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Backgrounder: Interoperability for joint operations 1. Interoperability for joint operations Contents   1. Interoperability for joint operations   2. NATO standardization policy  3. Standardization Agreements  4. Aerial refuelling  5. Multinational forces  6. Combined Joint NATO Response Force  7. Multinational Chemical, Biological, Radiological and Nuclear Defence Battalion  8. Operating with Partners Editorial Note   Important publisher and editorial information about this document Other Formats English PDF (~860Kb) Printable version with colour illustrations Order a hardcopy version using the online order form. An Alliance of 26 nations can only effectively work together in joint operations if provisions are in place to ensure smooth cooperation. NATO has been developing this capability, known as interoperability, since the Alliance was founded in 1949. The ability of NATO militaries to work together has become even more important since the Alliance has begun mounting out-of-area expeditionary operations. Interoperability refers to the ability of different military organisations to conduct joint operations. These organisations can be of different nationalities or different armed services (ground, naval and air forces) or both. Interoperability allows forces, units or systems to operate together. It requires them to share common doctrine and procedures, each others' infrastructure and bases, and to be able to communicate with each other. It reduces duplication in an Alliance of 26 members, allow pooling of resources, and even produces synergies among members. Interoperability does not necessarily require common military equipment. What is important is that this equipment can share common facilities and is able to communicate with other equipment. NATO militaries achieved interoperability through decades of joint planning, training and exercises during the Cold War. More recently, Alliance members put this interoperability into practice and developed it further during joint operations in the Balkans and Afghanistan. These operations helped the members of Partnership for Peace, NATO's military cooperation programme with former Warsaw Pact countries and members of the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe, to develop interoperability with the Alliance which some of them eventually joined or may join in the future.

© NATO - OTAN 2006 -	NATO Public Diplomacy Division 1110 Brussels, Belgium - E-mail: natodoc@hq.nato.int