Shaping the Battlefield With Command and Control Warfare.
Abstract
This study examines the application of command and control warfare (C2W) as a supporting strategy on the battlefield. It begins with an overview of C2W, discussing its five elements--operations security, military deception, physical destruction, and electronic warfare--and the role they play, both in protecting friendly command and control (C2) and in attacking an opponent's C2. The study underscores the advantages they bring to the battlefield when these elements are synchronized into a mutually supporting strategy whose main focus centers on enhancing the success of the commander's overall objectives. The study examines the Persian Gulf War of 1990 to 1991 to demonstrate an application of C2W. It discusses how the employment of C2W during the Gulf War evolved from the defensive-oriented doctrine of command, control, and communications countermeasures (C3CM) to embrace a more offensive-oriented strategy of attacking the entire enemy information system, including the human element. The study contends that this effective integration and application of C2W's five elements contributed significantly to the unprecedented success of Coalition forces in the Gulf War. It concludes with an analysis of the import this carries for future operations and offers recommendations to optimize unit C2W programs.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Jun 07, 1996
- Accession Number
- ADA312217
Entities
People
- Elizabeth A. Hurst
Organizations
- United States Army Command and General Staff College