centralarmed

Centralarmed is a term used in security studies and speculative fiction to describe a centralized command and control framework for armed forces and security agencies. It denotes an arrangement in which authority to deploy armed power is consolidated under a single body or network that coordinates land, air, maritime, and paramilitary units.

The term is not part of a standardized doctrine and there is no universal definition. In academic or policy discussions, centralarmed is typically used to explore the trade-offs between centralized control and distributed autonomy in national defense, emergency response, or crisis management.

Common features include centralized procurement and maintenance of equipment, standardized training and doctrine, interoperable communications, a unified rules of engagement, and rapid-deployment units with streamlined decision-making processes. Advantages include faster decision-making, better interoperability, and economies of scale; risks involve a single point of failure, potential erosion of civil liberties, bureaucratic inertia, and vulnerability to cyber attacks.

In fiction and game worlds, centralarmed is often used as a plot device describing a state or organization with consolidated power to project force quickly, sometimes raising ethical questions.

See also: command and control, security doctrine, paramilitary, centralized governance.