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A NEW DIMENSION OF WAR: NETWORK-CENTRIC WARFARE

INTRODUCTION

1. The swelling evolutions in the fields of information technology (IT) and communication

have propelled a new dimension of war the Network-centric warfare (NCW). NCW now

commonly called Network-Centric Operations (NCO1), is a new military doctrineor theory

of war pioneered by theUnited States Department of Defense (DOD). It seeks to translate an

information advantage, enabled in part by information technology, into a competitive

warfighting advantage through the robust networking of well informed geographically

dispersed forces.

2. History clearly shows that any new technology, regardless of its original intentions, soon

finds its way into the arsenals of warriors. The advent of IT expands physical battle space

and the area of military operations far beyond traditional boundaries. The battlefield is no

longer defined merely along geographical boundaries. It extends to cyberspace. The

introduction of networking techniques into warfighting systems accelerates engagement

cycles and operational tempo at all levels of a warfighting system. This is achieved by

providing a mechanism to rapidly gather and distribute targeting information, and rapidly

issue directives.

3. During the recent Afghanistan and Iraq campaigns, weve seen a glimpse of NCW. It

created a decisive warfighting advantage and enabled the United States to defeat the ruling

regime of a country that was perceived to be unconquerablewith less than one-tenth the

force structure required in Desert Stormin less than two months. Armored forces racing

toward Baghdad in Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF) used network-centric capabilities to

monitor the battlefield situation during horrendous weather conditions to accomplish the

most rapid military advance in history and to overthrow Saddam Husseins regime in a

1 Please note, however, that NCW can be construed to apply only to warfighting operations, whereasNCO applies to a broader array of operations that military forces can undertake, such aspeacekeeping and stability and support operations.

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matter of weeks. Therefore, NCW is much more than that and, not surprisingly, is very

demanding technologically.

4. Over the coming decade we will see the world divide into nations that employ NCW

techniques ,and others that do not , be it for reasons of ideology or operational/technological

incapacity. Military networking, especially between platforms, is far more challenging than

industry networking due to the heavy reliance on wireless communications, high demand for

security, and the need for resistance to hostile jamming. The demanding environmental

requirements for military networking hardware are an issue in their own right. It should

come thus as no surprise that the introduction of networking into military environments has

proven more painful and more protracted than the industry experience of over a decade ago.

5. The newmilitary doctrine of NCW and the growing network-centric capabilities are

transforming how we fight. Clearly, NCW is at the very heart of force transformation and the

emerging way of war. NCW has already been widely debated in many countries defense, so

it is important now to establish and disseminate a common view of NCW amongst the wider

defense community- the Armed forces, the civil service agencies, defense industry and

academia to help people to know and understand NCW.

AIM

6. The aim of this paper is to analyze relating theories of NCW and its effects on the armed

forces in order to develop a common understanding.

RELATED THEORIES OF NCW

Background

7. NCW can trace its immediate origins to 1996 when Adm. William Owens introduced the

concept of a system of systems in a paper of the same name published by the Institute

National Security Studies. Owens described the serendipitous evolution of a system of

intelligence sensors, command and control systems, and precision weapons that enabled

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enhanced situational awareness, rapid target assessment, and distributed weapon assignment.

The same year, the joint chief of staff released Joint Vision 2010, which introduced the

military concept offull-spectrum dominance. Full spectrum dominance described the ability

of the U.S military to dominate the battlespace from peace operations through to the outright

application of military power that stemmed from the advantages of information superiority.

8. As a distinct concept, however, NCW first appeared publicly in a 1998 US naval

institute proceedings article by vice admiral Arthur K. Cebrowski and John Gartska. The

concepts were later given greater depth in the book, Network Centric Warfare coauthored

by Gartska, David S. Alberts (Director of Research, OASD-NII), and Fred Stein of the

MITRE corporation. Published by the Command and Control Research Program (CCRP),

the book derived a new theory of warfare from a series of case studies on how business was

using information and communication technologies to improve situation analysis, accurately

control inventory and production, as well as monitor customer relations.

9. NCW was followed in 2001 by Understanding Information Age Warfare (UIAW),

jointly authored by Alberts, Gartska, Richard Hayes of evidence based research and David S.

Signori of RAND. UIAW pushed the implications of the shifts identified by NCW in order to

derive an operational theory of warfare. Starting with a series of premises on how the

environment is sensed, UIAW posits a structure of three domains. The physical domain is

where events take place and are perceived by sensors and individuals. Data emerging from

the physical domain is transmitted through an information domain. Data is subsequently

received and processed by a cognitive domain where it is assessed and acted upon. The

process replicates the observe, orient, decide, act (OODA) loop first described by Col.

