As China’s People’s Liberation Army (PLA) embarks on a massive military build-up, the traditional US defence strategy is based on an assumption: Like the Soviet Union in the Cold War, the Communist Party’s rigid, centralised command structure will undermine the PLA’s operational flexibility. However, a new report by the US think tank Rand Corporation warns that this assumption will collapse if China adopts the West’s more flexible “Mission Command” concept.
According to the Rand report, “A Chinese military that fully embraces mission command will lead to increased operational performance with faster decision-making, better adaptability, and greater resilience to C4ISR [Command, Control, Communications, Computers, Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance] disruption.”
Resistance to US Weaknesses: Strength of Mission Command
Mission command means that commanders set only the overall objective of the mission and allow subordinate units to determine their own methods of achieving these objectives. This flexible approach, used by the Germans in World War II and today by the Israeli Defence Forces, enables quick decision-making and initiative.
The traditional US strategy against China has focused on weakening the enemy’s operational capacity by targeting its command and control centres. However, the Rand report notes that a more flexible and decentralised PLA would be much more resistant to these US tactics and would force the US to rethink its strategy.
Current Problems: The Chinese leadership has long been concerned that the military’s effectiveness is undermined by over-centralisation, unrealistic training and widespread corruption. President Xi Jinping’s purges of senior military officers as part of his anti-corruption drive shows how real these concerns are.
Three Scenarios: The Most Dangerous Full Adoption
Rand researchers note that reformers within the Chinese military are currently testing mission command in selected units such as special operations forces and warships operating in distant waters. According to the report, there are three possible scenarios for China:
Full Adoption (Most Dangerous to the US): If the PLA fully adopts mission command, the U.S. strategy of weakening command and control power will become obsolete and the United States will need to develop new approaches.
Partial Adoption: Units such as special operations and warships enjoy partial freedom, while nuclear, space and cyber forces remain under tight control. However, this can lead to an inaccurate mix of centralised and mission command, resulting in inconsistent operational performance. The report warns that this could lead to more aggressive behaviour without central leadership guidance.
Preserving the Existing System: China’s leaders may decide that the Communist Party’s desire for political control outweighs operational efficiency, thus preserving the tight command system. This will cause the PLA command to remain slower and fragile.
To prevent China from learning this concept, the Rand report recommends that the United States advise its allies and partners to avoid joint exercises with the PLA. This is because such exercises could provide the PLA with the opportunity to be exposed to successful foreign command exercises.
