IN PART 1 AND part 2 of this topic, I insisted we can’t take “cyber-war” or “cyber-terrorism” seriously until certain people agree to take on the roles of Billy Mitchell, Phillip Meilinger, Edward R. Murrow, Aldrich Ames, Saddam Hussein, Osama bin Laden, et al.

But we need more than just people.  Any military that hopes to “fly and fight in cyberspace” must develop a brevity code for their cyberspace weapon systems.

Every major physical military weapon system has a brevity code.  Why?  Because lives depend on it.  Right now, though, it appears no military on earth has developed a brevity code for any major cyber weapon system.

Brevity codes are absolutely vital in combat.  For example, armies use brevity codes to transmit firing coordinates to an artilleryman or a tank commander.  Navies use brevity codes to relay instructions to a helmsman or an engine room.  Air forces use brevity codes to relay information to a pilot or bombardier.  Cannon, tank, aircraft, submarine, it doesn’t matter — every major military weapon system requires a brevity code.

Even members of the online gaming community advocate the use of brevity codes for war games.  If you enlist your avatar in an air squadron, you better know what it means when your flight leader shouts “Stab one two engaged offensive!  Tally two, right two, one mile, low!”

But brevity codes aren’t just limited to the military.  It’s an absolutely vital tool in any situation where professionals need to relay life-or-death information.  Check out this civilian pilot brevity code from the animated movie “The Incredibles”:

Pilot: Island approach, india golf niner niner checking in, VFR on top, over.  Island tower, this is india golf niner niner, requesting vectors to the initial, over…  India golf niner niner transmitting in the blind, guard!  Disengage, repeat disengage!  Disengage, repeat disengage!  Friendlies at two zero miles south-southwest of your position, angels ten, track east, over!…  Mayday, mayday!  India golf niner niner is buddy spiked!  Abort!  Abort, there are children aboard this airplane!  Abort!

Policemen and firemen routinely use brevity codes when they communicate.  Check out this paramedic brevity code from the classic TV show “Emergency!”:

Medic: Patient is in V-fib!  Rampart, we have lost the victim’s pulse, beginning CPR.  We’re defibrialing victim, Rampart…  Rampart, we have defibrilated victim, he has sinus rhythm.

Doctor: Administer two-amp sodium bicarb, insert an airway.  Start an IV, 51.  Lactate Ringer’s…

Major sports teams around the world use brevity codes, too.  Baseball coaches rely on hand signals; football coaches rely on one-way radio systems or they just “send a man in” with their instructions.

Folks, we can’t take “cyber-war” or “cyber-terrorism” seriously until the world’s militaries develop brevity codes for their cyberspace weapon systems.  It’s that simple.

IF NO MILITARY on earth has developed a brevity code for any major cyberspace weapon system, then it can mean only one of two things.  Either the world’s militaries have no major cyberspace weapon systems … or they’ve all failed to realize the need for a brevity code in cyberspace.

This raises an interesting philosophical question.  What worries you more — a combat platoon armed with non-lethal weapons, or a combat platoon that doesn’t understand the need for ultra-concise speech?

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