John Boyd of the U.S air force.

10. The publication dealing with the developing theory of NCW appeared in 2003 with

Power to the Edge, also published by the CCRP. Power to the Edge is a more speculative

work and easily the most revolutionary in terms of its implications for military operations. It

suggests that modern military environments are far too complex to be understood by any one

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individual, organization, or even military service. Modern information technology permits

the rapid and effective sharing of information to such a degree that edge entities or those

that are essentially conducting military missions themselves, should be able to pull

information from ubiquitous repositories, rather than having centralized agencies attempt to

anticipate their information needs and push it to them. This would imply a major flattening

of traditional military hierarchies, however. It is not yet clear whether the vision of Power to

the Edge is realizable, although Alberts and Hayes argue in the book that the establishment

of the Global Information Grid (GIG) is the first step to accomplishing it.

What is NCW

11. NCW is the term used in military circles to define information-based warfighting. It is

military operation that is enabled by the networking of the force. NCW provides a force with

access to a new, previously unreachable region of the information domain. The ability to

operate in this region provides warfighters with a new type of information advantage, an

advantage broadly characterized by significantly improved capabilities for sharing and

accessing information. NCW enables warfighters to leverage this information advantage to

dramatically increase combat power through self-synchronization and other network-centric

operations. In essence, NCW translates information superiority into combat power by

effectively linking knowledgeable entities in the battlespace.

12. NCW uses computers and communications to link people through information flows

that depend on the interoperability of systems used by all armed forces. Objectives of NCW

include the following:

a. Self-synchronization, or doing what needs to be done without traditional

orders;

b. Improved understanding of higher commands intent;

c. Improved understanding of the operational situation at all levels of command;

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d. And, increased ability to tap into the collective knowledge of all armed (and

coalition)forces to reduce the fog and friction commonly referred to in

descriptions of fighting.

13. As a new source of power, NCW has a profound impact on the planning and conduct of

war by allowing armed forces to get inside an adversarys decision cycle, changing the rules

of warfare, and dictating the pace of military operations. NCW provides an edge at all three

levels of military operations:

a. Strategy. It selects a competitive space and determines the scope, pace, and

intensity of the competition.

b. Operations . It determines the key competitive attributes and applies / masters

them.

c. Tactics. It executes in the battlespace.

Three Categories of NCW

14. NCW focuses on the tactical and operational levels of warfare, but they impact all

levels of military activity from the tactical to the strategic. The impacts of NCW at the

operational and strategic levels of war are grouped in three categories:

a. Sensors. Sensors, such as the Hunter Unman Aerial Vehicle (UAV), the predator

UAV, the long advanced scout surveillance system, and others provided day or night,

all weather acquisition of enemy forces and real-time transmission of that data to the

operators. They extend the depth of the battlespace, provide greater situational

awareness for commanders and planners, and when coupled with long-range

weapons, compress the kill chainfind, fix, target, track, engage, and assess.

b. Connectivity. Connectivity is the key enabler for situational awareness by

providing the backbone for data from and between information systems and for voice

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and video communications. It improves the quality of the command and control

network and information shareability, and enables wide dispersion between forces

and greater interactions and collaboration between those forces, leading to increased

situational awareness and understanding.

c. Information Systems. Information systems, enabled by the automatic transfer and

assimilation of data into near-real-time useable information, provide commanders

and staff with a Common Operational Picture (COP) a fused picture of the

battlespace, which enhance shared situational awareness and collaboration.

Taken together, new sensors, connectivity, and information systems enhanced the

ability of commanders to visualize the battlespace, increased collaboration and the speed of

command, and resulted in increased mission effectiveness.

TECHNOLOGIES THAT SUPPORT NCW

Network Architectures

15. NCW is highly dependent on the interoperability of communications equipment, data,

and software to enable networking of people, sensors, and manned and unmanned platforms.

Parts of NCW technology rely on line-of-sight radio transmission for microwave or infrared

signals, or laser beams. Other parts of the technology aggregate information for transmission

through larger network trunks for global distribution via fiber optic cables, microwave

towers, or both low-altitude and high-altitude satellites. The designs for this technology must

enable rapid communications between individuals in all services, and rapid sharing of data

and information between mobile platforms and sensors used by all military services. The

architectures must also have the ability to dynamically self-heal and re-form the network

when one or more communications nodes are interrupted.

Satellites

16. Satellites are crucial for enabling mobile communications in remote areas, as well as

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for providing imagery, navigation, weather information, a missile warning capability, and a

capability to reach back to the surface for added support. The Global Positioning System

(GPS) helps identify the location of armed forces, as well as target locations for launching

weapons, such as cruise missiles.

