Military Electronic Systems for Command and Control

Although the command and control of military forces is as old as conflict itself, the means through which we exercise the function is undergoing change. This change is dictated by several salient characteristics of the world in which we live: the threat of nuclear weapons; the vulnerability of military command; the vulnerability of the nation; the global battlefield; the pace of military operations; and the advances in technology. Command and control objectives are dictated by several factors. One is the expected nature and extent of an electronic system's future use; another is national policy. This paper outlines the consequential relation between national policy and military decision making, and the direction that the USAF takes in designing the flexible, selective, deliberate and protected systems which facilitate the decision making process. It will also cover the design of military electronic systems, current electronic system efforts and the technology which supports the efforts.