The Third Wave Metanoia: Breaking the Command and Control Paradigm
Abstract
As the United States military enters the 21st century, the exponential advances of the Information Age will fundamentally transform the nation's operational warfighting capabilities, not through technical innovation, but rather in the dynamic transformation of command and control practices and organizational structures. Historically, decisive technological advances are a temporary phenomenon. Therefore, the state that is able to leverage technical advances with innovative command and control methods will accrue long-term operational dominance. The American private sector has experienced the initial stage of a dramatic expansion in productivity and competitive advantage. Confronted with a challenging range of military operations, the United States Army must seek the "high ground" of innovation, incorporating command and control and organizational changes that will ensure American dominance in the Information Age battlespace. The re-engineered combat arms brigade would afford an operational commander with an agile and lethal core warfighting organization. Liberated from the Cold War divisional hierarchy and empowered with a command-by-influence system, the brigade would enable the operational commander to dominate the battlespace through a rapid decision cycle, reduction of operational pauses, and focused strikes against enemy unit cohesion. The self-synchronizing brigade allows the operational commander to transition from an Industrial Age strategy of attrition to an Information Age strategy of shock.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Feb 08, 2000
- Accession Number
- ADA378472
Entities
People
- Patrick D. Frank
Organizations
- Naval War College