Bradley L. Rees
“This is a totally novel form of threat, equally nosotros all know. Our adversaries, both reason together with non-state actors, sentiment the entire information domain equally a battlespace, together with across it, they are waging a novel form of state of war against us, a state of war involving but also extending beyond our military, to include our infrastructure, our businesses, together with our people.”
Introduction
This article explores the progression of Western, together with specifically United States, armed forces thinking together with warfighting philosophies. It centers on the utility of information, information warfare, together with information inwards war; the operational framework together with battlefield geometry past times which armed forces forces are employed; together with posits that a novel conceptual create is required to ameliorate frame contemporary together with to a greater extent than importantly futurity warfare. This article is also oriented on the growing importance of information equally it relates to strategic fragility together with how it instantly expands beyond but beingness concerned most the vulnerability to malicious cyber-attack on our interdependent critical infrastructure systems to a strategic fragility that also encompasses vulnerabilities associated with the reason itself. This article’s relevance is direct applicable to tactical practioners, operational artists, strategists, together with theorists because armed forces doctrine together with warfighting philosophies stand upwards for the fundamental principles that are guided past times audio sentence inwards activity past times which modern militaries bear operations, actions, together with activities inwards back upwards of national objectives.[1] As such, the exploration of doctrinal armed forces thinking together with warfighting philosophies provides the rubric past times which alter is charted over fourth dimension together with space; together with farther provides opportunities for dialogue together with discourse that are intended to precipitate r/evolutionary thought together with growth inside the profession of arms.
This article posits that because information is instantly the 7th Joint Function, its relation to the other Joint Functions (intrinsically together with operationally) has evolved beyond electrical flow conceptual constructs meant to inform the work of the Joint Force inwards the contemporary operational surroundings (OE). As such, this article’s underlying declaration suggests a novel approach to incorporating information inwards waging state of war together with leveraging the diverse types of warfare (traditional together with irregular) demand considered; essentially moving from using information equally a tactic to using information equally an underlying logic inwards U.S. armed forces operations. By moving beyond using but information equally a tactic to its utilisation equally logic itself, a firmer basis establishes its utility inwards state of war together with warfare, emphasizes its transcendent qualities, together with its applicability across all levels of war, specially at the operational together with strategic levels. More so, inwards declaring the utilisation of information equally logic,
its use, on principle, must live connected, integrated, prioritized together with coordinated fully into articulation operations. It must receive got purpose.[2] Information equally logic itself tin bathroom “ensure [any resulting] theory [to be] to a greater extent than than a collection of private experiences, that it [can be] the production of disciplined observation rather than undisciplined imagination.” Additionally, when accepting information equally the logic, it provides “rules of thought” for the planning together with execution of articulation operations.[3] Readers should consider what implications Information equally a Joint Function has inwards relation to the specific components of the OE. Additional considerations most the electrical flow conceptual create of the information surroundings (IE) itself, the utility of having a split upwards Cyberspace Domain, together with the nuanced human relationship that exists inwards electrical flow doctrine regarding the IE, cyberspace, together with the electromagnetic spectrum (EMS) equally they relate with the other remaining domains of Space, Air, Maritime, together with Land should also live explored.
Lastly, this article seeks to insight dialogue together with discourse that furthers the evolution of “joint doctrine...to heighten the operational effectiveness of articulation forces [in their work together with application of forcefulness inwards efforts] to run into a mutual objective.”[4] In reviewing the next analysis of the different schools of armed forces thinking together with warfighting philosophies, the writer suggests that thinking to a greater extent than broadly most information together with its utilisation inwards state of war together with warfighting requires a novel OE construct: an surroundings made upwards but of the Land, Air-Space, Maritime, together with Informational Domains. This position, when accepted, may require additional planning and/or modification to existing laws, policies, regulations, authorities, together with doctrine associated with the total integration of information, information warfare, together with information inwards war.
