Decision-Making in the 21st Century: The Need for a Modern Day System of Expedients to Win in War

Abstract

The world is experiencing a revolutionary change in the character of war. The confluence of time compression, institutional stress, and new modes of battle combine to alter the strategic landscape of the twenty-first century. The critical variable of change is speed. How do the U.S. and partner militaries cultivate sound military judgment and intuition in their senior leader decision-making at an operationally relevant speed while properly leveraging emerging technological tools in this age of digital disruption? A review of scholarship on decision theory, command, gaming, and artificial intelligence illuminate variables that induce a faster rate of digital transformation. An analysis of NATOs Project PROMETHEUS, an effort to develop a modern-day system of expedients for command, provides timely recommendations for the DOD to consider. A concluding story combines insights from this study to explain how the U.S. might prevail in the next battle against a peer enemy in the Pacific.

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
May 29, 2023
Accession Number
AD1201369

Entities

People

  • Arnel P. David

Organizations

  • National Defense University

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Autonomy
  • C4I
  • Cyber
  • Energy and Power Technologies
  • Engineered Resilient Systems
  • Ground and Sea Platforms
  • Human Systems

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Air Force
  • Artificial Intelligence
  • Computational Science
  • Computers
  • Doctrine
  • Drone Targeting
  • Information Systems
  • International Relations
  • Machine Learning
  • Military Research
  • Military Science
  • National Security
  • Psychology
  • Recreation
  • Second World War
  • Students
  • War Colleges
  • Warfare

Readers

  • Military History of the United States in the 20th Century.
  • Systems Analysis and Design

Technology Areas

  • AI & ML
  • AI & ML - DoD AI Strategy