Operational Command and Control for Joint and Component Commands: Integration orDuplication

摘要

The focus of this monograph is to determine if present joint and servicecomponent command and control (C2) doctrine, organization, and support systems ensure adequate interoperability when different services are brought together to fight as part of a Joint Task Force (JTF). Using an examination of the US-led invasion of Grenada on October 25, 1983 as a point of departure, this paper examines information flow, both voice and data, through individual service command and control support systems in a process called stovepiping. A discussion of the evolution of doctrine, organization, and support systems, with regard to command and control, follows in order to bring the overall discussion into contemporary context. Currently joint doctrine is not sufficiently mature to provide operational commanders a standard joint task force or service component organizational structure. Service doctrine correctly accounts for uni-lateral missions, but is very general about the joint environment. This general nature leads to the development of temporary non-standard organizational structures often requiring ad hoc procedures and support systems employment to ensure interoperability. Another challenge is the continuing budgetary austerity which causes services to acquire systems with little regard for joint requirements. The evidence shows that the past decade has seen improvement, but change is still necessary. Change forcing service component commands to plan for joint interoperability will improve joint operational command and control in the future.