The advent of new communications gear for front-line troops has revolutionized the conduct of ground battles in two ways: For one, there's the technology itself, offering soldiers the ability to talk, exchange data and collaborate in real-time. But perhaps the more important change has to do with how personnel at the tip of the spear now have a breadth of information at their fingertips previously reserved only to higher-echelon commanders.

The result, at least in theory, is better decisions by soldiers in combat.

"The expansion of tactical communications in ground warfare has increasingly spread out modern warfare and resulted in the devolution of command down to very basic tactical units, a trend likely to continue as the capabilities of individual soldiers continue to improve," said MacKenzie Eaglen, a defense analyst with the American Enterprise Institute and a member of the Defense News 30th anniversary advisory board.

The Army has realized the doctrinal implications, seeking to cement the associated concepts throughout the service under the term "mission command."

The website of an Army center of excellence dedicated to mission command quotes former Chief of Staff Gen. Raymond Odierno as describing the discipline thusly:

"Mission Command is the conduct of military operations through decentralized execution, using mission orders to enable disciplined initiative within the commander's intent. Done well, it empowers agile and adaptive leaders to successfully operate under conditions of uncertainty, exploit fleeting opportunities, and most importantly achieve unity of effort. Importantly, it helps establish mutual trust and shared understanding throughout the force."

Improved tactical networks also present a new set of problems. They can introduce cyber vulnerabilities, there is the danger of overloading soldiers with too much data, and their technological promises can be downright seductive.

Because in the end, quality decision-making still rests on soldiers' shoulders.

This article is part of a larger Defense News 30-year anniversary project, showcasing the people, programs and innovations from the last three decades that most shaped the global security arena. Go to defensenews.com/30th to see all of our coverage.

Sebastian Sprenger is associate editor for Europe at Defense News, reporting on the state of the defense market in the region, and on U.S.-Europe cooperation and multi-national investments in defense and global security. Previously he served as managing editor for Defense News. He is based in Cologne, Germany.

Share:
More In