Employing Information Operations at the Marine Expeditionary Unit Level in the Sixth Fleet Area of Responsibility

Abstract

Information operations (IO) are defined as actions taken to affect adversary information and information systems while defending one's own information and information systems. Eased upon this definition, at the tactical level, the focus of IO is on affecting an adversary's information and information systems related to command and control, intelligence, logistics, maneuver, and firepower as they relate to the conduct of military operations while protecting our own capabilities. Military activities at the tactical level will often bear a resemblance to traditional operations with the 10 dimension being the effect these activities have at the operational level. The significance of this IO capability for a Marine Air-Ground Task Force (MAGTF) commander, specifically within the Marine Expeditionary Unit (Special Operations Capable) (MEU(SOC)), is important because it provides that commander with another way of effecting an opponent through direct or indirect means. Currently the Marine Corps does not possess the capability to perform IO at the MEU(SOC) level. The purpose of this monograph is to explore how the Marine Corps intends to employ offensive IO within the Sixth Fleet area of responsibility (AOR). The United States Marine Corps has maintained an active presence within the Sixth Fleet's AOR (Mediterranean Sea) since the end of the second World War. The MEU(SOC) is uniquely task organized, equipped, and trained to meet complex missions ranging from Noncombatant Evacuation Operations to amphibious raids. These missions would be enhanced once the Marine Corps develops the capability to employ IO at the MEU(SOC) level. The Marine Corps intends to develop this IO force for use within each of the MAGTFs (MEF, MEE, and MEU). The projected capabilities of this IO team would be to conduct limited offensive and defensive IO for the MEU commander.

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Dec 15, 2000
Accession Number
ADA395006

Entities

People

  • Michael H. Brown

Organizations

  • United States Army Command and General Staff College

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Biomedical
  • C4I
  • Cyber
  • Electronic Warfare
  • Ground and Sea Platforms
  • Materials and Manufacturing Processes
  • Space
  • Weapons Technologies

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Air Force
  • Command And Control
  • Computer Networks
  • Employment
  • Health Services
  • Information Operations
  • Information Systems
  • Military Operations
  • Military Science
  • National Security
  • Naval Operations
  • Personnel Management
  • Psychological Operations
  • Second World War
  • United States
  • War Colleges
  • Warfare

Readers

  • Joint Military Operations and Doctrine.
  • Maritime Combat Support and Expeditionary Logistics.
  • Military History / Militaries and War Studies

Technology Areas

  • Fully Networked C3
  • Fully Networked C3 - Command and Control