Radio Bandwidth

17. Digitization of communications is a key part for NCW.Digital technology makes more

efficient use of spectrum bandwidth for communications than analog technology. However,

since 1991, there has been an explosive increase in demand for bandwidth, due to efforts to

speed up the delivery of digital information. Whether the radio bandwidth supply available

to keep up with increasing military demands in the future will be a serious problem.

Unmanned Vehicles (UVs)

18. UVs, also known as UAVs, Ground Vehicles (UGVs), and Underwater Vehicles

(UUVs), are primarily used for surveillance; however their mission is evolving to also

include combat. During OIF, approximately 16 Predator and 1 Global Hawk UAVs were in

operation, and all were controllable remotely via satellite link from command centers in the

continental United States. UVs each require a large amount of bandwidth for control and for

transmission of reconnaissance images, and UVs also serve as nodes that can relay messages

through the NCW network.

Air Dominance

19. In UCW, the forces is highly-dependent on space assets for communications,

navigation, imagery, weather analysis, and missile early warning systems. Without early air

dominance, UAVs and other Intelligence Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR) aircraft

could not have been used to provide information needed for NCW systems. UAVs, and other

support aircraft, such as refueling support tankers, were nearly defenseless and reportedly

could not have operated deep in Iraqi air space without early air dominance.

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Computer Processor Chips

20. Gordon Moores Law of Integrated circuits predicts that every 18 months, computer

chips evolve to become twice as dense and twice as fast for about the same cost, meaning

they become almost 4 times as powerful every 18 months. Industries that use computer

technology rely on Moores Law as a guide for investing in future technology systems. Many

future NCW concepts now being developed also rely on the continued evolution in computer

processing power, and may also be affected by advances in other technologies, such as

nanotechnology.

Nanotechnology

21. New materials developed through nanotechnology may eventually change battlefield

equipment in ways hard to imagine. Weapons may become smaller and lighter, and new

miniaturized network sensors may detect, locate, identify, track, and target potential threats

more efficiently. Currently, we can use nanotechnology to create a heat-resistant coating that

extends the life of propulsion shafts for warships, and as an additive to boost the

performance of rocket propellant. Nanotechnology may eventually alter fundamental

concepts of warfare, perhaps even more than the invention of gunpowder. Some countries

are also making advances in nanotechnology.

Software

22. Software is an important component of all complex defense systems used for NCW.

The globalization of the economy dictates a global process for software development. The

contractors often outsource software development to other smaller private firms, and in some

cases, programming work may be done by offshore companies. This raises questions about

the possibility of malicious computer code being used to subvert computer systems. We

should investigate ways to strengthen policy mechanisms to increase confidence in the

security of both foreign and domestic software products.

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ADVANTAGES OF NCW

23. A warfighting force that can conduct NCW has these advantages: All elements of the

force are robustly networked achieving secure and seamless connectivity; The force has thecapability to share, access, and protect information to a degree that it can establish and

maintain an information advantage over an adversary; The force has the capability to

collaborate in the information domain, which enables a force to improve its information

position ; The force has the capability to develop high quality awareness and share this

situational awareness; The force has the capability to self-synchronize its operations.

24. The combat power is increasingly derived from information sharing, information

access, and speed. This view has been supported by results of recent military operational

experiences showing that when forces are truly jointed, with comprehensively integrated

capabilities and operating according to the principles of NCW, they can fully exploit the

highly path-dependent nature of information age warfare. Some resulting military

advantages of NCW include the following:

a. Networked forces can consist of smaller-size units that can travel lighter and faster,

meaning fewer troops with fewer platforms and carrying fewer supplies can perform

a mission effectively, or differently, at a lower cost.

b. Networked forces can fight using new tactics. During OIF, U.S. Army forces

utilized movement that was described by some as swarm tactics. Because

networking allows soldiers to keep track of each other when they are out of one

anothers sight, forces could move forward in Iraq spread out in smaller independent

units, avoiding the need to maintain a tight formation. Using swarm tactics, unit

movements are conducted quickly, without securing the rear. All units know each

others location. If one unit gets into trouble, other independent units nearby can

quickly come to their aid, swarming to attack the enemy from all directions at

once. Benefits may include the following:

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(1). Fewer troops and less equipment are needed, so waging war is less expensive;

(2). It is harder for an enemy to effectively attack a widely dispersed formation;

(3). Combat units can cover much more ground, because they do not have to

maintain a formation or slow down for lagging vehicles;

(4). Knowing the location of all friendly units reduces fratricide during combat

operations;

(5). Swarming allows an attack to be directed straight into the heart of an enemy

command structure, undermining support by operating from the inside, rather

than battling only on the periphery.

c. The way individual soldiers think and act on the battlefield is also changing. When

a unit encounters a difficult problem in the field, they radio the tactical operations

center, which types the problem into an online chat room, using Microsoft chat

software. The problem is then swarmed by experts who may be located far away.

d. The sensor-to-shooter time is reduced. Using NCW systems, soldiers in the field

have the capability to conduct an on site analysis of raw intelligence from sensor

displays, rather than waiting for return analysis reports.

