Ubiquitous command and control

Abstract

We assert that the current conceptualisation of military operations has itself become a legacy system, which fails to take advantage of emerging technology and evolving commercial business practice.

In response to this, we present a conceptual framework for the development of potentially extremely robust societies of human decision-makers and automated machine decision systems appropriate for future military conflict, that is commensurate with emerging technology.

The framework is based on a context of adaptation of location, through telecommunications and transportation resulting in richer human presence, and its ensuing effect on the function and structure of enterprises. Eight principles or tenets are presented which exploit this context. We present principles of decision devolution, ubiquity, automation, human and system integration, distribution and decentralization to each provide forms of robustness through diversity. Principles of social coordination and management provide unity and bounds on this diversity.