Thomas K Braunlinger

Network-centric Warfare Implementation and Assessment Thomas K Braunlinger

Publisher Marketing: This study examines three primary questions: (1) What is the definition of network-centric warfare? (2) Are the military services implementing the network-centric warfare concept? and (3) Is the network-centric warfare concept a new theory of warfare or rather a modification or extension of previous theories? To answer these questions various publications on network-centric warfare and the various military service transformation plans were reviewed. The definition of network-centric warfare developed is the linkage of people, systems, and platforms to form a self-synchronization networked force that creates shared battlespace awareness for information superiority and speed of command. A review of the services transformation plans showed that the services may not be using the same terms, but they are implementing the concepts of network-centric warfare. The study concludes that network-centric warfare is not a new theory of warfare, but a concept that supports maneuver theory of warfare similar to the concept of blitzkrieg developed by Germany prior to World War II. To emphasize the concept of network-centric warfare supports maneuver theory the term network-enabled warfare is suggested as a more appropriate term to be used, instead of network-centric warfare.