Federated Mission Networking
Federated Mission Networking (FMN) is a NATO capability designed to federate autonomous mission network elements from NATO organizations, member nations, and partner entities, enabling secure, interoperable information sharing while preserving each participant's control over their systems.[1][2]
As part of NATO's Connected Forces Initiative, FMN supports command and control, decision-making, and operational agility by providing scalable networks for multinational exercises, training, and missions.[1] Its framework encompasses governance led by the NATO Military Committee, standardized processes and architectures for network establishment and termination, and defined participation levels including full Mission Network Elements and hosted users.[1]
Developed from lessons learned in the Afghanistan Mission Network and the NATO Network Enabling Capability Programme, FMN has evolved through iterative spirals, involving up to 34 nations and the NATO Command Structure to achieve "fight tonight" readiness via seamless coalition interoperability.[1][3] Notable advancements include compliance integrations like the DEMETER land command system, enhancing data exchange among forces, though implementation challenges persist in tactical domains and full federation during dynamic operations.[4][5]