Improving Intelligence Support for Operations in the Information Environment
Abstract
There has been a recent surge in interest in the information environment (IE) across the U.S. Department of Defense, accompanied by growingawareness of operations in the IE (OIE) and the effects they generate. Yet, there is still not sufficient appreciation across the joint force for what these operations can contribute. Defense intelligence organizations excel in providing detailed enemy orders of battle and other relatedand valuable products, but many of these products fail to encompass important aspects of the IE. These shortfalls are compounded by a lack of coordination and understanding between the information operations (IO) and intelligence communities, hindering the ability to strategically plan and conduct OIE. In the meantime, near-peer competitors are actively engaged in the IE, investing in capabilities and waging information campaigns that threaten U.S. interests. Both intelligence and information efforts have long been core components of U.S. military operations, and information is the essence of both communities. What distinguishes them is how each community compiles, sorts, analyzes, and uses information. Numerous changes to policy and doctrine have emphasized the importance of leveraging the inherent informational aspects of military operations, illustrated by the elevation of information to the status of a joint function. But countering adversaries in the IE requires both a clear understanding of the environment and an ability to conduct operations in and through the IE. The first capability is the responsibility of intelligence practitioners and the second is the responsibility of IO practitioners.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Jan 01, 2020
- Accession Number
- AD1118064
Entities
People
- Anthony Atler
- Christopher Edward Paul
- Jonathan Welch
- Michael Schwille
- Richard C. Baffa
Organizations
- RAND Corporation