PROBLEMS LIED IN NCW

The Information Problem

25. Networks are not a substitute for smart heads and commonsense. Therefore, the

information being distributed within a network may or may not be correct. When a sensor

misidentifies a target, it could well result in hundreds of force elements being simultaneously

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told that an opponent exists where there is none, or vice-versa.

26. Huge information resources may be overrated as an asset for creating effective military

operations, and that important military decisions may not always lend themselves to

information-based rational analysis. If we overwhelmingly focused on the rewards of

information, some issues will be raised:

a. Quantitative changes in information and analysis often lead to qualitative changes in

individual and organizational behavior that are sometimes counterproductive.

b. Reliance on sophisticated information systems may lead to management over

confidence.

c. An information-rich, opportunity-rich environment may shift the value of the

information, redefine the mission objectives, and possibly increase the chances for

perverse consequences.

The Connectivity Problem

27. In NCW, high levels of digital connectivity between units, platforms and headquarters

or other command elements will be provided. The forces in typical operations may be

scattered distant areas, with a need to gather intelligence, and distribute intelligence and

command directives to dozens or hundreds of fighting units that may be dispersed and

concentrated over hundreds of thousands of square miles of terrain. For the network to be

effective, it must function without interruption, even if force elements are on the move. Themore complex the terrain is, the more difficult this connectivity problem becomes.

28. There is a problem whether communications bandwidth supply can be made adequate

to match growing future military needs in NCW. When the supply of bandwidth becomes

inadequate during combat, military operations officers have sometimes been forced to

subjectively prioritize the transmission of messages. They do this by literally pulling the plug

temporarily on some radio or computer switching equipment in order to free up enough

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bandwidth to allow the highest-priority messages to get through. This can delay, or cancel

other messages or data transmissions, which are placed into in a lower priority, so that it

would delay information updates.

The Network Security Problem

29. With the growing threat from cyber attack, any network arrangement is subject to

breakdown. When the network becomes more complex and distributed, it will become more

vulnerable or fragile. The network architectures in NCW are the same. Meanwhile,

providing secure communications in NCW is difficult, since successful key managementfor

encryption is typically the most difficult aspect of cryptography, especially with mobile

systems. The problem is exacerbated with the need for speedy deployment and nimble

reconfiguration of military teams, to respond to rapidly changing conditions in the modern

battlespace. There is growing controversy about whether the armed forces should use general

purpose open source commercial computer software for the command, control, and

communications functions in advanced defense systems for tanks, aircraft and other complex

equipment. Some experts believe that open-source software violates many security

principles, and may be subverted by adversaries who could secretly insert Trojan horse

malicious code to cause complex defense systems to malfunction.

The Asymmetric Threats Problem

30. The term asymmetric, when referring to strategies in warfare, is often intended to

describe attacks launched by a weaker, or less-well-equipped enemy, as they learn to exploit

a stronger opponents vulnerabilities. Asymmetry sometimes leads to unanticipated

outcomes. Asymmetric countermeasures may include actions taken by an enemy to bypass

NCW sensors, or to negate the usefulness of high technology weapons. Some examples may

include:

a. Suicide bombings;

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b. Hostile forces intermingling with civilians used as shields;

c. Irregular fighters and close-range snipers that swarm to attack, and then disperse

quickly;

d. Use of bombs to spread dirty radioactive material;

e. Chemical or biological weapons.

The Fund and Training Problem

31. It will need a large number fund to establish the NCW architecture. Financial

constraints will be a considered problem. In training, it is difficult to fully incorporate the

warfighters into the development of NCW. People will require appropriate education and

training to utilize increasingly-available information. They will need to use all available

system tools to exploit information, and they will need time to adapt to a more open culture,

requiring greater sharing and trust between colleagues and coalition partners. The procedural

and technical challenges should not be underestimated.

THE DEVELOPMENT OF NCW

32. Military organizations worldwide are researching and developing NCW. Some

countries, such as Sweden which uses the term Network-Based Defense, may view NCW

concepts and the promise of more efficiency and effectiveness through networking with

coalition partners, as a way to reduce military budgets. Denmark, Norway and the

Netherlands have all adopted the term Network Centric Warfare; Australia uses the term

Network-Enabled Warfare; the U.K uses the term Network-Enabled Capability; and, the

armed forces of the Republic of Singapore uses the term Knowledge -Based Command and

Control.

