text: Chapter 1
  1-95. Signal staffs must participate early in and throughout the operations process. Integration of the scheme
  of signal support into operations plans is essential to mission success. This integration requires signal
  planners at every echelon to participate as full partners in the military decision-making process. Signal
  planners participate throughout the planning process, so they can better understand the maneuver plan and
  anticipate changes in operational requirements. During course of action comparison, signal planners advise
  the commander and staff of capability shortfalls that will adversely affect a proposed course of action.
  INTEROPERABILITY
  1-96. Interoperability among unified action partners enables information advantage in joint and multinational
  operations. Sharing common technical standards and policies among joint mission partners allows a wide
  range of networking and information systems to interoperate as a joint network. Interoperability among
  systems and mission partners facilitates information exchange and speeds up decision making and
  implementation. Interoperability requires compatibility and standardization among communications and
  automated information systems. Planners must consider joint interoperability when formulating signal
  support plans.
  COMPATIBILITY
  1-97. Compatibility is the capability of two or more different items or components of equipment to function
  in the same system or environment without mutual interference. Electromagnetic compatibility, including
  frequency supportability, is a design consideration at the earliest conceptual stage and throughout the
  planning, design, development, testing, evaluation, and operational life cycle of all systems.
  STANDARDIZATION
  1-98. The need for standardization applies across the DOD, including the joint, Army, and other Services’
  networks. Operating all of these networks and enclaves under the same technical standards ensures
  interoperability among mission partners. Standardization enables collaboration with unified action partners
  and reduces duplication in research and development efforts.
  AGILITY
  1-99. Agile communications enable decentralized execution according to the commander’s intent.
  Communications and networking capabilities must meet the commander’s communications requirements and
  support decision-making processes. An agile network adapts to meets user needs in a continually changing
  operational environment. Agile networks have the capacity, flexibility, mobility, redundancy, reliability,
  scalability, and timeliness to meet commanders’ requirements across the range of military operations. To
  support agile forces and operational concepts, the communications architecture should adapt to a wide range
  of missions without needing extensive reconfiguration.
  CAPACITY
  1-100. Signal staffs must plan communications and network capabilities to support all anticipated
  requirements in the operational area. High-level plans for the theater network must consider satellite
  bandwidth and spectrum availability to support growth as the theater network expands to meet increasing
  operational requirements.
  FLEXIBILITY
  1-101. Flexibility allows rapid integration at all levels of joint and Army automated information systems
  support. Flexibility allows signal elements to adapt to changing situations and dynamic operations with
  minimal disruption or delay. Flexibility is particularly important during contingency operations.