Command and control Command and control , or C2 , in a military organization is the exercise of authority and direction by a properly designated commanding officer over assigned and attached forces in the accomplishment of the mission . The term may also refer to command and control systems within a military system . The U . S . " Department of Defense Dictionary of Military and Associated Terms " defines command and control as " [ t ] he exercise of authority and direction by a properly designated commander over assigned and attached forces in the accomplishment of the mission . Command and control functions are performed through an arrangement of personnel , equipment , communications , facilities , and procedures employed by a commander in planning , directing , coordinating , and controlling forces and operations in the accomplishment of the mission . Also called C2 " . Commanding officers are assisted in executing these tasks by specialized staff officers and enlisted personnel . These " military staff " are a group of officers and enlisted personnel that provides a bi - directional flow of information between a commanding officer and subordinate military units . The purpose of a military staff is mainly that of providing accurate , timely information which by category represents information on which command decisions are based . The key application is that of decisions that effectively manage unit resources . While information flow toward the commander is a priority , information that is useful or contingent in nature is communicated to lower staffs and units . This term is also in common use within the computer security industry and in the context of cyberwarfare . Here the term refers to the influence an attacker has over a compromised computer system that they control . For example , a valid usage of the term is to say that attackers use " command and control infrastructure " to issue " command and control instructions " to their victims . Advanced analysis of command and control methodologies can be used to identify attackers , associate attacks , and disrupt ongoing malicious activity . Derivative terms . There is a plethora of derivative terms which emphasise different aspects , uses and sub - domains of C2 . They include : and others . Command and Control Centers . A Command and Control Center is typically a secure room or building in a government , military or prison facility that operates as the agency ' s dispatch center , surveillance monitoring center , coordination office and alarm monitoring center all in one . Command and control centers are operated by a government or municipal agency . Various branches of the U . S . Military such as the U . S . Coast Guard and Navy have command and control centers . They are also common in many large correctional facilities . A command and control center that is used by a military unit in a deployed location is usually called a " command post " . A warship has a Combat Information Center for tactical control of the ship ' s resources , but commanding a fleet or joint operation requires additional space for commanders and staff plus C4I facilities provided on a Flagship ( e . g . , aircraft carriers ) , sometimes a Command ship or upgraded logistics ship such as USS " Coronado " . Command and control warfare . Command and control warfare encompasses all the military tactics that use communications technology . It can be abbreviated as CW . An older name for these tactics is " signals warfare " , derived from the name given to communications by the military . Newer names include information operations and information warfare The following techniques are combined : with the physical destruction of enemy communications facilities . The objective is to deny information to the enemy and so disrupt its command and control capabilities . At the same time precautions are taken to protect friendly command and control capabilities against retaliation . In addition to targeting the enemy ' s command and control , information warfare can be directed to the enemy ' s politicians and other civilian communications . See also . US and other NATO specific : other