I think NCW/NCO whatever... is great stuff. However there is good gear out there now that can effectively geo-locate a node with some of the current joint networks.
Some of the NCW/NCO people also think that the network can make up for some platform shortcomings. (Not good thinking).
Then of course lots of training has to be seriously realistic. Where an exercise evaluator states to a flotilla leader/task force leader, what ever... "Several network nodes x, y and z are down." All while there are significant threats to deal with in an exercise.
For a carrier force... node broadcasting, ( I would hope ) gets cut off during EMCON.
"Some of the NCW/NCO people also think that the network can make up for some platform shortcomings. (Not good thinking)."
Eric,
The entire theory of war is based on the idea that strategy and tactics can overcome shortcomings in dealing with either resources or opposition.
The network as a whole can absolutely overcome the shortcomings of a node.
NCW is a can of worms. Starting back with Copernicus in the 80s the Navy has looked to technology to solve command and control problems. What keeps getting overlooked is that bandwidth isn't infinite. As networks become more critical the demand for robustness increases. Making a network robust takes bandwidth (and power) which reduces throughput. BUT since the networks are increasingly more critical, throughput demands skyrocket, bandwidth gets consumed/rationed, and things spiral out of control. Add to this the issue of EMCON, many protocols can't be used receive only, there are required invisible computer to computer handshakes that go on that can only to used in two way connections. Exercises must include real comm outages, not simulations. A network restart isn't pretty, but a real chore. As we have become network centric we have become network vulnerable and soft kill weapons aren't that hard to come by.
DNH.....you've hit the nail on the head...."stuff" is great until it breaks down in the middle of a fight.......
"S...." happens, in an exercise it can be glossed over.....but in a real fight
the "fit hits the Sham" after the opening bell and that changes the battle plan...the new gear is only as strong as the least experienced ET working on the console when something goes off line....
Tincanman
Hi G.
Yeah well it is all variable. R-172s will be fielded in the coming years. They kill AWACs. The USN does not currently have a fast fleet defense fighter. It has a slow strike fighter. Which means in a big war situation near Taiwan in the future, that you can just watch Hawkeyes get shot down and with the other fighter and long range BVR assets of red-air that will be fielded, anything else that flies off of a carrier will get killed. F-35 JSF is a long way down the pike and has a lot of hurdles to get over before operational proof of life. And even then that is not an air superiority fighter. It is stealth without super-cruise.
The Nebo SVU VHF AESA Radar will also be Chicom available in the coming years. Which means stealth for stealth's sake can be minimized and...targeted.
As mentioned, the NCW nodes themselves emit. They can be geo-located and targeted. Look to systems like the Topaz Kolchuga M ELS and 85V6 Vega/Orion ELS to name a few. And yeah I am sorry for sounding like that old Soviet Threat catalog put out by the DOD every year back in the day, but China has the money for these things and is planning in depth.
That of course only shows one narrow area, but it is an important one. Flying NCW nodes are no good if they can't be defended.
Do I care much about NCW nodes being hard killed in small war scenarios and/or situations where the enemy doesn't have an air force? No not really, but if all we plan for is the 1990s promise of "peace dividend" and shape everything around that kind of necked-down excel spreadsheet friendly carrier deck, we won't have anyone to blame but ourselves if we have to go up against a bully with first team air in 20 years.
G, I'm more in ELP's camp. Here're some dots to connect:
Confined waters
Fast blue boats
Warlock
Atmospheric ducting
Network restart latency
Cooperative engagement doctrine
OTH targeting
I view the recent fast boat incidents as ELINT and ROE probes. How close can they get and what WI-FI like stuff is going on between ships and satellites?
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