Event Coverage

The United States may need a "dot-secure" cyber realm to protect vital infrastructure elements such as banking.

"The focus now is on computers over comms, and that's a problem."

The medium literally is the message in Pacific Command operations, as network situational awareness may be the determining factor in the success of future operations. Adm. Robert F. Willard, USN, commander of the U.S. Pacific Command, warned that U.S. military capabilities in this area are strongly lacking. "In command and control, you can't control what you can't see, and you must be able to control everything in these domains," Adm. Willard said. Speaking at TechNet Asia-Pacific 2010, Adm. Willard related that recent Pacific rim exercises illustrated the problem. The cyber element was set up weeks in advance, and it was supported to an unprecedented level by personnel from the newly established U.S. Cyber Command and from other organizations and industry. Yet, at best, experts had visibility into only 50 percent of cyberspace. Worse, leadership had the ability to sense and command in only 10 percent. "You can't command and control that domain unless you can see into it, sense inside it and control it," the admiral reiterated. Often the challenges of network situational awareness overwhelm those tasked with managing it, he continued. "Many people have such a profound sense of complexity about it that they almost give up. But we can't give up," he emphasized.

Joint is the name of the game on the battlefield and at LandWarNet as Lt. Gen. William T. Lord, USAF, chief of warfighting integration and chief information officer for the U.S Air Force gave the final address of the conference this afternoon. The general said that he believes all future operations will be joint because the services are too small now to operate on their own. Everyone needs the synergy of the combined force to carry out their operations.

Policy and governance remain the biggest hurdles to interoperability among military services and their various allies and partners according to the joint/coalition panel held this morning at LandWarNet. Representatives from the British Armed Forces, U.S. Marine Corps, the Defense Information Systems Agency (DISA) and the Office of the Secretary of Defense sat on a panel moderated by a U.S. Navy admiral from the joint staff to discuss the issues inherent in information sharing in coalition and disaster response missions. Throughout the discussion, panelists made jokes to amuse and engage the audience, but their message was deadly serious-information must be delivered to warfighters at the tactical edge so they can successfully, safely carry out their missions.

The feel and focus of LandWarNet took on a slightly different feel this afternoon as retired IBM Chief Executive Officer Louis V. Gerstner took the stage to discuss institutional transformation. Rather than address military-specific needs, Gerstner explained how he worked to turn around IBM by changing the entire culture of the organization. He told listeners to take the lessons he imparted and apply them as appropriate to military needs.

Apps for the Army contest winners and the Army chief information officer talk about the winning apps and what these developments mean for the future of the Army.

The Army needs to fix its acquisition process and move good ideas to top leaders according to Gen. Peter W. Chiarelli, USA, vice chief of staff, U.S. Army. Gen. Chiarelli delivered the morning address of LandWarNet today via teleconference, stating that he wants the ideas people have to make things better. He also emphasized repeatedly the need to change acquisitions to keep up with technology changes and the enemy.

The solutions to the Army's network problems have no easy answers according to opinions from the first panel here at LandWarNet. Leaders in industry addressed five questions about how to improve or address various facets of the Army enterprise, but rarely did any of the responses provide straightforward solutions.

Increased situational awareness continued as the focus of importance here at LandWarNet. Lt. Gen. Jeffrey A. Sorensen, USA, the chief information officer/G-6 of the Army, gave a high-level view of the current path of the Army enterprise, emphasizing that everything done comes down the need for shared situational awareness. All other pieces must support the effort to provide the warfighters with the information they need.