Command and Control

C2 systems litter headquarters – some have coalesced into a single machine, others spread across various apps, platforms, and systems. It’s a growing market place and one that can genuinely bamboozle with all the unmoderated lingo that goes with it. Claims that AI, ML, edge, and clould are scattered with wild abandon but lack some of the detail that HQ staff and commanders actually need. And there is something about contemporary combat and warfare here too. The need to rapidly scale access to systems in Ukraine could be equally matched by lessons from Sudan, Yemen or Kashmir. HADR missions work better with C2 systems that have this ability to size up swiftly – as well as working cross multiple domains, actors and security classifications; the requirement to meet the need of NGOs and multiple coalition partners (civil as well as military) is a demand matched in its complexity only by the demands for data and analytics from every level. To give us some truth rather than wild claims and rhetoric about C2 systems, I asked the show’s sponsor – Systematic – for a brief. Step forward Global VP for BD, Andrew Graham and his team: data scientists and military veterans from around the world, all with a distinct passion for C2.

Join John Spencer, a veteran and Chair of Urban Warfare Studies at the Modern War Institute, as he dives into the complexities of command and control in urban warfare. He emphasizes the need for military adaptation to urban settings, focusing on decentralized command and old technologies. Spencer highlights crucial information operations and civil-military cooperation, using lessons from the Battle of Marawi. He advocates for training that understands both terrain and enemy capabilities, transforming how forces engage in densely populated combat zones.

Nate Jennings, a Lieutenant Colonel and associate professor at the US Commander General Staff College, dives into the fascinating world of military command dynamics during the Yom Kippur War. He discusses Ariel Sharon's bold insubordination, which turned the tide of battle despite defying superiors. Jennings highlights the tension and rivalry between commanders, the delicate balance of innovative tactics against strict protocol, and how personal relationships influence decision-making. His insights reveal the complexities of leadership in high-stakes military environments.

Peace keeping missions (whether peace enforcement, peace building, peace making, or conflict prevention) are very different to the formatted hierarchy and organisation of set-piece, large-scale military missions which Western allies have been accustomed to over the past decade. Even the experiences of ISAF or Iraq are outliers rather than a standardised format replicable across peace keeping tasks. This is also evident in the C2 of these missions: often more complex, ambiguous, woolly, and confusing than most military officers will be accustomed to. And that’s without bringing in a strategic HQ structure that has fewer staff and less experience than Western counterparts. Ewan Lawson, associate fellow at RUSI, talks through what characterises PK missions: his one-word answer? Fragmentation.

Steve Leonard, a seasoned military strategist and author, joins Jon Klug, an award-winning military history instructor, to discuss the critical role of logistics in warfare. They explore how protracted conflicts change command conversations about supply and resources, stressing the need for honest dialogue from logistical leaders. The conversation highlights the challenges of modern military logistics and the importance of adapting traditional strategies for contemporary warfare. Their new book delves into these essential principles, making logistics a vital focus for military professionals.

Join Mick Ryan, a retired Major General and esteemed military strategist, as he delves into the transformative restructuring of Ukrainian command and control. He stresses the vital need for skilled commanders amid evolving battlefield dynamics. Discover how lessons from the Ukrainian conflict are reshaping European military strategies and the significance of history in understanding military failures and successes. Mick also draws intriguing comparisons with Israeli military operations, highlighting their diverse command strategies.

Everyone understands that civil agencies and institutions do not operate in the same way as military organisations. The culture, aims, objectives, and funding models are different, as is the way they run activity. So when militaries and these agencies interact, a sense of friction and misunderstanding often emerges. A small group of military staff stand between the behemoths of civil and military leaders – the CIMIC staff; it is their understanding of both sets of cultures that smooths activity in the 97% of military activity that is not combat operations. Kathleen Porath, academic advisor at the NATO CIMIC COE, talks about areas for improvement, the impact of technology, and the investments needed to improve relationships for the future.

It’s not a topic that is spoken about enough in the national security community: Nuclear Command and Control (NC2), and Communications (NC3) is a world apart from C2 for conventional forces: it underpins strategic stability between nuclear armed states. With the emergence of a ‘3-body problem’ in Great Power Competition, there is a risk that Western leaders (political and military) simply try and transpose Cold War theories onto the problems of today, and add some AI/ML to make it look pretty. Professor Andrew Reddie from the Berkeley Goldman School at the University of California, explains why this would be foolhardy in a remarkably accessible way. That’s not easy given the emotion, biases, and vitriol that surround any discussion on NC2/NC3.

Meitta Groeneveld, commanding officer of the NATO C2 Centre of Excellence, shares insights from the recent conference in The Hague. The discussion traverses the complexities of multi-domain operations and the critical need for synchronization between military and civilian actions. Groeneveld emphasizes the importance of reevaluating command and control systems in light of lessons learned from Ukraine. The podcast also highlights the significance of trust and collaborative innovation in adapting military strategies to evolving threats.

Guest William Scott Jackson, a Professor at Oxford University and a leading expert in leadership and succession management, shares fascinating insights on handling poor leadership in the military. He discusses how not all bad bosses are toxic, emphasizing the need for effective succession planning and decision-making strategies. Jackson explores the importance of thinking time, differentiated capability theory, and the Blue Ocean Strategy as solutions for leadership challenges. He also links workplace happiness to performance, suggesting that a supportive environment is crucial for success.