“Continuity of command is not continuity of connectivity.”
That’s one key takeaway from Alec Bain of the UK Defence Science and Technology Laboratory (Dstl), our guest in the latest episode of Future Aspects of C2: The Big 5 on the Continuity of command.
Recent conflicts have shown that headquarters, command posts and communication nodes are no longer safe behind the lines. They are targets. As NATO moves towards Multi-Domain Operations (MDO), how can commanders keep deciding and acting when the network fails?
In this episode we discuss:
- Why C2 resilience is about people, processes, information and authorities, not only technology
- How C2 states (Alpha to Echo) help forces prepare for and move between different levels of threat and connectivity
- Why every headquarters needs a small dedicated team and a C2 estimate built into its planning process
- How the UK’s Command Advantage concept combines protecting your own C2 with imposing complexity on the enemy’s
- Why delegating authorities in advance and training for degraded operations is essential to building trust and making mission command work
Continuity of command can’t be improvised when things go wrong. It has to be designed, trained and rehearsed in advance.
Listen to the full episode on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/episode/0H4CTFatx4ZSmFhMKiKWrq?si=GQ2vrdq7SSicvLKvB9p7sA
Or via our website.
