Mission Composeable C2 in DIL Information Environments Using Widgets and App Stores

As the United States pivots to Asia while continuing to protect the full range of U.S. interests abroad, the Nation is facing a rising threat a growing anti-access and area-denial A2AD challenge. A key strategic goal of the United States, as highlighted in several recent strategic documents, including Sustaining U.S. Global Leadership Priorities for the 21st Century, is the ability to maintain access, in the face of challenges, in all the four commons -- maritime, air, space, and cyberspace. One of the primary operational challenges for the warfighter in the future is the ability to operate in a disconnected, intermittent, or limited DIL information environment but still be able to achieve the information flows necessary for agile command and control C2. Warfighters increasingly have access to integrated mobile devices to enhance their situational awareness. The Department of Defense and the Services are working to provide widget and app storefronts to disseminate applications that enable agile C2. The use of widgets and specialized apps supports the development of agile C2 systems with the capability to address some of the limitations the warfighter faces in a DIL environment. This paper will examine the value of these widgets and apps and the role this technology plays in supporting a configurable tactical C2 environment.