33. NCW is a new military doctrine or theory of war pioneered by the United States DOD.

It is a key component of DOD planning for transformation of the military. In U.S., there are

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following key programs related to NCW that are identified as program elements for research,

development, test and evaluation.

a. Net Centricity. The Net Centricity program is intended to support information

technology activities for network-centric collaboration. Horizontal Fusion is a

component that determines how quickly DOD and intelligence community programs

can be extended to a net-centric operational environment. The GIG Evaluation

Facility is a component that tests interoperability of key systems in an end-to-end

manner, including the Joint Tactical Radio System (JTRS) and the Global Information

Grid Bandwidth Expansion programs.

b. Global Information Grid (GIG). The GIG supports DOD and related intelligence

community missions and functions, and enables sharing of information between all

military bases, mobile platforms, and deployed sites. The GIG also provides

communications interfaces to coalition, allied, and non-DOD users and systems.

Older messaging systems, such as the Defense Message System (DMS), Global

Command and Control System (GCCS), and the Global Combat Support System

(GCSS) will all be made accessible via the GIG. By 2008, military communications

equipment use the new Internet Protocol version 6 (IPv6) as the standard for all

transmission through the GIG. The new IPv6 protocol will reportedly offer greater

message security and better tracking of equipment, supplies, and personnel through

use of digital tags.

c. Air Force Advanced Tactical Targeting Technology (AT3). The AT3 system

combines information collected by an airborne network of sensors to identify the

precise location of enemy air defense systems. The system relies on coordination of

information from different systems aboard multiple aircraft.

d. Air Force Link 16. Tactical Data Links (TDLs) are used in combat for machine-

to-machine exchange of information messages such as radar tracks, target

information, platform status, imagery, and command assignments. The purpose of

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this program element is to insure the interoperability of Air Force TDLs. TDLs are

used by weapons, platforms, and sensors of all services. Other TDLs include Link

11, Situational AwarFY2eness Data Link (SADL), and Variable Message Format

(VMF). Navy Cooperative Engagement Capability (CEC). The CEC system links

Navy ships and aircraft operating in a particular area into a single, integrated air-

defense network in which radar data collected by each platform is transmitted on a

real-time (i.e., instantaneous) basis to the other units in the network. Each unit in the

CEC network fuses its own radar data with data received from the other units. As a

result, units in the network share a common, composite, real-time air-defense picture

CEC will permit a ship to shoot air-defense missiles at incoming anti-ship missiles

that the ship itself cannot see, using radar targeting data gathered by other units in the

network. It will also permit air-defense missiles fired by one ship to be guided by

other ships or aircraft.

e. Joint Tactical Radio System (JTRS). DOD has determined that future military

radio frequency communications systems should be developed in compliance with

the JTRS architecture. JTRS is a family of common, software-defined,

programmable radios that will initially become the Armys primary tactical radio for

mobile communications, including radios that are capable of communicating via

satellite. The new JTRS devices will have routers built-in to support networks in the

battlefield, with the capability to dynamically re-form communications links

whenever one or more nodes or routers are interrupted. Reportedly there is some

disagreement among planners about whether the military should use laser-based

communications or JTRS radio waves for the space-to-ground communications link.

Currently, the military services use different radio waveforms that have yet to be

made interoperable.

34. NATO is currently building a capability for dynamic interoperability with U.S forces in

the future and is developing a framework for high-technology warfare using the combined

forces of multiple nations, called NATO Network Enabled Capabilities, similar to the U.S.

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militarys Joint Vision 2020. Other NATO hinitiatives for coalition operations include the

Multinational Interoperability Program, the Cross System Information Sharing Program, and

the Multi-functional Air-based Ground Sensor Fusion Program.

NCW CASE STUDY

General

35. This is a case study designed to further the examination of the tenets of NCW, which

hypothesizes that a robustly networked force improves information sharing, collaboration,

quality of information, and shared situational awareness resulting in significantly increased

mission effectiveness.

36. In the next case study, we shall compare the performance and capabilities of the

Stryker brigade to that of the baseline unit in a number of key dimensions so that we could

research about the NCW capabilities of the brigade. The Stryker brigade is equipped with the

current generation of army digital terrestrial and satellite communications systems and

evolving current-generation battle command systems. Perhaps the most important, it utilizes

a new organizational structure and a new information-centric concept of operations. A

baseline unit, which we select to use as a comparison to the Stryker brigade, is a non-

digitized light infantry brigade.