The methodology for this article uses ontology together with epistemology equally the agency past times which alter is examined. Ontologically speaking, the progression of armed forces thought together with warfighting philosophies are examined, from an informational perspective, past times detailing the characteristics together with properties of historical approaches to warfighting together with so compares them inwards relation to 1 another. Ontologically, this article reviews the creation of arrangements, progressions, together with taxonomies that facilitate a fuller agreement of the linkages betwixt the different schools of armed forces theory. For the purpose of this article, the ontological characteristics together with properties of armed forces thinking together with warfighting philosophies are stratified equally (1) Modern Warfare, which represents the Technical School of Thought; (2) Post-modern Warfare, which represents the Tactical School of Thought; (3) Structuralist Warfare representative of the Operational School; together with lastly(4) Deconstructivist (or Post-structuralist) Warfare, which forms the cornerstones for the Strategic School.[5] From the epistemological perspective, this article explores the utility of information equally it relates to the split upwards schools of thought, equally good equally examines how information relates to the other Joint Functions inwards the generation of informational together with physical power.
The Emerging Security Environment
The security surroundings is transforming precipitously. Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 byproduct of this is the fact that the OE is becoming to a greater extent than contested past times relevant actors that capitalize on the changing human face of the geopolitical balancing deed that resulted from the destination of the Cold War inwards 1989 together with the “long wars” of counterinsurgency together with counter-terrorism since 2001. Our relevant actors of concern are also exploiting the shift inwards the monopoly of the legitimate utilisation of forcefulness away from Western nations together with specifically the the States to other actors that, legitimately or not, seek to leverage asymmetric ways together with agency to attain strategic goals to a greater extent than so than to travail whatever direct, parity-based confrontation with the United States. Along with contested norms is persistent disorder, which is the byproduct of weaker, less-capable actors that are unable to maintain domestic or territorial security together with security. These shifts inwards the security surroundings are non novel developments. Relevant actors of concern, together with specifically our declared adversaries together with enemies, receive got been sharp observers of the contemporary American way of state of war together with warfighting for to a greater extent than than 2 decades. So much so that spell the the States continues to struggle the Global War on Terrorism together with counterinsurgency efforts across the globe, our adversaries together with acknowledged enemies receive got sought to proceed developing, purchasing, lending leasing, or stealing capabilities that are meant to off-set America’s once-guaranteed full-spectrum superiority. Historically, the the States has experienced relative parity or consummate overmatch inwards 1 or to a greater extent than domains since the piece of cake 19th century. This, however, is no longer the case. For Western militaries, together with specifically the United States, to attain success inwards contemporary together with futurity conflict, nosotros must examine deeply how nosotros shout back most warfare together with deliberate on the philosophies that underpin how information is levied inwards futurity engagements.
This article builds off the ideas together with concepts outlined inwards the Joint Operating Environment 2035; the electrical flow National Security, Defense, together with Military Strategies; the 2017-2019 Joint Strategic Campaign Plan; together with the evolving doctrine together with concepts associated with Information equally the 7th Joint Function. Lessons learned together with analysis of the expansive, together with unchecked, growth of information, dis/mis-information, subversion, propaganda, together with psychological warfare beingness conducted past times relevant actors also informed the writing of this thought piece. Specifically, this article seeks to nowadays novel ways of thinking – together with inwards plough novel ways of employing the Joint Force – that ameliorate facilitates the achievement of national-level leaders’ together with articulation forcefulness commanders’ objectives. The concepts outlined inwards this article are meant to accelerate futurity forcefulness evolution activities together with supply an analytic foundation for electrical flow together with futurity Joint concept evolution efforts.
Progressive Schools of Conflict: Ontology together with Epistemology of War Thinking, War Philosophies, together with Warfare[6]
While the maturation of warfare has traditionally followed a normally accepted lineage-of-progression from Classical Warfare through Modern (and inwards some cases what has been termed Post-Modern Warfare), this article focuses specifically on the past times 400-years of r/evolutionary (progressive) armed forces thinking together with its associated philosophies showtime inwards the mid-17th century. This article uses Dr. Aaron P. Jackson’s analysis of the changes together with continuity inwards agreement the practices of historical together with futurity warfare equally the framework of inquiry, which is so farther modified to ameliorate reverberate the changing reason of warfare together with warfighting inwards the 21st century. As introduced previously, Jackson outlines 4 primary schools of thought from the Technical School to the Strategic. This article expands together with reframes the orbit of these schools of thought past times taking a critical theory approach to how warfare together with warfighting are currently stratified.
