In an era where information stands as a critical tool for success in the prosecution of modern military operations, the Department of Defense is falling behind in providing combatant commanders a modern, effective wide area network, Penney notes. A key factor driving this challenge is the Department of Defense’s outdated perspective regarding information and the value it presents to modern combat operators. Due to a centralized information management approach within the Department of Defense that limits that individual service’s ability to exploit new operational concepts, the US military’s network capability lags behind commercial equivalents.
An alternative approach, Penney writes, is to embrace a “whole-of-nation approach,” where US-flagged network service delivery companies serve as partners in pursuing modern network superiority. Contemporary standards for cyber security, structures, and regulations must also move from being compliance-driven to being effects-based, Penney notes, and policymakers should also consider the creation of a dedicated intelligence center to focus on network analysis and assessment to gather important and relevant intelligence on adversary network capabilities that will inform future military plans and assessments.