Implications for Network-Centric Warfare

As US Special Operations Command (USSOCOM) develops strategic concepts for synchronizing the military dimensions of the Global War on Terrorism it will need to address a full range of factors that describe the strategic environment, centers of gravity, and operational approaches for pressing the counterterrorism fight. One key factor is the construct of a global terrorist network and what that implies for the ways that US joint forces must organize and operate. In this paper, Dr. Jessica Glicken Turnley helps the planner to consider the challenge of how a bureaucratically organized force might assess a network-centric enemy and develop appropriate strategies.Implications drawn here by Dr. Turnley relate to USSOCOM strategic priorities for winning the war on terror and ensuring a competitive advantage in the future. These priorities include leading the planning for the DoD Global War on Terrorism as well as commandspecific counterterrorism operations. The paper also implies considerations for force readiness and developing USSOCOM's next-generation capabilities.Dr. Turnley advises that we are facing the challenge of responding at once with force structures appropriate for geographically based adversaries and network based adversaries. The US military must develop the ability to quickly change and redefine force structure, force development, and force management techniques, and Dr. Turnley believes that this may be one of the key enablers of the future force.