Security force assistance

Security Force Assistance (SFA) a term originating in the United States Armed Forces for military adviser assistance with "training, equipping and advising allied or 'partner' militaries to enable them to defend themselves without 100,000 Americans on the ground to do it for them."

SFA is used when improving the security of the host country aligns with the national interests of the donor country. It may be used alongside or instead of larger commitments of the donor country's military personnel and matériel. This means SFA can provide an alternative to large-scale operations if a war becomes controversial or politically difficult.

Given the ending of the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq, with US-led multinational missions to train and equip both states for counterinsurgency, the United States Army has begun returning to its constant preoccupation of large-scale regular warfare ("Large Scale Combat Operations" is the current jargon). What SFA efforts remain are being much more directed towards helping partners with regular warfare training.

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