Wielding the Cyber Sword: Exploiting the Power of Information Operations
Abstract
Information Operations (IO) are rapidly becoming a new Battlefield Operating System (BOS). Until the last 3-5 years, emphasis in applying the tenets of IO remained compartmented discretely within organizations at each level of war - strategic, operational, and tactical. Given the infusion of technology and the potential merger of those levels, information has become a currency for all operations across the spectrum of conflict. With the goal for IO to achieve Information Superiority, this study examines current IO doctrine and organization in light of expectations of the future battlefield and the transformed Army. The fundamental conclusion is that to develop into a viable contributor as a warfighting domain, IO should be formally recognized as a BOS and sub-divided to encompass two types of operations: influence/perception operations focused on the message; and network/cyber operations focused on the media. In the final analysis, current IO systems require radical modification with respect to doctrine, organization, leader development, and training.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Mar 13, 2001
- Accession Number
- ADA390556
Entities
People
- Randall A. Dragon
Organizations
- United States Army War College