37. We shall use the NCO Conceptual Framework (CF)specifically, the measures and

metrics that it containsfor assessing the NCW capabilities exhibited by the brigade. The

NCO CF provides detailed and precise elaboration of the NCW hypotheses1. Figure.1

illustrates the NCO CF. It depicts key NCW capabilities or attributes and their relationships,

influences, and feedback mechanisms.

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Figure.1 the NCO Conceptual Framework

38. We shall examine key NCO concepts essential to this NCW hypothesis to determine

how and to what extent they increase the combat effectiveness of the Stryker brigade. The

key NCO concepts we examine are:

* Degree of networking

* Quality of individual and shared information

* Quality of interactions and collaboration

* Speed of command (a measure of C2 agility)

* Degree of command and force synchronization

* Several measures for overall unit force effectiveness.

Examination of the NCO Concepts

Degree of Networking

39. Degree of networking measures the extent to which force entities are interconnected

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and the quality (speed, accuracy, reliability, and assurance) of those connections in

exchanging data under a variety of possible scenarios.

40. Here, we shall compare the capabilities of the light infantry brigade network to the

network available in the Stryker brigade. The Stryker brigade network provides substantial

capabilities to the soldiers and commanders of this unit and is a significant improvement

over the voice-only network in the baseline unit equipped only with Frequency modulation

(FM) radio. Table.1 provides an overall summary comparison of the networking and battle

command capabilities of Stryker and light infantry brigades.

Table.1 Comparison of Networking and Battle Command Capabilities

41. From above comparison, we can conclude:

a. It is apparent that the Stryker brigade has significantly greater capabilities in

several areas. The Stryker brigade digital network is far more capable than the analog

voice network available in light infantry brigades. Much less information can be

transmitted over voice networks.

b. It also shows the limited information automation support available to soldiers in a

light infantry brigade. This means information must be written down to be retained if

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it cannot be memorized or remembered by individual soldiers in such units. In

contrast, Army Battle Command System (ABCS) enables the soldiers of the Stryker

brigade to accurately and quickly post and retrieve information.

Quality of Individual and Shared Information

42. Quality of individual information assesses the quality of the information each individual

in the force has in his or her possession from all sources, whether generated organically,

transmitted over the technical network, or heard in a conversation; Degree of shared

information assesses the quality of the information held in common by groups of force

members. In addition to assessing quality, this concept assesses the extent to which the

information is shared across the group and to what degree of consistency.

43. Through a series of interviews, we shall compare the quality of individual and shared

information in the Stryker brigade versus the light infantry brigade in the Shughart-Gordon

attack. These interview questions mainly concerned the NCW metric completeness, the

NCW metric accuracy, the metric currency.

44. The primary interview results are following:

a. The Stryker brigade had much more complete information (relative to ground

truth) before the Shughart-Gordon attack than the light infantry brigade did.

Information about the enemy forces increased from 10 percent to 80 percent. Because

of the ABCS network, this situational awareness information was easily shared

among the staff and subordinate units within the Stryker brigade.

b. Where it used to take 12 hours to receive accurate information about enemy

forces in a light infantry brigade, now any observer in the Stryker brigade can send a

spot report in two minutes. Likewise, where it used to take four hours to receive

accurate information about friendly forces in the light infantry brigade, now unit

location and status are updated every two minutes or 500 meters moved in the

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Stryker brigade. Further, the Stryker brigade can adjust these Force XXI Battle

Command: Brigade and Below (FBCB2) settings to the desired level.

Quality of interactions and Collaboration

45. Quality of interactions assesses the degree to which force members interact with each

other and the quality of those interactions. This concept applies to all interactions between

force members, not just technical network-supported data exchanges. It is concerned with

interactions between force members at multiple levels, ranging from basic information

sharing to detailed characterizations of how effectively an organizations members work

together to accomplish mission objectives. Consequently, this concept has many influences

throughout the NCO CF, starting with contributing to the quality of information an

individual receives from across the force.

46. In the light infantry brigade, the commander was either forward with his subordinate

units before battle to ensure they were prepared and understood his intent or he was in the

command post collaborating with his staff during the MDMP. This was an either/or choice.

However, in the Stryker brigade, the brigade commander can leverage the network

capabilities to do both important tasks. He can be forward with subordinate units and still

collaborate with his staff by video-teleconferencing (VTC) in his commanders vehicle. This

allows significantly more interaction between commander and staff during planning, making

the process better at supporting the commanders decisionmaking and more grounded in

reality.

47. The Stryker brigade network significantly improves the quality of interactions and

collaboration compared to that of a non-digital light infantry brigade. Where there was

limited interaction by FM radio or group meetings in the light infantry brigade, widespread

interaction occurred in the Stryker brigade because every leader is on the ABCS network.

