Net-Centric Conversations: The Unit of Work for Network Centric Warfare and Network Centric Operations

Network-centric warfare and, increasingly, joint operations, demand vastly increased interdependencies and relationships among net-centric participants to produce net-centric capabilities and increase mission effectiveness. A net-centric conversation (NCC) captures a set of organizing principles that encompass a formal description and management of net-centric relationships among participants, such as people, machines, weapons, and sensors, that produce such a net-centric capability. The term "conversation" is used deliberately to capture both the essence of an NCC's ability to change and as the interactions among the participants. Each NCC is version controlled, ensuring that participants know of relevant changes in other participants, which in turn creates a basis of trust. Each NCC has agility metrics to quantify the shortest amount of time needed to change any participant, which enables value-driven portfolio management of NCCs. The Global Combat Support System-Air Force is already beginning to support NCCs