Modified intelligence synchronization matrix—a technique for brigade combat team operations

Military Intelligence Professional Bulletin, Jan-March, 2003 by Captain Tad A. Langley

At the National Training Center (NTC), I have observed a constant downward trend in our Branch's ability to support the warfighter at the brigade level. Reviewing the quarterly trends and executive summaries that my predecessors published, it is apparent that this is not new; however, this is not to say that Military Intelligence professionals who deploy to the NTC are not improving in many areas.

I formerly believed that the primary challenge for MI company commanders was to ensure asset integration. The MI company commanders who deploy to NTC today are much more involved and there is a positive, upward trend that shows we are ensuring integration of all of our assets into the brigade's scheme of support. To provide maximum support, however, we must ensure asset synchronization. It is not enough to say you discussed every system during the wargame or gave them specific tasks and purposes within the MI company operations order (OPORD). To be effective, MI company commanders must ensure that their schemes of support nest into the brigade combat team's scheme of maneuver. Our failure as a Branch to do this efficiently has resulted in a negative trend in intelligence synchronization, which affects all other aspects of combat operations.

Collection Management and the ISM

In FM 34-2, Collection Management, the responsibility for ensuring use of assets in a way that makes certain we satisfy information requirements falls on the collection manager (CM). According to FM 34-2, the CM is the key to intelligence synchronization. During the wargaming effort, the CM looks at each potential course of action (COA) and determines how to satisfy the information requirements (IR) derived there from with the available assets. The S2 determines the IR at the brigade level. Typically, no one has the established responsibility of collection management within a brigade combat team (BCT). The person in the best position to take on this responsibility is either the MI company commander or the analysis and control team chief (ACT). Most commanders and ACT chiefs that participate in the brigade wargame process come out scrambling to complete Annex T, Intelligence Electronic Warfare, (FM 5-0, annexes B and L) as well as the company OPORD. The doctrinally based tool available that allows MI planners to organize their notes from the wargame is the intelligence synchronization matrix (ISM). With a blank ISM available, the CM can track each asset's task and purpose, assigned named area of interest (NAI), and collection timeline. Once the wargame is complete and the BCT has selected a COA, the ISM serves as the basis for both the Annex T and the MI company OPORD. However, there is much more value added from a modified ISM than what FM 34-2 describes.

An ISM must comprise the following required data:

* Time.

* Decision points.

* Assets.

* NAIs assigned coverage.

* Cueing requirements.

* Latest time information is of value (LTIOV) (see Figure 1).

Putting the brigade commander's crucial decision points (DPs) on the matrix reflects determination of an intelligence requirement (IR). By looking down the chart at the expected time for making a decision, the CM is able to verify that each asset is attempting to answer an IR tied to the commander's DP. This is a simple tool to ensure overall synchronization; however, it does not include the fidelity necessary to ensure MI assets achieve the necessary objectives.

A Modified ISM

In a modified ISM created during the wargame, the Ml company commander should be able to provide the following information to his subordinates:

* CT scheme of maneuver.

* Commander's DPs.

* Most likely Enemy COA.

* Focus of fires (including close air support (CAS)).

* Asset location and assigned NAI(s).

* Collection focus by intelligence discipline and analytical focus.

Your imagination is the only limitation to the data that you put into the ISM to make it an efficient tool for your company (see Figures 2 and 3).

If you look at each significant activity within the BCT scheme of maneuver, you should be able to verify the focus of collection assets on support to the brigade. You should also be able to direct your analysts to ensure they are working to answer the IR in a timely manner. When the staff creates this document during the wargame, they have already developed the majority of the MI company's scheme of support. This document can then become part of Annex T and the company OPORD.

An Example of Using the ISM

A specific example appears on the right side of Figure 2. The general scheme of maneuver calls for the brigade's main effort to cross the LD at 0500 hours. The commander expects the main effort to conduct a breach and attack to destroy enemy at the objective by 0700 hours. By 0800 hours, the brigade S2 has estimated that the enemy will commit his local reserves and shortly after that his combined arms reserve (CAR). During this critical time of consolidation and reorganization on the objective, the commander must decide whether to commit the supporting effort task force to continue the fight against the remaining enemy in the main battle area (MBA) or block the attack of the CAR. With this information, the MI company commander should establish a task, purpose, and collection focus for every asset ensuring priority goes to answering priority information requirements linked to the brigade commander's second DP.