Case Studies in National Security Transformation: Speed and the Fog of War: Logistics in Iraqi Freedom, Network Centric Operations (NCO), Transforming Joint Interagency Coordination, Modular Forces

Speed and the Fog of War: Sense and Respond Logistics in Operation Iraqi Freedom - The term "fog of war" is often associated with the commander's lack of clear information on the battlefield. "War is inherently volatile, uncertain, complex, and ambiguous. For this condition, contemporary U.S. military usage offers the acronym VUCA." Compounding the "fog of war" on the modern battlefield is the high tempo of operations or speed sought by commanders to overwhelm and defeat the enemy. This case study proposes that the use of sense and respond (S&R) logistics during Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF-I) would have provided logisticians critical decisionmaking information (situational awareness) thereby reducing the fog of war and facilitating more efficient and responsive support to the warfighter.

Network Centric Operations (NCO) Case Study - Task Force 50 During Operation Enduring Freedom - The purpose of this case study report is to describe the evolution of network enabled capabilities in the context of naval operations conducted under the command of RADM (now retired) T. Zelibor. The focus is on the background and creation of Task Force 50 (TF-50), and primarily on the evolution of the transformational capabilities that permitted TF-50 to succeed in the manner that it did. The study examines those transformation innovations from their inception up through current day.

Case Study in Army Transformation: Creating Modular Forces - U.S. defense transformation is noted for its emphasis on acquiring modern information networks and other advanced technologies, but less so for creating new force structures and weapon platforms. The dramatic exception to this pattern is the U.S. Army transformation plan, forged in 2003-2004 and currently being implemented. This plan is imposing major changes on how Army forces are structured and also intends to acquire an entirely new set of weapon systems over the coming years. The centerpiece of this ambitious plan for restructuring is creation of the "modular brigade combat team" (BCT), which is being applied to all combat brigades in the active Army and the reserve component forces, and to new brigades that are being added to the force structure. Unlike old combat brigades, which were embedded in divisions and drew upon them for essential support, the new BCTs are to be entirely self-contained with combat and support units, and thus deployable on their own and usable as separate formations on the battlefield.

Transforming Joint Interagency Coordination: The Missing Link Between National Strategy & Operational Success - Increased speed of action, enhanced depth of planning, and innovative management of resources have long been considered by many in the national security establishment to be critical in today's volatile, uncertain, complex, and ambiguous world of asymmetric terrorist threats. With the proliferation of non-state actors with global reach and their willingness to use weapons of ever-increasing lethality, solutions to the problems of the 21st century became less and less likely to reside within the capabilities of a single agency or department—even where that department possesses superb military forces, unparalleled information-collection assets, and dedicated intelligence analysts.