By now we all know the current entries on the Buzzword Bingo sheet: Full spectrum. Transformational. Net-centric ops. The good news is that at least one of the buzzwords is for real. Network-centric operations not only exist, they work. More specifically, network-centric intelligence works all the way to the tactical level. We did it in Carrier Group Three/Battle Force Fifth Fleet during Operation Enduring Freedom, and it worked like a charm.
If we use the RAND Corporation's definition of network-centric operations, "the linking of platforms into one shared awareness network in order to obtain information superiority, get inside the opponent's decision cycle, and end conflict quickly," then network-centric intelligence would entail using network-based technology and tools to provide persistent, interactive intelligence support and shared awareness to decision makers as a key part of that shared awareness network. 1
