So, here’s something new. RealClearDefense is partnering with Lockheed Martin on a special series to evaluate the future of defense and deterrence in the 21st century. To make this series mission-focused, we have centered our content on the Department of Defense’s (DoD) 2022 National Defense Strategy. This document lays out the national priorities for strengthening deterrence and maintaining our competitive advantage:
1. Defending the homeland, paced to the growing multi-domain threat posed by the PRC
2. Deterring strategic attacks against the United States, Allies, and partners
3. Deterring aggression, while being prepared to prevail in conflict when necessary, prioritizing the PRC challenge in the Indo-Pacific, then the Russia challenge in Europe
4. Building a resilient Joint Force and defense ecosystem.
How will the U.S. military accomplish these priorities in the context of Joint (Air Force, Army, Navy, Marines, and Space Forces) and Combined (U.S. allies) Multidomain Operations (MDO)? This is a major question for policymakers, strategists, and industry. Whatever the answer, the U.S. military and its allies will succeed only if they demonstrate a capability to operate and communicate without interruption across all domains, no matter the clime or place.
When we discuss JADC2 (Joint All-Domain Command and Control), we’re referring to the systems architecture to provide command, control and communications across all services in a contested environment, both in deterring potential adversaries and defeating them on the battlefield. This is difficult to comprehend in theory, and even harder to effect in practice. As the U.S. military experienced during the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, communications between service branches were difficult and often inadequate to the speed and scope of operations. The current Russo-Ukrainian War has further shown the importance of JADC2, as Ukraine has successfully utilized satellite imagery and communications to direct operations on the ground, including through the use of drones or uncrewed systems.
When it comes to systems architecture, JADC2 is becoming increasingly vital with the advent of artificial intelligence (AI), uncrewed systems and quantum technology. Nearly every branch of the U.S. military is testing and integrating these technologies into operations that scale down to the individual warfighter. Connecting soldiers, pilots, sailors, and space systems will be vital for JADC2 to be successful.
And so, be on the lookout for new, forward-looking content that demonstrates the application of innovative ideas into current military practice. We begin with a series of three custom articles on how emerging technologies build a resilient and effective force in the 21st century:The first article will explain JADC2 and its role in multi-domain operations of the future.
The second article will explain JADC2 in the context of artificial intelligence and autonomous systems for each of the domains that comprise multi-domain operations.
The third article will explain the JADC2 concept across all domains, explaining its qualitative and quantitative advantages for winning future conflicts, with a special emphasis on space.
To augment these articles, RealClearDefense will also host a podcast on these topics. Further, we’ll be populating our tailor-made “Future of Defense and Deterrence” page with current articles from across the defense news landscape that highlight current and future efforts in building a 21st century force.
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