Operation Desert Deception: Operational Deception in the Ground Campaign

Abstract

This paper examines the operational deception plan that shaped the ground battlefield for Operation Desert Storm to determine the factors that contributed to its successes or failures and draw conclusions for future operational deception planners. Following a description of the deception plan supporting offensive ground operations and of its execution, it reviews the plan against the maxims of the Central Intelligence Agency's Deception Research Program to illustrate the reasons for the results achieved by the plan. It discusses the impact of the media, particularly television, on operational deception, its planning, and execution, and offers arguments for more widespread dissemination of the operation deception concept. It assesses the achievements of the plan, the success of the deception in the west and the adverse impact of the amphibious deception in the east, on the overall operation. It concludes by updating several of the maxims and offers guidance derived from Operation Desert Storm to operational deception planners supporting ground operations. DECEPTION, OPERATIONAL DECEPTION, OPERATION DESERT STORM.

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Jun 19, 1991
Accession Number
ADA253245

Entities

People

  • Daniel L. Breitenbach

Organizations

  • Naval War College

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Human Systems
  • Space
  • Weapons Technologies

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Amphibious Operations
  • Armored Vehicles
  • Combat Operations
  • Combat Vehicles
  • Contingency Operations (Military)
  • Deception
  • Electronic Warfare
  • Identification
  • Intelligence Collection
  • Operations Security
  • Saudi Arabia
  • Security
  • Training
  • United States Central Command
  • Universities
  • War
  • Warfare

Readers

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