Network Structures
Arquilla and Ronfeldt point to three basic types of networks that may be used by netwar actors:
| Chain network – typified by smuggling networks, where end-to-end exchanges (information, contraband, etc.) must travel back and forth between intermediary nodes. | |
| Hub or star network – disparate actors are tied to a central (though not necessarily hierarchical) node, and all communication travels through that central node. | |
| All-channel network – every individual actor is able to communicate fully with all other nodes in the network. |
Netwar actors may also take on hybrid forms as well, blending different types of networks and hierarchies. For instance, a node in the network may be hierarchical, an organization may shift between hierarchy and networked autonomy depending on operational demands, or various members of the same group may be networked to each other through different types of network structures.
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