Rethinking Command and Control

Abstract : The term command and control has come into question from both the theoretical and the operational front. Dr. Alberts noted in his International C2 Journal article that "the future of command and control is not command and control." Rather, C2 should be rebuilt on a new conceptual foundation that incorporates agility, focus, and convergence. With the military's traditional warfighting roles and mission now being expanded to include peacekeeping operations, humanitarian/disaster relief, and phase zero operations, the question of how well these non-kinetic operations are able to leverage extant C2 systems becomes part of the requirements discussion. A similar rethinking of command and control is occurring at the operational level where commands such as U.S. Southern Command (SOUTHCOM) are shifting away from traditional C2 constructs towards more collaborative endeavors. In this shifting theoretical and operational environment, how do warfare centers and other technology developers manage C2 portfolios for an often-competing and divergent set of requirements? This paper will focus on the changing environment facing C2 developers and examine how those in the warfighting centers are adapting to providing an agile C2 to meet current mission requirements.