Category Publications

This manual describes the United Nations (UN) Military Logistics Unit, a unique entity that comes into existence only when peacekeeping contingencies require a military capability due to time constraints, security, logistical shortfalls, redeployment needs, budgetary constraints, difficult terrain, environment or weather. Under these conditions, the UN Military Logistics Unit offers an alternative capability to accomplish the needed tasks. For example, if the UN’s logistics system needs reinforcement, the Military Logistics Unit can be tasked to deploy its additional capacity in scalable and modular elements.

This manual describes UN Military Signals Unit operations, focusing on Military Signals support to a UN Mission and its Force Headquarters. Always scalable in size, modular in function and Mission-tailored, the UN Military Signals Unit’s size and composition depend on the size, composition and requirements of the UN Mission it supports and the physical characteristics of the mission area.

This first edition of the United Nations (UN) Reconnaissance Unit Manual provides field commanders and their staff a guide for planning and conducting UN Reconnaissance Unit operations in support of UN peacekeeping Missions. Field Missions and UN Headquarters planners will also benefit from a common understanding of the employment, capabilities, tasks and organization of UN Reconnaissance Units as they develop the Statement of Unit Requirement (SUR) that is the basis for generating and deploying UN military units.

These guidelines focus on physical protection of civilians against violence in any form or manifestation by the perpetrator, including but not limited to armed groups, non-state actors and state actors (where applicable) individually or collectively at operational and tactical levels. They provide enough room for planners and commanders to incorporate changes in the planning and execution of operations as the situation evolves.

This first edition of the United Nations Special Forces Manual provides field commanders and their staffs a guide for planning and conducting UN Special Operations in support of United Nations peacekeeping operations. What is more, the Troop Contributing Countries, United Nations Headquarters and Mission staff will find this Manual an essential reference as they plan for, generate and employ Special Forces for UN Missions.

This first edition of the United Nations Manual on Military Aviation provides field commanders and their staff a guide for planning and conducting military aviation operations in support of United Nations peacekeeping operations. What is more, United Nations Headquarters and Mission staff will find this manual an essential reference as they plan for, generate and employ military aviation for UN Missions.

The United Nations Force Headquarters Handbook aims at providing information that will contribute to the understanding of the functioning of the Force HQ in a United Nations field mission to include organization, management and working of Military Component activities in the field. The information contained in this Handbook will be of particular interest to the Head of Military Component I Force Commander, Deputy Force Commander and Force Chief of Staff.

While this Manual is primarily written for UN Infantry Battalions, it will also serve as a guide for national and United Nations Headquarters (UNHQ) planners and for those who train, support, and utilize UN Peacekeeping Infantry Battalions. It is designed to assist battalion commanders in the field and in the reorientation of their battalion from a national military entity into an integral part of a unified UN peacekeeping operation.

Volume II (Vol. II) is the stand-alone, comprehensive and capability based portion of the UN Infantry Battalion Manual (UNIBAM). This volume provides Battalion Commanders, staff, and Company Commanders with best practice baseline information that is normally required to plan, lead and manage battalion peacekeeping operations.

The present document aims to define the nature, scope and core business of contemporary United Nations peacekeeping operations, which are usually deployed as one part of a much broader international effort to build a sustainable peace in countries emerging from conflict. It identifies the comparative advantages and limitations of United Nations peacekeeping operations as a conflict management tool, and explains the basic principles that should guide their planning and conduct.