Remembering the Future of Centralized Control-Decentralized Execution

Abstract

The advent of technological advancements in computers and communications capability has resulted in a frightening tendency to centralize execution of military operations. This thesis will focus on command and control (C2) as an operation and show that the USAF command and control tenet of "centralized control-decentralized execution," is vital to the success of current and future command and control employment concepts which should drive system development. To realize the significance of the USAF C2 tenet of "centralized control-decentralized execution," one must understand how C2 is executed, in contingency theaters of operation. The best way to view the execution of C2 is to start with the effect desired within the battlespace and work backwards. As you read this thesis, it is important to focus on this distinction. Visualizing command and control of aerospace power this way, will highlight the importance of tactics, techniques and procedures, and their relationship to decentralized execution resulting from centralized control. The historic success of air and space power, since its first use as a militarily tool, has centered on the evolution of "centralized control and decentralized execution." With the onslaught of technological advances in communications and real-time battle space situational awareness, the natural tendency is to make tactical decisions at the operational level. This evolution has been exasperated by the lack of integration of intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance data at the tactical level of execution. Centralizing execution or even over controlling the execution of the master aerospace attack plan (MAAP) from the operational level is detrimental to initiative, ingenuity, flexibility and autonomy, which are the key attributes enabling the successful employment of aerospace power.

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Apr 01, 2003
Accession Number
ADA424622

Entities

People

  • Patrick J. Sheets

Organizations

  • Air University

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • C4I
  • Space
  • Weapons Technologies

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Aerial Warfare
  • Air Force
  • Airborne Warning And Control System
  • Aircrafts
  • Combat Operations
  • Command And Control
  • Command And Control Systems
  • Contingency Operations (Military)
  • Control Systems
  • Information Operations
  • Information Systems
  • Military Organizations
  • Moving Target Indicator Radar
  • Radar
  • Synthetic Aperture Radar
  • Unmanned Aerial Vehicles
  • Warfare

Readers

  • Aerospace logistics and air mobility.
  • Joint Military Operations and Doctrine.
  • Systems Analysis and Design

Technology Areas

  • Fully Networked C3
  • Fully Networked C3 - Command and Control
  • Space
  • Space - Spacecraft Maneuvers