The downside of network-centric warfare

Published: Jan 11, 2006
Source: aimpoints.hq.af.mil



The six months of major combat in Operation Enduring Freedom in Afghanistan saw not only centralized planning, but also a degree of centralized execution that was unique in the U.S. experience. Greatly expanded global communications connectivity provided unprecedented real-time situational awareness at all levels.

That new capability allowed sensor-to-shooter links to be shortened, in some cases, from hours to minutes. It also, however, resulted in an oversubscribed target-approval process that lengthened rather than compressed the kill chain. As a result, the human factor became the main constraint impeding more effective time-critical targeting.continue..