force, Allied Joint Force or other arrangement). Much of what it says is equally applicable at the Component level, though recognizing that the engineering needs of the different components are not identical, it does not seek to establish a hard and fast template, but rather broad guiding principles. Moreover, although this publication sees the need for dedicated engineer staffs at all levels to provide the appropriate advice to commanders and coordination of engineer effort, it is not fundamentally about structures and organization and is certainly not about introducing new levels of engineer command. Rather it is about rationalizing what currently exists, by providing an appropriate engineer focus in headquarters, in order to enhance engineer advice and support.

The terms `engineer` and `engineering' have a variety of meanings. This document is concerned with `military engineering' which is used in the sense of that engineer activity undertaken, regardless of component or service, to shape the physical operating environment. It does not encompass the activities undertaken by those `engineers' who maintain, repair and operate vehicles, vessels, aircraft, equipment and weapon systems.

Footnote 1 - MC 400/2, Part III - Missions of Alliance Military Forces; Part IV - Essential Operational Capabilities of Alliance Forces and Headquarters, 23 May 2000.

Footnote 2 - MC 389/1 - MC Combined Joint Task Force Policy, CCC Draft, 24 Jan 01.

Footnote 3 - CJPS 2430.3/01 dated 5 Mar 01.