Redefining Contentious Dialogue or Restructuring Disputed Interactions
In a significant move, Lieutenant Colonel Tom Gaines, currently serving as the ACoS G6 at 1st Special Forces Command (Airborne), Fort Liberty, North Carolina, is leading the charge to reevaluate existing policies on technological solutions in the face of contested communications environments. Recognizing the importance of this key terrain on the modern battlefield, both sides are expected to employ offensive and defensive capabilities.
The shift in approach is not a simple one. The force preparing for large-scale combat operations acknowledges that it will not maintain the same level of technological dominance it had during the post-9/11 wars. The joint force is facing the reality that many training events and exercises held across the joint force result in unrealistic practices and significant degradation in training value.
Captain Alex Suh, the communications OIC for the Special Operations Joint Task Force at Fort Liberty, North Carolina, is also at the forefront of this change. He emphasizes the need to change the way we talk about the problem, focusing on its nuances and avoiding binary thinking. The first step, he suggests, is to acknowledge that the approach to contested communications is not solely a technological challenge.
The PACE plan, outlining primary, alternate, contingency, and emergency pathways, has been brought down. In its place, a more adaptive and flexible network architecture is being designed, one that can dynamically reconfigure and reroute around contested or degraded areas. This approach involves employing multiple types of communication, such as satellite, radio, wired, and digital networks, to ensure there is no single point of failure.
Another crucial aspect is the use of low-probability-of-intercept/low-probability-of-detection (LPI/LPD) technologies. By making communications less detectable and harder to jam or intercept, the force aims to maintain operational effectiveness even in the face of adversarial efforts to disrupt communications.
Decentralized command and control is also being emphasized, empowering units to operate autonomously when disconnected. This approach avoids reliance on a single communication hub and ensures that operations can continue even when the main communication channels are compromised.
Robust encryption and cybersecurity measures are also essential to protect communications from interception and electronic warfare. Furthermore, training and drills for communication degradation scenarios are being implemented to prepare personnel to maintain operational effectiveness without normal communication channels.
However, the journey is not without challenges. Some personnel are carrying on as if it's a routine exercise, waiting for the scenario to end. Operations centers are showing signs of disorganization, resembling people working through stages of grief rather than coordinated staffs. The exercise control group has announced that all communications are down, adding to the sense of chaos and uncertainty.
The views expressed in this article do not reflect the official position of the United States Military Academy, Department of the Army, or Department of Defense. The specific strategies proposed by Lieutenant Colonel Tom Gaines and Captain Alex Suh regarding building resilient communications options in a contested communications environment were not available in the search results at the time of writing. For detailed insights into their strategies, it is recommended to consult their original article directly.
Image Credit: Maj. Brian Sutherland, US Army.
- Recognizing the increasing complexities in warfare, Lieutenant Colonel Tom Gaines, the ACoS G6 at 1st Special Forces Command (Airborne), Fort Liberty, North Carolina, is advocating for a reevaluation of existing policies on technological solutions in contested communications environments.
- In a bid to address the challenges posed by modern battlefield communications, the first step toward change, according to Captain Alex Suh, the communications OIC for the Special Operations Joint Task Force at Fort Liberty, North Carolina, is to shift the conversation away from binary thinking and toward a more nuanced understanding of the problem.
- In conjunction with a more adaptive network architecture, the military is considering the use of low-probability-of-intercept/low-probability-of-detection (LPI/LPD) technologies to ensure operational effectiveness by making communications less detectable and harder to jam or intercept.
- To further strengthen their communications strategy, the military is also focusing on decentralized command and control, robust encryption, cybersecurity measures, and training for communication degradation scenarios, empowering units to operate autonomously when disconnected and ready to maintain operational effectiveness without normal communication channels.
