"Don't Silence Navy Chat"/"Fix Net Centric for theOperators".

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Author: Unknown

(See T. Jara, M. Lisowski. pp. 52-55. September 2003; I). Trinque, pp. 18-22, November 2003; J. Thomas, pp. 18-22, December 2003 Proceedings)

(See D. Hardesty, pp. 68-71, September 2003; II. Honaker. pp. 14-16, November 2003 Proceedings)

Commander T. J. McKearney, U.S. Navy (Retired) â€" These two outwardly disparate, but actually complementary, pieces have cleverly tricked us into thinking concretely about a topic usually given to theory. Vague concepts about what "the network" are being swept aside by the reality of how individual programs and deck-plate initiatives are building the command-and-control architecture of the present. We've heard about the myths of network-centric warfare; these two articles give us the opportunity to come up with some of the truths:

• The devil is in the details. Or the corollary, "it's not just the bandwidth, stupid." Putting networks together is a complex business: it's not simply a pipe but, as Captain Hardesty points out, a bunch of discrete elements treating bytes and radio frequency in different ways. Although some of our naval units are, by most standards, "bandwidth limited," the real challenge is identifying, selecting, tailoring, testing, and installing the applications and services we need to hang on the bandwidth we do have to make it work efficiently. This takes smart procurement before we put to sea and smart bandwidth management in real time once under way. Before we talk about the glory of open architecture and the limitless potential of Internet protocol, we need to look at packet loss, utilization, certification, and a bunch of technical issues that frankly are boring until they crash the network.
• One size does not fit all. No doubt about it â€" chat has had a major impact in contemporary command and control. And I feel Commanders Jara's and Lisowki's pain, particularly as it relates to the Defense Collaborative Tool Suite (DCTS) and NetMeeting. NetMeeting, with a conference-server configuration or other DCTS-compatible alternatives, might never beat a chat tool for the simple exchange of textual information. The functionalities offered by these tools, however, are demonstrably needed in command-and-control operations at certain levels in the chain of command. While chat may serve tactical needs within the force, a host of users exist who need more sophisticated collaborative tools: shared applications, common whiteboard, imagery, file sharing, etc. Combat information center or even joint operations center watch slanders may be happy with only chat, but planning shops, intel cells, targeting boards, and others need a more complex tool kit for collaborating within the force and with other agencies.
• The organizational implications need to be addressed head on. Read "If We Run Out of Batteries. This War is Screwed," in the June 2003 Wired magazine. Discussions of policies for the issuance of formal orders over chat aside, the reality is that the use of collaborative networked systems has blurred the command lines when it comes to information sharing and decision making. Reactionary efforts such as requiring voice confirmation will not change this, and the only alternative is to redefine the meaning of command and control for the networked force and let the technology do its job by providing the quality-of-service tools needed for security, validation, authentication, etc. We keep saying we have the best people in the world in terms of training, experience, and intelligence. It's time to trust them to make the right calls in real time.

Perhaps the lesson in both articles is that network-centric warfare is here now and being built, like most advances, incrementally during routine operations. Captain Hardesty's comments about contractors with a debilitating future vision are dead on, even though I risk characterization as one of them. We need to push forward with a wary eye toward what is possible and an optimistic sense of how command and control can be improved through better networks and information applications for those networks.