Impeding Network Centric Warfare: Combatant Command Information Technology Support

Abstract

Network centric warfare is the method used by the United States combatant commands to wage war. Information technology is a fundamental enabler of network centric warfare. The ten combatant commands use different methods to provide desktop information technology support to their staffs. The result is different sets of applications, capabilities, and business processes that impede collateral information sharing between commands, Services, and the Department of Defense. Unimpeded information sharing is a central tenet of network centric warfare. The different combatant command information technology support methods impede network centric operations within the Department of Defense. This paper examines desktop collateral information technology support to the combatant commands as it pertains to network centric warfare at the theater level. It proposes a single solution provided by a single agency to service all ten combatant commands. It examines the strengths and weaknesses of the current support methods and the proposed solution. Based on this study, the paper provides strategic recommendations aimed at improving network centric warfare.

Open PDF

Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Feb 01, 2009
Accession Number
ADB349930

Entities

People

  • David A. Barlow

Organizations

  • United States Army War College

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • C4I
  • Energy and Power Technologies
  • Engineered Resilient Systems

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Air Force
  • Combatant Commanders
  • Command And Control
  • Command And Control Systems
  • Information Exchange
  • Information Systems
  • Management Personnel
  • Military Science
  • Network Centric Warfare
  • Network Protocols
  • Unified Combatant Commands
  • United States
  • United States European Command
  • United States Pacific Command
  • United States Strategic Command
  • War Colleges
  • Warfare

Fields of Study

  • Computer science

Readers

  • Irregular Warfare and Special Operations Cyberspace Operations against Adversarial Threats.
  • Joint Military Operations and Doctrine.