An Interservice Support Agreement (ISSA) is an agreement between two or more military services to share resources, information, or capabilities in support of a common mission. ISSAs are used to improve efficiency and reduce costs, and they are key to joint operations by ensuring that each service can support the others.
In essence, the ISSA is a formal contract that establishes the terms of mutual support, such as for maintenance and logistics, training, or research and development. It sets out the responsibilities of each party and the mechanisms for resolving disputes.
ISSAs can be bilateral or multilateral, and they can be temporary or long-term. For example, the U.S. Navy and Air Force might sign an ISSA to share airlift capacity for the transport of troops and supplies. Or the U.S. Army, Navy, and Marine Corps might sign an ISSA for joint training exercises.
The benefits of ISSAs include:
– Improved interoperability and coordination between services, which can enhance overall effectiveness
– Reduced duplication of effort and resources, which can save money and time
– Expanded capabilities and expertise, which can enable missions that would be difficult or impossible for a single service to undertake alone
– Greater flexibility and agility in responding to changes in operational requirements or threats
ISSAs are an important part of military planning and operations, and they reflect the importance of collaboration and teamwork in achieving strategic objectives. By ensuring that each service can support the others, ISSAs help to enable joint operations that are critical for mission success.
In summary, the Interservice Support Agreement is a contractual agreement between two or more military services that establishes the terms of mutual support and serves as a key element of joint operations. ISSAs help to improve coordination, reduce costs, expand capabilities, and enhance overall effectiveness. As such, they are an important tool for achieving strategic objectives and ensuring the success of military missions.