Improving Unity of Effort in Command and Control Processes: An Operational Analysis of a Joint Doctrinal Language

摘要

Combatant commanders use the operational Command and Control (C2) function to arrange elements of power in time, space, and purpose to achieve operational objectives. Prudent commanders apply unity of command and simplicity to the C2 process. In support of these principles of war, commanders use common doctrine and ensure interoperability. Despite recent improvements in joint doctrine and interoperability, in the future combatant commanders will face new operational environments where current approaches to applying common doctrine and interoperability will not suffice. To improve effectiveness in new operational environments, combatant commanders require evolutionary, but significant, improvements in the use of joint doctrinal language to overcome challenges in current and future C2 processes. The Army's preliminary work on what it calls a "Battle Management Language" (BML) provides a useful starting point and feasible approach for improving the joint doctrinal language, as well as the Coalition Battle Management Language (C-BML) initiative within the Simulation Interoperability Standards Organization (SISO). A review of the existing doctrinal language has identified shortfalls in the lack of precise definitions and inability to provide C2 information directly to automated systems and platforms. The future C2 environment will require a human and machine readable language. Benefits of a refined, common, joint doctrinal language include: 1) improved decision making, 2) greater interoperability and jointness, and 3) support for the Department of Defense's Adaptive Planning initiative. It is widely recognized that the warfighter needs to be involved in developing technical standards in the area of C2 to Simulation. A key element in this involvement is to determine the operational impact of the technical standard being considered. This paper will present an analysis of the above thesis that an improved joint doctrinal language will result in operational benefits. The analysis will A) identify current shortfalls; B) determine how these shortfalls can be addressed by an improved joint doctrinal language; and C) conclude with a set of specific recommendations.