This article introduces novel warfare classifications that are nuanced yet of import distinctions: Modern/Technical, Post-modern/Tactical, Structuralist/Operational, together with Deconstructivist/Strategic. In postulating that a novel way of thinking is required most the utilisation together with agreement of information, the writer presents for consideration that Joint Force’s recognition of information inwards warfare is implicit, which needs to alter to beingness an explicit credence of information’s fundamental role inwards contemporary together with futurity war. Following this logic-path, this article seeks to offering novel conceptual considerations of the OE past times eliminating the IE equally a split upwards surroundings inside the OE; together with clarifies together with combines the attributes of the European Monetary System together with the Cyberspace Domain to forge a novel Informational Domain inside the contemporary OE. These considerations seek to ameliorate codify the agreement of Information equally a Joint Function; streamline how cyberspace operations, electronic warfare (EW), together with other information related capabilities (IRC) volition live employed absent a proposed non-existent Cyberspace Domain or split upwards EMS; together with innovate a novel strategic theory of Perceptual Positioning together with Informational Maneuver inwards together with through the novel Informational Domain.
The Maturation of Thought together with Understanding of War together with Warfighting
Beginning with the Modern/Technical School, an overview shows the progression of thought on modern armed forces thinking came most because of the thinking of Gustavus Adolphus together with the subsequent offspring that resulted from the Treaties of Munster together with Osnabruck together with the Peace of Westphalia past times 1648. With the ushering inwards of novel ways of governance, defining together with protecting sovereignty together with international diplomacy came, too, novel approaches inwards organizing, educating, together with employing armed forces forces. Notable vanguards for these novel approaches past times the early on 19thcentury included Gerhard Johann David Waitz von Scharnhorst together with his protégé Carl von Clausewitz.[7]
The underlying weather condition that accompanied the evolution of the modern reason scheme brought with it a real precise together with technical fashion of thinking most the application together with work of forcefulness equally an extension of policy. Central to much of this was the importance of together with effectiveness past times guild together with the human status inwards warfare. However, spell acknowledging the importance of societal conduct together with noesis inwards conflict, such a breakthrough was silent treated to a greater extent than so equally an enabler to cloth armed forces might. Jackson’s doctrinal ontology that categorized this schoolhouse of thought equally “Technical” is aptly applied equally this thought physical care for was overly mechanistic together with scientific. These characteristics resulted direct from the influences of the Scientific Revolution that occurred on the European Continent betwixt around mid-16th together with early on 18th centuries. Unfortunately, niggling emphasis during this menstruation was placed on the psychology of war.
Despite the r/evolutionary tenets of warfare that came from precise applications of scientific together with technological doctrines, the Modern/Technical School’s misinterpretation of much of Clausewitzian theory ultimately manifested inwards an over-adherence to Jominian mechanics, Napoleonic maneuver, together with von Moltke the Elder’s approach to the application of force. As a result, the Modern/Technical School was implicit rather than explicit inwards its human relationship to the cognitive together with philosophical ontologies of state of war together with warfighting. As Jackson highlights, the Technical School describes the where, who, together with how to employ weapons together with materiel but falls brusque of providing insight into the broader what, when, together with to a greater extent than importantly why such application is required. As such, the Modern/Technical School fails to address a military’s ontology that considers whatever possible influence that exterior factors – unusual to the scheme inwards inquiry – receive got on the application of force.[8] So, too, volition the American history of state of war together with warfighting demo that a primary focus solely on large-scale state of war itself - spell neglecting the post-conflict requirements of stabilization, nation-building, together with returning powerfulness to civil regime - would ensure whatever such “other considerations” but live considered equally “bolt-ons” together with after-thoughts inwards state of war planning rather than an integral constituent of it. In the same vein, information, IRCs, together with the applicability of information inwards state of war ever seems to live an afterthought prior to declared conflict. Even today, such ways of leveraging together with exploiting such “soft power” remains something of an after-thought together with the realm of theorists together with academics to a greater extent than so than with mainstream warriors together with commanders.
Through the piece of cake 18th century together with the early on 19th century, the progression of maneuver together with how forcefulness was employed equally an extension of the reason eventually formed a novel schoolhouse of thinking together with warfighting philosophy that ultimately stayed equally a fundamental element to armed forces thought together with theory through fifty-fifty the latter constituent of the 20th century. The Post-modern/Tactical School resulted from the Enlightenment together with all of its associated scientific underpinnings; equally good equally from the Industrial Revolution together with the experiments of state-based warfare together with production. Contextually, the Post-modern/Tactical School was an evolution beyond together with an improvement on the Modern/Technical School, all the same when viewed from a contemporary, macro perspective, fifty-fifty the Post-modern/Tactical School remained limited. It was during this fourth dimension that the phrase – or possibly the armed forces moniker – the American Way of War[9] was coined. However, equally many armed forces theorists receive got surmised, this moniker was over-reaching together with ultimately led to a faux sense of agreement together with application of post-modern/tactical warfare.
