Command and Control of the Future Mechanized Task: The Impact of Technology on the Task Force Commander

Abstract

The mechanized task force commander contends with many factors that define his environment. To assist him in contending with this environment, he employs a command and control system consisting of personnel, communication, equipment, facilities, and procedures. To the extent that this system allows the commander to understand and operate within its environment, it contributes to the unit's ultimate success or failure. The U.S. Army intends to replace the 1990's command and control system with an information age system termed Force XXI Battle Command System, Brigade and Below (FBCB2). This system promises to improve the performance of the command and control system by incorporating advanced technologies and systematic improvements to the legacy system. FBCB2's ability to achieve this goal depends upon its ability to understand the environment and to communicate this information to the commander. This monograph examines the dynamic relationship that exists between FBCB2 and its environment. It does so by examining first the environment in which all command and control systems operate and identifying sources of complexity. Then the paper assesses command and control as a system as well as the objective design and function of FBCB2. Finally the monograph compares FBCB2 to the projected future environment to assess its ability to assist the commander in understanding that environment. This study concludes that FBCB2 will assist the commander in understanding his environment because it will simplify the execution of his command and control tasks. FBCB2 will simplify these tasks because it will increase the time available to the commander to execute his command and control tasks, reduce the number of those tasks, and reduce those tasks' difficulty.

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Jan 12, 2000
Accession Number
ADA375852

Entities

People

  • Edward V. Rowe

Organizations

  • United States Army Command and General Staff College

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • C4I
  • Weapons Technologies

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Artillery
  • Command And Control
  • Command And Control Systems
  • Communication Equipment
  • Communication Systems
  • Control Systems
  • Data Transmission
  • Digital Information
  • Information Processing
  • Lessons Learned
  • Military Operations
  • Military Science
  • National Security
  • New York
  • Radio Equipment
  • Task Forces
  • Warfare

Fields of Study

  • Computer science

Readers

  • Joint Military Operations and Doctrine.
  • Maritime Combat Support and Expeditionary Logistics.
  • Robotics and Automation.

Technology Areas

  • Fully Networked C3
  • Fully Networked C3 - Command and Control