The Virtual Combat Air Staff The Promise of Information Technologies

by Huber, A. F.; Sauer, P. S.; Hollett, J. L.; Keskel, K.; Shelton, W. L.

• ISBN13: 9780833024152
• ISBN10: 0833024159
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 1996-09-03
• Publisher: RAND Corporation

Summary

This study investigated the nature of the future combat air staff in the context of air war in the information age and how application of information-age technology could reduce deployment of personnel while maintaining, or improving, staff support to the air campaign through the use of virtuality.

Table of Contents

Preface	iii	(6)
Figures	ix	(2)
Summary	xi	(4)
Acknowledgments	xv	(2)
Abbreviations	xvii
Chapter One INTRODUCTION	1	(8)
Hierarchical Versus Network Organizational Models	1	(2)
Expeditionary Warfare: "Deploying" a Combat Air Staff	3	(1)
Deploying to Wage War	4	(1)
Study Scope, Questions, and Assumptions	5	(2)
Report Organization	7	(2)
Chapter Two THE EVOLUTION OF MILITARY STAFFS	9	(8)
Defining the Different Variations of Military Staffs	10	(2)
General Staff	10	(1)
Field Staff	10	(1)
Personal Staff	11	(1)
Special Staff	11	(1)
Coordinating Staff	11	(1)
Principal Phases in the Evolution of the Military Staff	12	(1)
Summarizing the Trends in Staff Development Through History	12	(2)
Assessing the Implications of Military Staff Evolution	14	(3)
Chapter Three TECHNOLOGICAL CHANGE AND THE VIRTUAL STAFF	17	(12)
Advanced C4I	18	(1)
Recent Historical Events as Portents of the Future	19	(2)
Potential Operational Needs	21	(3)
Technology Projections	24	(1)
Conclusions	25	(4)
Chapter Four THE VIRTUAL ORGANIZATION IN THE CORPORATE WORLD	29	(12)
The Virtual Company	30	(3)
Information Technologies and the Virtual Organization	33	(4)
"Reengineering" the Corporation	37	(4)
Chapter Five ISSUES IN REENGINEERING THE U.S. MILITARY	41	(20)
Applying Trends from the Commercial Sector	43	(1)
The Challenges to Reengineering	44	(16)
Command Considerations	45	(4)
Operations	49	(4)
Direct Staff Support, Planning, and Management	53	(1)
Training the Members of a Virtual Combat Air Staff	54	(2)
Information Compromise and Denial	56	(1)
Joint and Coalition Virtuality	57	(1)
Interaction with the Public	58	(2)
Challenges and Opportunities	60	(1)
Chapter Six CASE STUDY: A FUTURE VIRTUAL COMBAT AIR STAFF SCENARIO	61	(20)
Air Component Commander: Airborne over the Atlantic	61	(3)
Intelligence Chief: ACS/I, Defense Intelligence Agency Center, Bolling AFB, Washington, D.C.	64	(6)
48th Air Wing Deployed, Sigonella Air Station, Sicily	70	(3)
Manpower Support Coordinator: Personnel and Finance Integrated Support Center, Randolph AFB, Texas	73	(2)
Logistics Boss: European Logistics Center, Ramstein Air Base, Germany	75	(2)
Some Observations	77	(4)
Chapter Seven ANALYSIS AND RETROSPECT	81	(4)
Appendix OVERVIEW OF TECHNOLOGY TRENDS	85	(28)
Bibliography	113