Network Centric Warfare primer

Wings of Gold, Winter 2000 by Carroll, Thomas

Network Centric Warfare (NCW) is kind of like the theory of relativity ... all of us have heard of it, but few of us can define it. Unlike the theory of relativity, it is quite likely that in the very near future NCW is a concept that many warfighters will have to wrestle with. If Naval Aviation is to continue to maintain its heritage as a dominant warfighting force, it must have a clear understanding of the implications of NCW for the future. What follows is a "Reader's Digest" summary of NCW, why Naval Aviation should care about it and what we need to do.

What is NCW?

NCW is a concept that leverages the ongoing revolution in information technology. The best definition of NCW is " ... an information superiority-enabled concept of operations that generates increased combat power by networking sensors, decision makers, and shooters to achieve shared awareness, increased speed of command, higher tempo of operations, greater lethality, increased survivability, and a degree of self-synchronization."(Network Centric Warfare; 2nd Edition; Albers, Garstka and Stein; CCRP)

This definition, although academic in appearance, is quite meaningful. Note there is an emphasis on "increasing combat power" made possible by networking the significant warfighting nodes: the sensors, the decision makers and the killers. Following is a brief explanation of what NCW should enable:

Shared awareness: A more timely and widespread sharing of information will enable all warfighters to have a better understanding of what is taking place.

Increased speed of command: With greater shared awareness, commanders will be able to exploit opportunities that might otherwise have been missed.

Higher tempo of operations: Current operations often include periodic halts which allow a force to regain situational awareness. With situational awareness kept at a uniformly higher level, it will be possible to conduct operations at a faster pace.

Greater lethality: By improved correlation and fusion of data from different sensors, it should be possible to better detect, identify and destroy short-dwell targets.

Increased survivability: A robust network that improves the way in which threat information is shared, processed, communicated and displayed will enable friendly forces to better neutralize or avoid threats.

Increased self-synchronization- A smart force with a high level of situational awareness and a good understanding of commander's intent will be able to take the initiative and "self-synchronize" to the commander's concept of operations without waiting for specific orders.

This begs the question, how can networking increase combat power? The networking of NCW is expected to increase combat power by making useful information available to the right people in time to act on it. Does this network exist now? It does not exist in a complete architecture, but it is in the formative stages of its development. In fact, it will likely not be a single network, but a system of networks.

Why should Naval Aviation care?

The revolution in information technology, which is driven by the commercial sector, is a force that will serve any group willing to master it. If the U.S. military was funding the revolution in information technology, there might be the hope that we could contain the power for our own use, at least for a short while. Yet, since the driving force for this revolution is the commercial sector, that means its benefits are available to anyone in the world. The obvious result is that we are not the only group looking at how to harness information technology to increase our combat capability.

To some people, information technology is not the proper subject for a real warrior. It doesn't require courage like landing a plane on a pitching deck at night. It doesn't blow up like a MK-84. It doesn't flame when you shoot it down. It won't even get you an award at the Foc'sle Follies. Yet, in spite of its pedestrian image, it is wrong to think information technology cannot make a substantial contribution to our warfighting capability. Indeed, this may be an area where the military can learn something from the commercial sector where it is said that the organization able to gather and manage information better and faster than its competitors builds a decisive competitive advantage.

How to get smarter on NCW

If indeed NCW is going to revolutionize warfare, then we better get smart on it. Here are a few resources that are worth pursuing:

o Network Centric Warfare: Its Origin and Future," VADM Cebrowski and Mr. Garstka, U.S. Naval Institute Proceedings, JAN 98 (www.usni.or )

o Network-centric Warfare: An Emerging Military Response", VADM Cebrowski, 29 JUN 99 (ww.nwc.navy.mil)

o Network Centric Warfare, 2nd Edition, Albers, Garstka, Stein, CCRP (www.dodccrp.org)

o Network Centric Naval Forces: A Transition Strategy for Enhancing Operational Capabilities, The National Academy of Sciences, 2000 (ww.nap.edu)

Closing thoughts

NCW is going to change the way we fight; it is unrealistic to think otherwise when we see the information technology revolution that is taking place all around us. That statement, as bold as it is, requires a few qualifiers: