This study analyzes the need for the Air Force to design a cyberspace command and control approach that can survive and respond to the demands of a high-level conflict against a near-peer opponent. The conclusion is that the cyberspace domain is subject to the same challenges of the other war-fighting domains and command and control approaches that attempt to achieve perfect situational awareness and centralized control will fail; putting operations in all war-fighting domains at risk. The author provides a history of command and control in the land, sea, and air domains and discusses how technology influenced the decision to centralize or decentralize command and control. Next, the writer describes the current Air Force command and control approach for air, space, and cyberspace and demonstrates through a scenario how the different elements interact to control a time sensitive target event that traverses all three Air Force domains. Using this information, the author compares and contrasts the domains and provides recommendation on the most agile command and control approach for Air Force cyberspace. Finally, this paper proposes how the Air Force may best posture its forces to command and control the domain to win a high-level conflict against a near-peer competitor.
This work has been selected by scholars as being culturally important, and is part of the knowledge base of civilization as we know it. This work was reproduced from the original artifact, and remains as true to the original work as possible. Therefore, you will see the original copyright references, library stamps (as most of these works have been housed in our most important libraries around the world), and other notations in the work.
This work is in the public domain in the United States of America, and possibly other nations. Within the United States, you may freely copy and distribute this work, as no entity (individual or corporate) has a copyright on the body of the work.
As a reproduction of a historical artifact, this work may contain missing or blurred pages, poor pictures, errant marks, etc. Scholars believe, and we concur, that this work is important enough to be preserved, reproduced, and made generally available to the public. We appreciate your support of the preservation process, and thank you for being an important part of keeping this knowledge alive and relevant.