The Imperative for Shaping Cyberspace
Abstract
The hot topic in the Department of Defense (DoD) today seems to be cyber, cyber, and more cyber. At the most senior levels, there is significant discussion and debate on the best way to Command and Control (C2) cyberspace operations. Given our reliance on cyber for executing C2 of military operations, this attention is well justified. Unfortunately, our efforts are not always well focused or synchronized, and despite the expenditure of significant resources, we do not yet have a comprehensive plan that addresses our biggest challenges in the cyber domain. The military imperative for gaining C2 of cyberspace operations comes from the Joint Force Commander's ( JFC) requirement to execute C2 of C2. The term "C2 of C2" was coined by Admiral Robert Willard to describe the operational necessity of having Command and Control of the Command and Control architecture. The Admiral's argument is that C2 is what a commander does--it is his contribution to winning the fight. In order to execute his C2 mission, the commander must have a firm understanding of the technology he relies on to make decisions, direct operations, and manage risk. Although not all of the C2 architecture falls within the cyber domain, today's network-centric JFC relies heavily on cyberspace; therefore C2 of cyberspace operations is critical to his ability to execute C2 of C2.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Dec 01, 2010
- Accession Number
- ADA534662
Entities
People
- Brett T. Williams