Achieving Convergence at the Division Level

Going Past Integration

By COL Emiliano Tellado

Article published on: June 16, 2025 in the 2025 E-edition of Field Artillery

Read Time: < 6 mins

After observing two division rotations at the National Training Center (NTC) as the senior fire support observer, coach/trainer (OC/T), it has become clear that the time to evolve how divisions integrate and synchronize capabilities to achieve convergence is now. Figure 1 illustrates the actions required to achieve convergence, expanding on both definitions of integration and synchronization, and further highlights the processes and integration centers at the division level. Under the current force structure, a division integrates capabilities through its current operations integration center (COIC) and its Joint Air Ground Integration Center (JAGIC), with synchronization enabled through its targeting process. However, what is evident in not just name but in action is that divisions have integration centers yet do not necessarily synchronize in real time while adapting to changes in the operational environment. I, personally, like to equate it as the ability to recognize that while we can integrate something now, if we wait four hours, then we can synchronize the actions and timing with additional integrated capabilities to achieve the convergence and the desired effect. To win the next battle, we must transition from the JAGIC at the division level to a target integration and synchronization cell (TISC). This will allow the division to integrate its organic, attached and allocated capabilities with the synchronization facilitated by the targeting process that seeks to synchronize specific targets and objectives to achieve the commander’s intent. It means moving beyond simply integrating the air and land domains to employing all nine forms of contact in all domains in support of increasing speed of Large-Scale Combat Operations (LSCO). “The division is typically the lowest tactical echelon that employs capabilities from multiple domains to achieve convergence during large-scale combat operations.”¹ To this, facilitated through the targeting process, a division must have a cell that can integrate, synchronize in real-time and achieve convergence. “Targeting is an integral part of the operations process that organizes the efforts of the commander and staff to integrate and synchronize fires in operations.”² This paper presents the need to transition to a TISC, expanding on what we now have current within our divisions and presenting what is required to enable them to achieve convergence. What should give us hope is that our divisions already have the personnel and processes needed to do so. Reorganization is all that is required to best achieve convergence.

Figure 1: Defining the Problem

To begin, we look at the JAGIC, which typically resides in a division’s COIC. “The JAGIC provides commanders a technique to coordinate, integrate and control operations in division-assigned airspace and efficiently collaborate requirements with external airspace elements outside of the division area.”³ The JAGIC, commonly used to execute the results of the targeting process, is not organized to synchronize multi-domain fires but instead to simply integrate two domains. On the other side, we have the COIC, which serves as the tactical operations center for the division and is responsible for integrating forces and capabilities while maintaining situational awareness of the fight. These organizations are built around limited capabilities and seek to integrate them in real time to enable a specific action. However, they do not necessarily achieve synchronization or execute the results of the targeting process.

The targeting process enables planning the integration and synchronization of multiple domains to achieve an effect against a target. “Convergence is an outcome created by the concerted employment of capabilities from multiple domains and echelons against combinations of decisive points in any domain to create effects against a system, formation, decision maker or in a specific geographic.”⁴ If targeting leads to convergence, then what organization is responsible for its dynamic execution of effects in all domains? Moreover, what organization is dynamically adapting to changes in the environment, ensuring the integration and synchronization of planned effects and thereby creating convergence? The answer is clear: there is none in our current structure. In these past two division rotations, I saw this struggle for headquarters to capitalize on convergence. Although it had planned it, there was no organization for its execution in real-time. Instead, we would assess the effects and then shift plans based on the outcome, looking past the missed opportunities and convergence created.

Figure 2: Target Integration & Synchronization Cell

Figure 3: Target Development & Assessment Cell

Therefore, the time is now to reorganize personnel and equipment residing within a division. Move past the JAGIC to a TISC that utilizes the JAGIC as its base but brings together elements of the COIC and analysis and control element (ACE). The TISC represented in Figure 2 is the proposed structure. It unites the personnel to create the TISC and shifts the JAGIC chief to serve as the chief of multi-domain fires while also placing the G39 as the deputy of the organization. Key to this organization is the inclusion of elements of the ACE—to include the collection execution manager—that enable real time execution of targeting with intelligence collection coupled with representatives from the Air Force, non-lethal effects and the division artillery (DIVARTY) fire control element. This structure is meant to further hasten fires, enabling the TISC to send missions directly to firing battalions. Ensuring the efforts of the division to achieve the desired effects is the target development and assessment cell (TDAC), as represented in Figure 3. The TDAC ties in with the TISC and aids the targeting process by focusing on the development of target nominations to corps and the analysis needed to determine the correlation of forces and means needed to achieve victory. The TDAC represents the remainder of the ACE, along with the division operations research systems analysis (ORSA) and battle damage assessment (BDA) collection managers, to enable a focused direction in looking forward of the division’s forward boundary. These two cells enable synchronization of efforts by delineating responsibility geographically for collection while tying in the assessment process. The TISC focuses on execution of the fight in the division’s area of operations (AO), adapting to changes in the AO to ensure not just integration by synchronization of capabilities. The TDAC focuses on assessing the results of the effects within the division’s AO but in coordination with intelligence collection. It assesses the needed effects of threats within the corps deep to develop corps target nominations. These two cells work to enable the commander’s objectives and create the connective tissue, thus enabling the decide, detect, deliver and assess (D3A) process.

Next, Figure 4 brings each of the cells together along with the process and the COIC to demonstrate how it all ties together. Achieving convergence begins with the targeting process facilitated by the division targeting officer along with the division fire support element, who brings together key players to execute the D3A process. “The ability to achieve convergence is dependent on many things to include synchronizing the employment of capabilities to generate simultaneous, sequential and enduring effects against the enemy system; and assess individual effects and the probability the overall effects have been achieved.”⁵ In order to achieve convergence, a division must be postured with structures that can do more than just simply integrate. They must be able to synchronize while understanding the commander’s intent to leverage capabilities. The TISC and TDAC are the very structures that are needed to make full use of the capabilities in Multi-Domain Operations.

Figure 4: Enabling D3A in the Division to Achieve Convergence

In conclusion, to capitalize on the convergence created through the integration and synchronization of capabilities through targeting, we need an organization that executes both functions in real-time to achieve convergence. A TISC would take the existing structure of the JAGIC, along with other personnel from the division headquarters, to create an organization that goes beyond solely integrating the air and land domain. It can integrate all domains and synchronize them, achieving the results of the targeting process. When speaking of convergence, Field Manual 3-0 states “During execution, leaders seek to maintain the conditions of convergence through rapid transitions, adjusting priorities, shifting the main effort, or adapting to maintain momentum.”⁶ The division requires an organization that focuses on this very action to capitalize on the results of targeting with a focus on achieving deliberate convergence. We are no longer simply operating in two domains but rather in several that require a structural organization capable of achieving the effects identified through the targeting process.