Tactical Communications Empower Force Doctrine

The past few years have seen military communications and information systems described in terms ranging from force multiplier to battlespace domain. No one doubts that command, control, communications, computers and intelligence (C⁴I) systems have revolutionized warfare. What many people do not realize is just how broad-reaching the changes have been across the spectrum of warfighting.

One need look no further than the Iraq War for a singular example. When Gen. David H. Petraeus, USA, initiated the troop surge to seize the upper hand in Iraq, he also instituted major changes in operational doctrine. One of these was to move U.S. forces out of centralized locations and into the general populace. New tactical C⁴I systems that were being deployed with the force enabled the general to commit to that undertaking. Absent those new technologies, the force would not have been able to maintain connectivity while dispersed. This was a case in which the C⁴I systems enabled the change in doctrine that helped shift the outlook for the war in Iraq.

In broader terms, tactical communications technologies and systems have given military planners greater flexibility along with new capabilities. The traditional sensor-to-shooter gap has been shortened in some cases to the point of elimination. Command and control (C²) during an operation can be extended to the lowest levels, as can real-time situational awareness. Activities can be changed mid-operation as needs warrant.

The advances that have taken place in tactical communications have not satisfied demand, of course. As network centricity advances, its enabling technologies introduce new capabilities that are eagerly embraced by planners and warfighters alike. These new capabilities open the door to new demands, which then spawn new systems that offer still more capabilities that generate a host of further demands. Whether applied to bandwidth, communications or information processing, this paradigm continues to drive much progress in tactical system development.

And that is just in the operational realm. New tactical communications technologies are having a significant effect on C². Experts long have warned that the traditional military chain of command would not survive the empowerment of individual warfighters with information traditionally available only to higher echelons. That empowerment has altered the function of the chain of command, but it has not destroyed it. Instead, it has increased the two-way interplay between headquarters and the warfighter. Commanders have not lost their raison d’être; rather, they are increasingly closer to the warfighter and to battlespace operations. Tactical communication has not diluted the commanders’ roles—instead, it has enhanced them.

As commercial communications technologies moved into the military arena, they opened up a host of new capabilities. Commercial satellites long have been used by military forces to move communications traffic globally, but now they are fully embedded in the tactical realm. Commercial orbiters are helping provide communications on the move for U.S. and coalition troops in Iraq and Afghanistan. Other commercial communications technologies are playing key roles in maintaining force connectivity.

There is no telling what changes may lie ahead, but more certainly are in the works. It was only a few years ago that e-mail was the preferred text communications medium, having replaced facsimile. Now, e-mail is considered passé by most military personnel. Other forms of messaging are becoming prevalent, ranging from simple texting to Web 2.0 applications. These too will have an effect that goes far beyond their immediate benefits.

As warfighters find more uses for these new capabilities, they will continue to change the way the military conducts operations. From battlespace C² to urban operations, tactical communications are going far beyond serving near-term exigencies. They are changing the nature of the battlespace and all those involved with it.

—The Editor

More information on tactical communications is available in the November 2008 issue of SIGNAL Magazine, in the mail to AFCEA members and subscribers November 3, 2008. For information about purchasing this issue, joining AFCEA or subscribing to SIGNAL, contact AFCEA Member Services.