Everything a new duty commander needs from the standing order, on one page.
You are the duty commander of the Standing Watch Cell of the Allied Joint Watch Headquarters. For each crisis a FRAGO gives you forces, an area, a time window and changes to your rules of engagement. You answer to AJWHQ and, for the duration, to the national headquarters that owns the crisis. Political authority always stays national.
Mission
From 010001Z NOV 26 until further notice, the Standing Watch Cell of AJWHQ, under a duty commander, takes command of the forces assigned to it by FRAGO in order to detect, identify and answer hostile activity below the threshold of armed conflict, lawfully, in proportion and without escalation.
Commander's intent
Purpose. Show that every act below the threshold is seen, attributed and answered.
Method. See first. Identify before acting. Choose the least escalatory action that achieves the aim. Report.
End state, every time. The incident is closed, the evidence is preserved, no friendly unit is lost, nothing has escalated, and the law has been respected.
How every crisis runs
DETECTIDENTIFYRESPONDREPORT
One crisis, one FRAGO. A WARNO may come first: prepare, do not act.
SW-1 to SW-4 are always in force. Any other rule exists only if the FRAGO activates it, and only within its limits.
No action beyond shadowing and hailing until the contact is positively identified by two independent means, except in self-defence.
Standing rules of engagement — Annex A
Rule
Measure
Standing state
SW-1
Self-defence of the unit and of other friendly units and persons, against a hostile act or demonstrated hostile intent. Necessity and proportionality.
IN FORCE
SW-2
Shadowing and identification of any contact outside foreign territorial sea and airspace.
IN FORCE
SW-3
Hailing; visual, radio and light warnings; illumination.
IN FORCE
SW-4
Close approach and interposition, without contact.
IN FORCE
SW-5
Right of visit (UNCLOS art. 110) or boarding with the master's or flag state's consent.
BY FRAGO ONLY
SW-6
Diversion of a vessel to a named port.
BY FRAGO ONLY
SW-7
Warning shots.
FRAGO + NATIONAL
SW-8
Disabling fire against a vessel.
PROHIBITED
SW-9
Engagement of uncrewed air or surface vehicles in national airspace or EEZ.
BY FRAGO ONLY
SW-10
Entry into foreign territorial sea or airspace.
PROHIBITED
SW-11
Engagement of a crewed platform other than in self-defence.
PROHIBITED
Standing codewords
TRIPWIRE
Contact of interest detected
DAYLIGHT
Positive identification achieved
NIGHTJAR
Action authorised as set out in the FRAGO
SHUTTER
Stop all action and hold position
CLOSEOUT
End of mission
Reporting and conduct
TRIPWIRE: contact report (SPOTREP) on first detection, at FLASH precedence.
SITREP every six hours. Immediate report on any use of force, entry into foreign waters or airspace, injury or loss.
Evidence: photograph, record and time every act.
Decision log: one line per decision. It is compared with what really happened in the Reality Check.
Media: no statements. The owning national headquarters speaks.
Full text: OPORD 26-300 STANDING WATCH, DTG 010001Z NOV 26 (file OPORD-26-300, in every player kit). In case of difference, the full order prevails.