Non-Lethal Weapons Program

Photo by JIFCO

Out With the Old, In With the New

Lt Gen George W. Smith, Jr. (left); Deputy Commandant for Plans, Policies, and Operations, and Douglas J. Jerothe, Deputy Director, Joint Intermediate Force Capabilities Office (JIFCO) unveil the JIFCO’s new sign during a rededication ceremony at MCB-Quantico. The socially-distanced event celebrated the Commandant’s significant revisions to the DOD Non-Lethal Weapons Program’s mission and vision, as well as the renaming of the Joint Non-Lethal Weapons Directorate to the JIFCO.

JIFCO Leadership Program HIstory

What's New?

Director and Principal Deputy for Policy and Strategy Write Article for

the National Institute for Public Policy

“War is both timeless and ever-changing.” This edict is among the first sentences in Warfighting, the doctrinal publication every U.S. Marine Corps second lieutenant receives at The Basic School as a cargo pocket-sized combat Bible.[1] Beyond basic training, this imperative to adapt to change in combat environments is recognized at the Pentagon’s highest levels. “The Nation must field sufficient, capable forces to defeat enemies and achieve sustainable outcomes that protect the American people and our vital interests,” states the 2018 National Defense Strategy. “Our aim is a Joint Force that possesses decisive advantages for any likely conflict, while remaining proficient across the entire spectrum of conflict.”[2] To maintain that decisive advantage, in addition to the lethal force that is the hallmark of the U.S. military, the Joint Force needs a toolset of “Intermediate Force Capabilities” (IFCs) that include non-lethal weapons as well as other non-lethal tools. IFCs will bridge the gap that exists between a mission of mere presence and the use of lethal effects, allowing active measures when presence alone is insufficient to deter malign activities or when the use of lethal or destructive force is neither desired nor appropriate.

Read the full article here.

JIFCO Director Pens Article for August Marine Corps Gazette

Col Wendell Leimbach, Director of the Joint Intermediate Force Capabilities Office, published an article synopsizing the Commandant's recent guidance for the DOD Non-Lethal Weapons Program. The article was published in the August issue of the Marine Corps Gazette. The full article can be found HERE.

Pentagon Developing Electric Stun Grenade to Disable Everyone in a Room

Mr. David Law, Chief of the Joint Intermediate Force Capabilities Office Technology Division spoke with David Hambling of Forbes magazine about this capability in development. Read the full article HERE.

Welcome to the new Joint Intermediate Force Capabilities Office (JIFCO)!

The Joint Non-Lethal Weapons Directorate (JNLWD) as you know it, is no longer.

The Commandant of the Marine Corps’ 2020 Executive Agent’s Planning Guidance outlines the mission and vision for the new Joint Intermediate Force Capabilities Office (JIFCO). This milestone in the DOD NLW Program’s history ensures that the Department of Defense mainstreams the use of the vital and relevant tools known as Intermediate Force Capabilities (IFCs). IFCs, which exist between presence and lethal effects, enable U.S. and allied forces to deliver accurate, tailorable, and compelling effects in complex and ambiguous scenarios while preventing unintended escalation of hostilities, unnecessary loss of life, or destruction of critical infrastructure.

Team JIFCO looks forward to serving the Joint Force and its strategic partners. [Click on the image to read the full planning guidance]

Reports on the Protection of Civilians in Armed Conflict

United Nations Assistance Mission: Afghanistan (UNAMA) prepares regular reports in accordance with its UN Security Council mandate, undertaking a range of activities aimed at minimizing the impact of the armed conflict on civilians. Since 2012, the reports have been prepared jointly with the UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR). Reports using a consistent methodology have been maintained since 2009. Note that earlier reports from 2007 and 2008 follow a previous reporting system and are included here for reference purposes only.

Third Quarter, 2020 Report

Service-Related Non-Lethal Weapons Information

U.S. Navy Seal

National
Guard Bureau

U.S. Coast Guard

FOR POINTS OF CONTACT FOR EACH SERVICE REGARDING INTERMEDIATE FORCE CAPABILITIES, CLICK THE LINKS ABOVE OR CLICK THE CONTACT TAB AT THE TOP OF THE PAGE.

Intermediate Force Capabilities

Current Intermediate Force Capabilities

Developmental Intermediate Force Capabilities

Future Intermediate Force Capabilities

Intermediate Force Activities

Intermediate Force Capabilities Weapons Training	Intermediate Force Capabilities Education	Unified Combatant Commands
Intermediate Force Capabilities and Requirements	Non-Lethal Human Effects	NATO Engagement

In the News

In Your Face GW’s In-Port Security Force gets OC Sprayed

Dec. 31, 2020 - Eyes burning. Vison blurry. Snot dripping. Instructors screaming. With all of these distractions after getting sprayed by oleoresin capsicum (OC), Sailors go through a course allowing them to practice taking down and defending themselves against attackers.

Report on Navy Laser, Railgun and Gun-Launched Guided Projectiles

Dec. 24, 2020 - Three new ship-based weapons being developed by the Navy—solid state lasers (SSLs), the electromagnetic railgun (EMRG), and the gun-launched guided projectile (GLGP), also known as the hypervelocity projectile (HVP)—could substantially improve the ability of Navy surface ships to defend themselves against surface craft, unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), and eventually anti-ship cruise missiles (ASCMs).

Navy, Marine Corps and Coast Guard Release Maritime Strategy

Dec. 17, 2020 - The U.S. Navy, Marine Corps and Coast Guard released a new tri-Service maritime strategy December 17, entitled Advantage at Sea. The document provides strategic guidance on how the sea services will prevail in day-to-day competition, crisis and conflict over the next decade. It also directs the services to deepen tri-service integration, aggressively pursue force modernization, and continue robust cooperation with allies and partners.

Why Intermediate Force Capabilities?

Intermediate Force Capabilities (IFC) deliver discriminate and reversible effects without causing unnecessary destruction or loss of life. Skilled application of IFCs supports mission objectives by complementing lethal force without unintentionally initiating, escalating, or prolonging extensive (and expensive) hostilities.
Vision , Mission, Definition