Functional Impacts of Network-Centric Operations on Future C2
Abstract
What are the unavoidable functional impacts of effects-based, network-centric operations (EBNCO) on command and control (C2)? In other words what C2 mechanisms, network structures and new ways of working are necessary to enable military forces to function in future conflict operations? The central question is: what form(s) must the C2 organizations adopt to conform to the whole range of potential operational requirements? These requirements must cover, for example, the political need for accuracy and the likelihood of achieving precision due to the nature of the environment, number of interactions, rate of representative events and predictability. The effects-based nature of operations forces us to think of operational requirements in themselves rather than using pre-defined means as surrogate operational requirements. The desired effects drive the outcome objectives; and hence drive the plans, actions and inter-organizations of activities from which the C2 plan must naturally emerge. How can we evaluate and assess capabilities in the context of a command space that has a lay-down of cost-benefit contours that define "OK regions" (or comfort zones or basins of attraction) for C2 organizations given a range of operational contexts? Perrow's Quadrants help to define the command space within which the OK regions for the Way of Command can be defined.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Jun 01, 2005
- Accession Number
- ADA463926
Entities
People
- Geoff Markham
- Lorraine Dodd
- Merfyn Lloyd