Networked Operations and Transformation: Context and Canadian Contributions

The driving concept behind the transformation of Western armed forces in the twenty-first century has been a fully integrated information network that will supposedly create a "decisive" advantage in fighting and other military actions. In a detailed examination of different types of networked operations, including Network-Centric Warfare (NCW) and Network Enabled Operations, the authors argue that such operations offer not a new theory of war but a series of largely untested assumptions that must be validated before they are accepted as a basis for transforming the military.The authors consider various approaches to networked operations that are based on the physical environment and cultural context in which armed forces operate. They conclude that a "one size fits all" approach to command and control for networked operations may not be the most effective and suggest a more human-centric approach than the primarily technology-centred model used by the U.S. military.

About the Author

Allan English is adjunct professor, history, Queen's University, has taught warfare theory and history at the Canadian Forces College, Toronto, and is the author of Understanding Military Culture: A Canadian Perspective. Howard G. Coombs is a Ph.D candidate, history, Queens University, and a co-editor of The Operational Art: Canadian Perspectives - Context and Concepts.