48. The practice of Military Decision Making Process (MDMP) in a nodigital light infantry

brigade was generally linear, methodical, and time-consuming. In the Stryker brigade, it is

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more abbreviated and flexible. The commander and staff often rapidly move through the

MDMP steps issue by issue. Interaction between commander and staff and between brigade

and battalions in the Stryker brigade also significantly increased. For example, the brigade

staff shared ideas during mission analysis with the brigade commander who was forward

checking on battalions. The brigade commander discussed the situation with the battalion

commander. Later, the brigade commander shared his concepts for three courses of action

with subordinate commanders, asking for their assessment of the situation and

recommendations.

49. The Brigade Synchronization Meeting is a key collaboration event for both the light

infantry brigade and the Stryker brigade. In the baseline meeting, the brigade staff and

subordinate unit liaison officers arrive with their vastly different understandings of the

situation based on limited accurate information, receive a briefing of the friendly and enemy

situation using a map, and then wargame interaction with the enemy to identify tasks for

friendly forces to synchronize combined-arms effects during the next 2448 hours. In the

Stryker brigade meeting, the participants arrive with a much-improved shared understanding

of the situation, access the ABCS to have real-time accurate understanding of the situation

during the planning meeting, and conduct wargame interactions with the enemy to identify

tasks for friendly forces to synchronize combined-arms effects. The key differences are that

time available for planning is better spent and that planning is based on a more accurate

starting point, so future plans are more likely to be relevant and effective. The product of the

Stryker brigade synchronization meeting is an order that is easily understood and executable

by subordinate units based on shared anticipatory awareness.

Quality of Shared Awareness and Understanding

50. Quality of shared awareness and understand assesses the extent to which the

information is shared across the group and to what degree of consistency.

51. In the light infantry brigade, each leader estimated his own and enemy locations by

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land navigation techniques. Widely different spot reports about friendly and enemy locations

are sent via FM radio to higher headquarters. Because no post-and-retrieve capability resides

on these voice nets, leaders may miss important information from monitoring two nets

simultaneously. The bottom line: there is no COP in the baseline, which results in a very low

level of shared awareness and understanding.

52. In contrast, ABCS provides each leader in the Stryker brigade with a COP containing

relatively accurate and timely information about friendly and enemy forces. The various

kinds of information display the represent COP. This COP represented by the MCS screen

easily facilitates shared awareness. Meanwhile, the Striker brigade uses the Command

Information Centers (CIC) at brigade and battalion levels as the primary tool to build shared

awareness and understanding within the command posts and among members of the unit.

The light infantry brigade has no equivalent CIC. This system manages the critical

information the brigade needs to know to win the fight.

53. Another valuable tool used to build shared awareness and understanding in the Stryker

brigade are digital military overlays in FBCB2 and Maneuver Control System (MCS).

Military overlays are the pictures that build the COP and accompany the text of operation

orders; they are used to understand the situation and the plan. In the light infantry brigade,

overlays were reproduced by hand, copied individually onto acetate, and displayed on

distinct paper mapsan extremely cumbersome process that was inaccurate, untimely, and

largely irrelevant.

Agile Decisionmaking and Self-Synchronization

54. Agile Decisionmaking and Self-Synchronization assesses the forces ability to operate

effectively and efficiently in an uncertain environment and whether the complete set of

decisions made by the force are synchronized with each other (i.e., mutually reinforcing) or

at least deconflicted.

55. The NCW capabilities in the Stryker brigade afford the commander agile

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decisionmaking. The Stryker brigade made more effective use of the time available through

abbreviated collaborative planning, sending digital mission-type orders, conducting effective

brigade reconnaissance, sharing understanding of the situation, fielding agile, self-

synchronizing infantry battalions. In contrast, the light infantry brigade requires more time

for planning and distributing detailed paper orders to subordinates and conducting battalion

reconnaissance and has the difficulty sharing understanding of the plan and the requirement

to rehearse planned force synchronization.

56. One example of improved self-synchronization and tempo during the Shughart-Gordon

attack facilitated by NCW capabilities was this decision to attack early. The Reconnaissance,

Surveillance, and Target Acquisition (RSTA) squadron successfully identified enemy forces

in the disruption zone and in Shughart-Gordon. The lead infantry battalion bypassed enemy

forces in the disruption zone and quickly isolated the objective. The main-effort infantry

battalion planned to attack at 0400 on May 25, but actually attacked at 1500 on May 2413

hours early.

Force Effectiveness

57. Force effectiveness assesses the forces actions by evaluating the forces achievement

of mission objectives and avoidance of costs.

58. Here, supposed that both the Stryker brigade and the light infantry brigade receive the

mission at the same time (1200 on Day 1) and have same No Later Than time to attack

(0400 on Day 4), we shall compare both units mission accomplishment. A time line of key

events is shown at figure 2.

