ABSTRACT
In 2003, the invasion of Iraq by the armed forces of a coalition of the United States, the United Kingdom, Australia, and Poland was an early-twenty-firstcentury affirmation of the fundamental tenets of sea power. In the lead up to and during Operation IRAQI FREEDOM (OIF), naval and marine units delivered significant combat power in maritime, air, and land environments. The war successfully demonstrated the application of the “maneuver warfare” concept that had gained increasing currency in the preceding decade.2 Critical to success was integrated planning across the maritime, air, and land environments. In execution, the campaign plan was enabled by an enhanced ability to share information rapidly at the operational and tactical levels. This allowed a high tempo of operations and quick decision-making. As such, the war became an important case study for network-enabled or network-centric warfare.3
