Attack the Networks Operational Course
The Attack the Networks Operational Course (ATNOC) is designed to enhance participants’ situational awareness and operational effectiveness in Counter-IED (C-IED) efforts by fostering a multidisciplinary and cross-functional understanding of the Attack the Networks (AtN) approach.
The course emphasizes the knowledge, skills, and competencies required to effectively integrate and synchronize C-IED methodologies across various Headquarters (HQ) processes and operational disciplines. Participants will explore how to apply the AtN framework within joint, interagency, and multinational environments to counter complex threats posed by improvised explosive devices (IEDs) and the networks that enable them.
The curriculum is structured into four progressive learning blocks, which cover the following key areas:
By the end of the course, students will be able to identify, analyze, and develop recommendations for engaging threat networks using a comprehensive, effects-based approach. This includes integrating intelligence, operations, and influence activities to support broader mission objectives and enhance force protection in complex operational environments.
Course Prerequisites:
The preferred training audience for the ATNOC includes military personnel and law enforcement officers, as well as representatives from intelligence agencies of NATO member and partner nations. The course is specifically tailored for staff assigned to roles within J2 (Intelligence), J3 (Operations), J5 (Plans), Counter-IED (C-IED) cells, or related functions.
Ideal participants are:
Officers (OF-3 rank and above) or their civilian equivalents, and
Senior Non-Commissioned Officers (OR-8 rank and above) or their civilian equivalents,
Serving within NATO Command Structure (NCS), NATO Force Structure (NFS), or national headquarters of NATO nations, as well as partner countries including Australia, New Zealand, Austria, Ireland, and Switzerland.
Participants should possess a professional background in at least one of the following areas:
Intelligence, Operations, Planning, Targeting, C-IED, Civil-Military Cooperation (CIMIC), or Information Activities.
This course is best suited for personnel operating at the upper tactical (Component Command) and operational levels, or in comparable civilian roles, who are actively involved in the analysis, coordination, or execution of efforts to counter threat networks in support of joint and combined operations