59. From above the analysis of mission accomplishment, we can see that NCW capabilities

in the Stryker brigade actually afford the commander greater control of the speed of

command. He can decide to act faster to maintain tempo and retain the initiative or he can

delay selection of a course of action to conduct reconnaissance and shaping operations based

on which affords him the greatest tactical advantage. The Stryker brigade demonstrated

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improved mission accomplishment and survivability.

Figure.2 A Time Line of Key Events

CONCLUSIONS

60. The emergence of the concept of NCW represents a significant milestone in the

evolution of military thinking on how to integrate information technology into military

operations. Studies have shown that networking enables forces to undertake a different range

of missions than non-networked forces, by improving both efficiency and effectiveness of

operations. NCW uses computers and communications to link people through information

flows that depend on the interoperability of systems used by all armed forces. NCW involves

collaboration and sharing of information to ensure that all appropriate assets can be quickly

brought to bear by commanders during combat operations. NCW has been advanced as a

means of transforming information superiority into an advantage on the physical battlefield.

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The concept of NCW covers a wide range of issues. It seeks to further exploit information

technology and significantly enhance the combat power. (Paragraphs 7-14)

61. The technology supporting NCW is inherently complex. It focuses on using advanced

information technology computers, high-speed data links, and networking software. A host

of information technologies provide capabilities needed to facilitate the sharing of

information, the creation of high quality awareness, and the development of shared

situational awareness. These falls into the following categories: collection, exploitation,

storage, retrieval, distribution, collaborative environments, presentation, information

operations and assurance, and the technologies that help extract knowledge and

understanding from data and information. These knowledge-related technologies include a

variety of analyses, modeling, simulation, problem solving, and other decision support tools.

Enormous advances in information technology have enabled the development of Network-

Centric Warfare in recent years. (Paragraphs 15-22)

62. The ultimate advantage of NCW is the ability to generate better actions to realize better

effects and thus lead to success on operations. In the short term, as network capability

improves, shared information will become more readily available. Routine tasks will be

automated, and the new standard operating procedures and working practices will enable

higher-tempo operations. With the ability to reach back and across to a broad range of

information sources, we will be able to develop a better shared understanding of the

situation. This will enable improvements to the quality and tempo of decision-making, which

in turn will lead to more coherent, co-current and responsive actions, resulting in more

timely and appropriate effects. (Paragraphs 23-24)

63. While NCW may improve both the efficiency and effectiveness of combat operations,

it still have some questions, such as, the information overloaded, the information overrated,

the interoperability of information systems for joint and coalition forces, a shortage of

available bandwidth to support NCW operations, the network architectures vulnerabilities,

asymmetric threats to counter NCW, and the fund and training problem, etc. These problems

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interfere with true NCW application. (Paragraphs 25-31)

64. The development of NCW is essential. It specializes in designing and building physical

security and emergency response systems coupled with the cost-efficient use of hardware

and software. Some key military programs for implementing NCW are developing in U.S. At

the same time, other countries also are researching and developing NCW. (Paragraphs 32-34)

65. By conducting NCW, the armed forces will gain and exploit and information advantage

to result in significantly increased mission effectiveness. We compare the Stryker brigade

that is one of the newest units in the U.S. Army to a non-digitized light infantry brigade.

Thought this case study, we will understand the extent to which NCW capabilities are a

source of combat power for the Stryker brigade and to determine the extent to which the

tenets of the NCW hypothesis are realized by this new type of unit. (Paragraphs 35-59)

RECOMMENDATIONS

66. From the above study on NCW, we can see that NCW is a theory that is being tested as

part of an ongoing research program. The following four key actions are recommended to

develop NCW in the coming years:

a. Setting the NCW-related targets and milestones;

b. Establishing the network that will link engagement systems with sensor and

command and control systems;

c. Develop the human dimension of the networked force by changing doctrine,

training and education to prepare Defense personnel to operate in a NCW environment;

d. And accelerate the process of change and innovation through the Rapid

Prototyping, Development and Evaluation (RPDE, or RAPID) agency, with an

increased use of experimentation to accelerate the development of NCW capability.

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67. In recognizing the risk of over-dependence on the tools, the ability to operate

independently (or at a platform centric level) must be maintained and practiced. While

redundancy and security of the network are being addressed in establishing the NCW

construct, the warfighters must continue to train to function in a non-NCW environment.

NCW is a long-term change programme. It will be some years until the communications

systems, information systems, operational procedures and knowledge will come together

into this improved approach to military operations.

Mirpur Cantonment Liu Jizhou

Major

November 2007 Student Officer

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