Book Description

Two terms should be understood from the start: Real-Time Information into the Cockpit and Military Technical Revolution. RTIC involves systems capabilities required to provide aircrews timely and essential off-board information to allow mission adjustments in response to rapidly changing combat conditions. An MTR requires converging technological products which have a demonstrated military utility, and military recognition that the application of these converging technologies will cause a radical change in the character of warfare over a very short period of time. RTIC does not foreshadow a coming MTR although it does employ converging technological products which have a demonstrated military utility. RTIC is not likely to cause radical change to the character of warfare. Nonetheless, it improves a commander's ability to employ operational art-to employ military forces to attain strategic and/or operational objectives through the design, organization, integration, and conduct of strategies, campaigns, major operations, and battles. This thesis assesses the capabilities of RTIC from two perspectives: its impact on the air tasking process, and the command and control flexibility it affords the Joint Force Air Component Commander. It concludes the impact on the air tasking process is evolutionary, not revolutionary-current RTIC capabilities remain largely dependent on human-intensive operations which limit reductions in decision cycle times. It further suggests that RTIC's true impact on targeting is directly attributable to the increased flexibility provided to the Joint Force Air Component Commander (JFACC) for prosecuting the execution-day air tasking order (ATO).