Intelligence Support for Operations in the Information Environment: Dividing Roles and Responsibilities Between Intelligence and Information Professionals
Abstract
There is growing recognition within the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) that information is a powerful tool and invaluable in support of military operations. The 2018 U.S. National Defense Strategy, 2017 National Security Strategy, and the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2018 all contained language calling on DoD to bolster its capability to produce effects in the information environment (IE). Additionally, DoD's Strategy for Operations in the Information Environment, the Joint Concept for Operating in the Information Environment, and the elevation of information to the list of joint functions highlight how the department intends to aggressively pursue information-related activities. Meanwhile, the United States' near-peer competitors are already actively engaged in the IE. They have tailored their aggression to remain below the U.S. threshold for armed conflict, often allowing specialized forces to undertake operations unimpeded. To counter these efforts, DoD needs a clear understanding of what relevant actors are doing in the IE, as well as an ability to conduct its own operations and undertake various other activities in and through the IE. The first capability is the responsibility of intelligence practitioners and the second, information operations (IO) practitioners. Both communities routinely deal with information and are at the forefront of U.S. information warfare efforts at the combatant commands (CCMDs). However, they have long been beset by challenges that impede close coordination, resulting in missed opportunities to effectively conduct operations in the IE (OIE).
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Jan 01, 2020
- Accession Number
- AD1117509
Entities
People
- Anthony Atler
- Christopher Edward Paul
- Jonathan Welch
- Michael Schwille
- Richard C. Baffa
Organizations
- RAND Corporation