Military Operations which can be initiated at short notice, consisting of forward deployed or rapidly deployable-self-sustaining forces tailored to achieve a clearly stated objective in a foreign country. The term 'expeditionary operations' has covered a very diverse range of military operations. This definition clearly presages the British version at the start of this chapter and other such definitions to be found in the doctrines of other navies. Together they suggest that the characteristics of expeditionary operations can be divided these days into issues of military form on the one hand and of political purpose on the other. Partly because of the distance normally involved, the forces conducting expeditionary operations will tend to be self-sustaining, tailored to the specific tasks. The differences become a little clearer when expeditionary operations are considered from the political angle since that often shapes their military form. Expeditionary operations are usually fought to maintain the international order against anything that might threaten its stability.