Jointness is a neologism coined by the United States Armed Forces to describe cross-service cooperation in all stages of the military processes, from research, through procurement and into operations. Today, it is accepted by many advanced militaries. Jointness is aimed at satisfying the requirements for increasing efficiency and economizing the military budget.
"Jointness" has been defined as "the integration of the strengths of at least two limbs of the military in a coordinated effort to achieve a common goal".[1] Jointness is an important factor in developing Joint Operations. It enables flexible leadership for the commander of a group, increases effective functioning, and creates an involvement between military limbs.
Jointness also creates the possibility for a new manner of warfare called Network-centric warfare. Network-centric Warfare is characterized by the representation and analysis of information, and its transfer between agents and the center of command who may be distant from one another or even members of different units in the military. This new technology and outlook enable the military to improve operational efficiency in a way that was not possible in the past. What began as a gradual technological advancement within individual military limbs has grown to include several branches of the armed forces.
This approach views jointness as key for proceeding flexibly in a changing world. It stresses conceptual flexibility which is obtained through the development of new mindsets and which precedes flexibility of power and resource.
See also
References
- ↑ "NDTAGram" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2011-11-04.
Further reading
- Shope, Virginia C (November 2002). Jointness: A Selected Bibliography. U.S. Army War College Library. Archived from the original on 29 April 2017.
- Rubel, Robert C. "Principles of Jointness" (PDF). Joint Force Quarterly (JFQ). Winter 2000–01: 45–49. Archived (PDF) from the original on February 27, 2021.
- Improving the Readiness of U.S. Forces Through Military Jointness. Hearing Before the Subcommittee on Readiness of the Committee on Armed Services, House of Representatives, One Hundred Twelfth Congress (Report). 31 March 2011. ISBN 9780160896774. Retrieved 1 December 2020.
- Gompert, David C. (2003). Preparing Military Forces for Integrated Operations in the Face of Uncertainty (PDF) (Report). RAND National Defense Research Institute. Retrieved 1 December 2020.
- Joint Training Policy for the Armed Forces of the United States (PDF) (Report). Joint Staff. 13 January 2020. Retrieved 1 December 2020.
- Report to the Congress: Improving The Effectiveness Of Joint Military Exercises— An Important Tool For Military Readiness (PDF) (Report). Comptroller General of the United States. 11 December 1979. Retrieved 1 December 2020.
- Cunningham, Case; Donahoe, Patrick; Jernigan, Mike; Riggins, Michael (2016). "Sustaining the "New Norm" of Jointness" (PDF). Joint Force Quarterly. 81: 43–47 – via ndupress.ndu.edu.
- Rostker, Bernard (2003). "Transformation and the Unfinished Business Of Jointness: Lessons for the Army from the Persian Gulf, Kosovo, and Afghanistan". In Davis, Lynn E.; Shapiro, Jeremy (eds.). The U.S. Army and the New National Security Strategy. RAND Corporation. pp. 129–162.