What Happens when the Lights Go Out: Airpower Vulnerabilities in the Era of Network Centric Warfare
Abstract
Technological superiority has played an important role in the dominance of US airpower, but the organization of the command and control structure has also been crucial. For years, the "master tenet" of airpower has been centralized control with decentralized execution. But a combination of factors including technology, collateral damage concerns, and dynamic targeting requirements have caused execution authority to become increasingly centralized in recent operations. This trend has resulted in a growing tendency for operational commanders, such as the Join Force Air Combatant Commander (JFACC), to direct action at the tactical level. In the era of Network-Centric Warfare, command and control (C2) organizations increasingly depend on complex communications systems and networks DOD infrastructure has not kept pace with rapidly growing bandwidth requirements, leading to a heavy reliance on more vulnerable commercial systems. As a result, C2 organizations are becoming more vulnerable to physical, electronic, and cyber attacks, and the complexity of communications networks makes it impossible to predict the consequences of a multi-faceted attack.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Mar 23, 2008
- Accession Number
- ADA484336
Entities
People
- Matthew D. Culp
Organizations
- Naval War College