System of System case study - why the network centric command and control system needed to change: Lessons from army command and control in Operation Iraqi Freedom

This case study investigates the United States Netcentric Command and Control (C2) System of Systems (SoS) before, during, and after the initial phases of Operation Iraqi Freedom. Netcentric (C2) systems are complex, large-scale, socio-technical, and highly interconnected. They require large capital investments, asynchronous design and test periods for different elements, and long deployment lifecycles with asynchronous clock speeds associated with the longevity of different elements. The study investigates what a Netcentric C2 SoS is, why the designed Netcentric C2 SoS needed to change, and how it changed to meet the needs of the Army during selected operational deployments over a ten year period (2000 - 2010). This report closes by offering related questions for further research.