Information Dominance or Information Overload. Unintended Consequences of 'Every Soldier and Platform a Sensor'

摘要

In today's military, the same advancements that are rapidly expanding network centric warfare and information dominance capability also are at risk of overwhelming the U.S. Observe, Orient, Decide, Act (OODA) Loop with so much information as to seriously impede its ability to function above the tactical level of warfare. Although not manifested in the current conflict due to its relatively slow operational tempo, this situation, left unchecked, will severely hamper operational tempo in future major operations. This paper explains why a data overload of the U.S. OODA Loop is poised to occur and provides two recommendations to prevent it from happening. These two recommendations, focused on command and control and data management practices, work in concert to ensure that U.S. forces remain capable of executing OODA Loop functions faster than future adversaries. In command and control, the United States should practice decentralized execution for major operations. In data management, operational commanders must relearn how to build situational awareness without watching sensor feeds from tactical assets. Without these two adjustments, future foes, even less capable ones, may be able to execute an OODA Loop faster than U.S. forces and thus gain a significant advantage.