Congressional Research Service

Joint All-Domain Command and Control Congressional Research Service

The Department of Defense (DOD) is in the process of a once-in-a-generation modernization of its approach to commanding military forces. Senior DOD leaders have stated that the department's existing command and control architecture is insufficient to meet the demands of the 2018 National Defense Strategy (NDS). Joint All-Domain Command and Control (JADC2) is DOD's concept to connect sensors from all of the military services-Air Force, Army, Marine Corps, Navy, and Space Force-into a single network. DOD points to ride-sharing service Uber as an analogy to describe its desired end state for JADC2. Uber combines two different apps-one for riders and a second for drivers. Using the respective users' positions, the Uber algorithm determines the optimal match based on distance, travel time, and passengers (among other variables). In the case of JADC2, that logic would find the optimal platform to attack a given target, or the unit best able to address an emerging threat. For JADC2 to work effectively, DOD is pursuing two emerging technologies: automation and artificial intelligence, and new communications methods. Several agencies and organizations within DOD are involved in JADC2-related efforts.