Centralized Execution: A Necessary Challenge to Joint Doctrine

Abstract

"Centralized planning/Decentralized execution" is a widely accepted mantra of joint doctrine, written into nearly every joint pub and considered vital in our ability to fight high tempo maneuver warfare. This doctrine seems to be under attack by the influence of technology, a concern plainly addressed in our joint doctrine. Identifying the reasons behind the drift of operational command and control away from decentralized execution provides an opportunity to examine some of the assumptions that are part of this accepted way we fight wars. Technology has always driven changes in the way war is fought as much as it has driven changes in weapons themselves. While decentralized execution still holds immense military value, changes brought about by technology and the environment we operate in have created necessary instances of centralized execution by operational commanders. Understanding these changes, and controlling or adapting to them, are necessary to maintain effective joint doctrine.

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Nov 06, 2007
Accession Number
ADA476480

Entities

People

  • Mark S. Leavitt

Organizations

  • Naval War College

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • C4I
  • Human Systems
  • Space
  • Weapons Technologies

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Air Force
  • Airborne Warning And Control System
  • Command And Control
  • Command And Control Systems
  • Control Systems
  • Department Of Defense
  • Doctrine
  • Environment
  • Information Systems
  • Marine Corps
  • Marine Corps Operations
  • Military Operations
  • Network Centric Warfare
  • Radio Equipment
  • United States
  • War Colleges
  • Warfare

Readers

  • Joint Military Operations and Doctrine.
  • Strategic Security Studies

Technology Areas

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