Table 1
Military Positions at Different Levels of Planning/Execution for Standard EU Military Operations.
| CSDP MILITARY OPERATIONS SYSTEM |
|---|
| Strategic level |
| Chairman of the EU Military Committee (CEUMC) |
| EU Military Staff (EUMS) |
| Director of the MPCC (double-hatted as Director General of the EUMS) |
| Operation Commander (OpCdr) |
| Operation Headquarters (OHQ) |
| Operational level |
| EU Force Commander |
| Mission Force Commander (MFCdr) |
| Force Headquarters (FHQ) officers |
| Tactical level |
| Mission Force Commander (MFCdr) |
| Component Commanders (CC) |
| Sub-units |
| Special components |
[i] Note. Prepared by the author based on European External Action Service (2019, pp. 6–22; 2025).
Table 2
Types of Knowledge and Examples at Multiple Levels of Interoperability in EU Military Operations.
| CATEGORY | EXAMPLES |
|---|---|
| Strategic level | |
| Know-What | Strategic documents (EU Global Strategy, Council conclusions), policy briefs |
| Know-Why | EU values on security and multilateralism, integrated approach principles |
| Know-How | Strategic planning; strategic thinking; political-military coordination |
| Know-Who | Key institutional actors and experts in EU services and agencies. |
| Operational level | |
| Know-What | Operational plan, shared situational awareness reports, intelligence documents |
| Know-Why | Peacebuilding theory, effects of culture and technology on interoperability |
| Know-How | Coordination and communication skills for joint/multinational operations |
| Know-Who | Understanding service-specific capabilities and leveraging their expertise |
| Tactical level | |
| Know-What | Mission planning data (terms, graphics); Recognized Maritime Picture |
| Know-Why | Behaviors facilitating secure local relationships (gender, cultural awareness) |
| Know-How | Teamwork; intercultural interaction; empathic/active listening |
| Know-Who | Building trust with local actors and leveraging their knowledge in tasks |
[i] Note. Prepared by the author.
Table 3
Relevance of the Knowledge Categories Across the Levels of Interoperability.
| LEVEL | CATEGORY | EXAMPLES |
|---|---|---|
| Strategic | Know-Why | EU values on security and multilateralism, integrated approach principles; EU priorities and long-term goals |
| Know-How | Strategic planning; strategic thinking; political-military coordination; negotiation; critical thinking | |
| Operational | Know-Who | Understanding service-specific capabilities and leveraging their expertise |
| Know-How | Coordination and communication skills for joint/multinational operations | |
| Tactical | Know-How | Teamwork; intercultural interaction; adaptive skills; empathic/active listening |
| Know-What | Mission planning data (terms, graphics); sharing mine/ERW threat information with citizens |