Joint Experimentation: A Systems Approach

The Secretary of Defense charged the United States Atlantic Command (USACOM) on 1 October 1998 to conduct Joint Experimentation (JE) in support of the Defense of Department (DoD) Joint Vision 2010 concept. Since a common definition of joint experimentation did not exist, the mandate not only required USACOM to conduct joint experimentation, but also to define exactly what it is. In response, USACOM, now United States Joint Forces Command (USJFCOM) established the J9 Directorate under its command to accomplish this task. It was given the objective of the JE program to provide recommendations to the Chairman, Joint Chiefs of Staff and the Secretary of Defense on how to improve the doctrine, organizational structures, training, material, leadership and personnel programs to provide the future joint force the capabilities of full spectrum dominance. The question this monograph addresses is how should the military go about joint experimentation - specifically should the joint experimentation program be based on systems theory. The monograph initially examines what led to the requirement for the JE program, a description of the JE program as outlined in Joint Forces Command's JE Campaign Plan 2000 and a review of previous assessments of the JE program. After defining systems theory and addressing its benefits and criticisms, the monograph analyzes the use of systems theory in the joint experimentation process against three criteria. First, would the application of systems theory help achieve the stated objections of the JE program? Second, does systems theory reflect how the military intends to conduct warfighting? Finally, would the use of systems theory at the joint level provide any benefits not provided by other means? The monograph concludes that systems theory should be the basis for joint experimentation. While some elements of systems theory exist within the experimentation program outlined in Campaign Plan 2000, there are several elements of systems theory not p