Joint Force Tracking -- The Impact on Regenerating Combat Power.
Abstract
Joint Force Commanders (JFC) face significant challenges in future conflicts. These challenges stem not only from an unidentifiable enemy but also from changes in U.S. force structure. While regional instability grows throughout each Commander-in-Chief's area of responsibility (AOR), austere U.S. defense budgets and political mandates shrink military force structure, reduce U.S. forward presence, and move the JFC further from his AOR. These trends magnify the importance of joint force tracking and its impact on regenerating combat power. Lessons learned from Operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm identified the lack of joint force tracking capability as a U.S. military weakness. Emerging Command, Control, Communications, Computers, and Intelligence (C4I) technology provides a framework within which a force tracking system is being developed. The system will enable the JFC to 'see' forces, equipment, and logistics that are in transit or that are already in the theater of operations. The system must be simple, easy to use, integral with the joint global Command and Control System (GCCS), and most importantly, invulnerable to enemy Information Warfare. A general understanding of system capabilities is important, however, the main purpose of this paper is to synthesize force tracking concepts and analyze the impact of operational factors on the JFC's ability to regenerate combat power quickly and effectively.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Feb 07, 1997
- Accession Number
- ADA325145
Entities
People
- Stanley K. Crozier
Organizations
- Naval War College