Optimal use of military and non-military capabilities is dependent on effective command and control, or C2.
NATO and partners must develop their C2 capabilities with timely integration in mind, and this requires cooperation between NATO, NATO commands, nations, functional branches and services to understand how C2 systems can be integrated via formal and informal command and control relationships.
C2 is the glue that binds our forces, enabling effective decision-making and coordination. C2 is not just a set of processes, procedures and technologies — it is an essential capability that requires deliberate governance.
The NATO Command and Control Centre of Excellence (NATO C2COE) supports NATO, nations and international institutions/organizations with applicable knowledge on C2 at the operational and higher tactical level.
In this article for the Joint Warfare Centre’s The Three Swords magazine, Major Ralph Dekker, staff officer at NATO C2COE, explains why treating C2 as a capability and governing it over its lifecycle is essential to make C2 fit for purpose for national and international collaboration and cooperation.
C2 is more than a technical function; it is a capability that shapes military outcomes. By recognizing this and treating C2 capability from a sociotechnical perspective, NATO can improve C2 governance and elevate its C2 practice.
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