Information Superiority as an American Center of Gravity: Concepts for Change in the 21st Century
Abstract
America has made a choice; more than any other nation, the United States is dependent on cyberspace. We have embraced new information technologies, and the trappings of the revolution they have ignited, with unbridled enthusiasm. Our homes, schools, businesses, markets, communication systems, and transportation grids rely on information and telecommunication systems beyond expectations of only a decade ago. Accordingly, the information distribution and processing infrastructures supporting the U.S. elements of national power have become strategic assets worthy of a detailed protection plan to ensure their viability against any intruder. The U.S. Military's vision for the conduct of future wars, Joint Vision 2010, embraces these views and calls for information superiority as a baseline requirement in achieving battlefield dominance in future wars. This paper focuses on the effects of the information revolution and geostrategic change as they relate to evolving national security paradigms and developing military doctrine. We review the informational threat, examine specific incursions, and develop emotive concepts for the defense of military information networks while also presenting rationale for sharing offensive information operation capabilities with our foes. The discussion concludes with strategic recommendations to continue refinement of our efforts to achieve information superiority well into the millennium.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Apr 10, 2000
- Accession Number
- ADA377575
Entities
People
- Jeffrey C. Horne
Organizations
- United States Army War College