The Unified Command Plan: Operational Command and Control in the Arctic

• Main Author: Heath, Michelle L.
• Other Authors: NAVAL WAR COLL NEWPORT RI JOINT MILITARY OPERATIONS DEPT
• Format: Text
• Language: English
• Published: 2010
• Subjects: Government and Political Science; Geography; Military Forces and Organizations; Command; Control and Communications Systems; *MILITARY FORCES(UNITED STATES); *POLICIES; *ARCTIC REGIONS; *COMMAND AND CONTROL SYSTEMS; *GOVERNMENT(FOREIGN); *UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT; *COMPETITION; CANADA; ALASKA; ICE; GREENHOUSE EFFECT; MILITARY CAPABILITIES; MELTING; COAST GUARD; NAVY; NATURAL RESOURCES; SHIPPING; ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION; ROUTING; RUSSIA; *UNIFIED COMMAND PLAN; *USNORTHCOM(US NORTHERN COMMAND); *USEUCOM(US EUROPEAN COMMAND); USPACOM(US PACIFIC COMMAND); NORAD(NORTH AMERICAN AEROSPACE DEFENSE COMMAND); TERRITORIAL DISPUTES; BOUNDARY DISPUTES; TOURISM; SOVEREIGNTY; NORTHWEST SEA PASSAGE; NORTHERN SEA ROUTE; Arctic; Canada; Pacific; Northern Sea Route; Alaska
• Online Access: http://www.dtic.mil/docs/citations/ADA525337; http://oai.dtic.mil/oai/oai?&verb=getRecord&metadataPrefix=html&identifier=ADA525337

Arctic nations are paying more attention to their Arctic territories and to defining their respective boundaries. A more accessible Arctic opens the possibilities for shorter shipping routes, tourism, and industry through natural resource exploitation that appeals to non-Arctic nations as well. However, the Arctic poses its own set of challenges, including boundary disputes, overlapping continental shelf claims, environmental protection, and security. For the United States to protect its own interests, it needs a command and control structure that will encourage unified action and facilitate unity of effort. To achieve this, the boundaries as drawn by the Unified Command Plan should be revised to divide the Arctic between United States Northern Command and United States European Command. The original document contains color images.