Command and Control in the Information Age.
Abstract
Effective military communications capabilities are not only essential for command and control of military forces but can also be used to achieve information dominance in the battlespace. The U.S. has historically applied its technological advantage to win at command and control warfare. As budget cuts slow the pace of research, development, and acquisition of military communications systems, civilian commercial systems are surpassing their military counterparts in many capabilities. It is important that our senior commanders are cognizant of new commercial communications technology and its applicability in a myriad of military situations. This paper describes recent advances in the commercial communications arena which have obvious command and control warfare applications. Fiber optic transmission systems, long known for their ability to transport huge volumes of information, have recently been improved to overcome a number of earlier shortfalls. A description of these refinements, along with a number of resulting new military applications is presented. Commercial communications satellites are discussed in the final part of the paper. A number of new multibillion dollar constellations are about to enter service just as military funding for such satellites dries up. Both technologies play key roles in achieving battlespace dominance in the information age.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Jun 14, 1996
- Accession Number
- ADA307343
Entities
People
- W. D. Reese
Organizations
- Naval War College