It will be decades before the real book on Network Centric Warfare will be written. This effort is designed to help prepare for the journey that will take us from an emerging concept to the fielding of real operational capability. The success of any journey depends in great measure upon the preparations made. These preparations include a shared sense of purpose, a destination, education and training, and provisions.
Many challenges remain.
One that is already causing problems is not having a concrete destination, but rather a broad vision of the characteristics of the destination. In a journey such as this, the process becomes the concrete objective for those who are guided by a vision. It is hoped that this book will contribute to the preparations for this journey in two ways. Second, by suggesting a process for developing mission capability packages designed to transform NCW concepts into operational capabilities. The CCRP is continuing to work with others to undertake research and outreach initiatives aimed at developing a better understanding of network-centric concepts and their application to national security.