Read on Twitter
“We must be integrated across government, with our allies and across the 5 domains to counter this threat and protect our interests and national advantage.” - Shout out to Cleveland et al. https://twitter.com/tomcopsymes/status/1284427158421737474
“we remain configured for joint operations in the era of industrial warfare and have not shifted at the pace needed to be an integrated force able to operate and fight in the Information Age.”
Aside: I’d like to draw attention to a fantastic book I read 15 years ago: http://www.dodccrp.org/files/Alberts_UIAW.pdf. David A Albert’s works are a phenomenal resource for understanding of Information Age and Network Centric warfare.
“states have become adept at integrating all the state levers of power to accrue advantage and to accrue the initiative...through trade wars, foreign aid assistance, cyber and info warfare and crucially capturing control of key technologies like 5G or AI or indeed space control”
“This approach broadens the very definition of warfare well beyond the narrow boundaries within which our traditional approach can be brought to bear.” Hint: Read Mark Galeotti: https://foreignpolicy.com/2018/03/05/im-sorry-for-creating-the-gerasimov-doctrine/
“Our response is to pursue integration; joint is no longer enough.” I’d like to refer to this excellent paper: “Interagency Cooperation on Cyber Security: The Estonian Model” by Pernik and Tuohy- https://www.sto.nato.int/publications/STO%20Meeting%20Proceedings/STO-MP-HFM-236/MP-HFM-236-09.pdf
“some of our most recent capabilities have been fielded as platforms, rather than as capabilities. More starkly, when procuring them, standardisation and integration in and across the domains hasn’t been considered” - nail on head!
“we are not able to capitalise on the vast amounts of data our platforms can deliver us, as they are not able to share, swap or integrate data at a speed that generates tempo and advantage.” Another hard truth that many need to accept
At the very foundation of all of this is (and will always be): PEOPLE. Always Investing in people first and the most will return advantages far in excess of any amount spent on shiny platforms or sensors. But getting the Human domain right is also always the hardest.
To steal JFK: We must do these things “not bc they’re easy, but bc they’re hard; bc that goal will serve to organize and measure the best of our energies and skills, bc that challenge is one that we’re willing to accept, one we’re unwilling to postpone, and one we intend to win”.
