C4I for the Warrior: Avoiding Nose-in-the-Cockpit Syndrome.

New information technologies will provide increased connectivity. The C4 I for the Warrior strategy will take advantage of these changes to improve Command and Control C2. The C2 process, both men and machines, gathers and reduces information into usable knowledge. Information overload is an everpresent danger. The perfect process will avoid overwhelming the user with data. The C4I for the Warrior strategy is flawed in that it emphasizes connectivity and interoperability at the expense of fusion and correlation. In the past, as seen with the telegraph and the radio, unfettered increases in information flow have led to increased centralization and reduced effectiveness for the commander. The more immediate the data, the more the commanders nose gets stuck in the cockpit. New systems which have been shaped by the commander needs may inadvertantly affect his leadership style. New systems should avoid altering leadership methods and must have decision-making disciplines built in. Development of fusion, management, and decision-aid software must keep pace with the interconnecting of the information architectures. As the architecture is likely to outpace the development of tools by which it is managed, it is necessary for the operational commander to precisely define his and his subordinates volumes of influence. KAR P. 2