Operational Artists or Micromanagers: Some Propositions on the Future of Generalship in Net-Centric Warfare

摘要

The United States military is reviewing command and control (C2) as part of a larger transformation process underway in the Department of Defense. A key question for future C2 design is: who should make decisions for forces engaged in war. Net-centric theory questions the current concentration of decision-making authority in the hands of operational level leaders traditional generalship. Theorists of Information Age warfare contend that decision-making power should increasingly shift from operational to tactical level commanders to fully realize the potential of net-centric organization. Classic theory on war, modern decision sciences and case studies of recent net-centric environments suggest a different conclusion. Operational level commanders continue to provide a unique value added to decisions in war. This value is a product of intuitive grasp Clausewitz's 'genius for war' and the wisdom derived from experience and education. Drawing on this intuition and experience, operational commanders are better able to perceive and act on campaign-level opportunities or dangers missed at the tactical level. Future command and control designs that reduce the scope generalship at the operational level in favor of self-synchronization.