The
Mitchell Institute for Aerospace Studies illustrated the fragility of the Air
Force's current command and control network in a realistic video scenario,
released in conjunction with AFA's Air Warfare Symposium in Orlando, Fla. In
the video simulation, US Air Forces in Europe-Air Forces Africa and NATO allies
in Europe are caught off guard when Russian forces attack C2 infrastructure to
cover a covert invasion, picking off allied targets and seizing ground in the
confusion that ensues. Mitchell hosted a panel of command and control experts in
Orlando on Feb. 12 where they discussed the vulnerability of today's air operations
centers and the need to disperse and modernize C2 in light of potential 21st
Century threats. Retired Air Force panelists included
Maj.
Gen. Mark Matthews, vice president of Air Force programs at Raytheon;
Maj.
Gen. Kevin Kennedy, vice president of international business development at
Textron; Col. Mark Altobelli, senior defense and future concepts analyst; Col.
Richard Reynolds, independent consultant; and Col. Robert Evans, director of
strategy in the command and control division at Northrop Grumman. (
Watch the video) (See
also
Fix
the Juicy Target.)
