Information Weapons: Russia's Non-Nuclear Strategic Weapons of Choice
Abstract
Information weapons (IWe) have a comprehensive meaning in Russia that encompasses both strategic and operational applications. IWes are considered as a non-nuclear strategic weapon that has the capability, with its cyber and precision-weaponry components (among others), to conduct the economic, social, or physical disorganization or destruction of an opponents infrastructure or normal operating procedures and induce deterrence without the use of nuclear weapons or ground-based forces. Operationally, IWes can affect tactical decision-making and cause chaos in planning. Three goals that are pursued include the development and use of IWe; the ability to limit other nations access to IWes (from the 1990s to as late as 2015 Russia was pressing for the adoption of universal laws or resolutions to prohibit the development of IWes) and to defend against their use by other nations; and the use of IWes to influence and manipulate others. Russians note that IWes universality, covertness, the variety of the forms of software and hardware implementation, radicalism of effects, adequate choice of time and place of employment, and, finally, cost effectiveness make them formidable assets. The Kremlin remains obsessed with confronting what it considers to be Western IWes developments and organizations. Such elements include nonlethal weapons (NLW), which Russia is also pursuing, nongovernmental organizations (NGO), so-called color revolutions, and other factors not normally associated with IWes in the West. These concerns are further advanced due to the Kremlins paranoia and suspicion of the intentions of others to use IWes.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Jan 01, 2020
- Accession Number
- AD1141303
Entities
People
- Timothy Thomas
Organizations
- MITRE Corporation