While the Post-modern/Tactical School was an improvement on the Modern/Technical School’s doctrinal ontology, it continued to live captured together with considered solely at the tactical degree of agreement upwards to together with next the American interest inwards the Vietnam War. Except for the manifestation of Post-modern/Tactical warfighting supporting an existential struggle during World War II, post-modern/tactical approaches to warfighting remained express inwards cracking constituent because of its fundamental tactical focus on together with inclination to win engagements together with battles rather than campaigns together with wars. As Jackson notes, the ontological assumptions underlying the Post-modern/Tactical School remain implicit. Answers to ontological questions that powerfulness live raised most the human relationship betwixt militaries together with taken for granted. Having assumed away the answers to questions most armed forces interaction with the greater security surroundings together with the relative importance of information together with its effects on the broader system, the Post-modern/Tactical School focused much to a greater extent than so on developing approaches to overcome an enemy on the battlefield rather than inwards a wider drive or a global competition.”[10] As such, next the Vietnam War, armed forces theorists such equally Harry Summers together with John Boyd took a to a greater extent than discerning together with in-depth hold off at America’s way of warfighting together with postulated that intellect, thought models, together with noesis were equally of import equally the other elements associated with the application of cloth force. History would ultimately testify though, that despite such novel approaches to strategy together with warfighting focusing on critical thinking, information, together with its utilisation inwards conclusion making, it was 1 time again misunderstood together with misapplied to live but an enabler to positional, maneuver warfare.
Up until this point, this article has chronicled the r/evolution of warfare inwards normally accepted or doctrinally adequate terms. However, from this betoken onward, novel dictionary is introduced to delineate previous modes of thinking versus to a greater extent than innovative approaches to capturing contemporary together with futurity understandings of state of war together with warfighting. Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 structuralist criticism of armed forces thinking together with warfighting philosophies is used to farther the give-and-take on the armed forces ontology for categorizing warfare. This approach seeks to rectify the cognitive vibrations that manifests betwixt the Modern/Technical together with Post-modern/Tactical Schools of thought with that which is beingness presented hither equally the Structuralist/Operational School of armed forces thinking together with warfighting philosophies. Before nosotros begin, a brusque explanation of structuralism is required.
Structuralism together with the structuralist approach to defining the adjacent r/evolutionary mensuration inwards contemporary together with futurity warfare does non hateful that nosotros volition live examining the split upwards levels of war: strategic, operational, together with tactical; or the construction of whatever particular armed forces organisation or its respective tactics, techniques, or procedures associated with thinking most state of war or its associated warfighting philosophies. Rather, structuralism is beingness used equally the methodology to examine how all militaries (and specifically the the States military) shout back most state of war together with their associated warfighting philosophies inwards relation to the historical evolution of armed forces thought together with the evolving application of forcefulness inwards armed forces engagement. Structuralism is beingness used to define the adjacent type of warfare beingness discussed inwards monastic tell to uncover the fundamental principles that frame their organisation together with associative properties to the broader system. Simply put, the Structuralist/Operational School tin bathroom live seen equally non beingness necessarily concerned with private applications of forcefulness for the sake of winning engagements or battles. Rather, the Structuralist/Operational School is meant to ameliorate explicate together with afford enquiry together with explanation of the broader pregnant together with importance of engagements together with battles equally they relate to the entire drive or war. By taking a to a greater extent than abstract sentiment of state of war together with warfighting, structuralism is applied equally a agency past times which the r/evolution of armed forces thinking together with warfighting philosophies are studied, together with the growing importance of information inwards state of war is brought to the forefront. Structuralism is beingness used because it is “a human scientific discipline whose travail is to understand, inwards a systematic way, the fundamental structures that underlie all human sense and, therefore, all human behavior... [It is] a method of systematizing human experience” inwards war.[11] While this r/evolutionary mensuration inwards armed forces ontology goes good beyond the technical or tactical application of forcefulness together with despite the intent for the U.S. armed forces to encompass a broader together with to a greater extent than holistic agreement of its approach to warfighting, the analyses of Harry Summers, John Boyd, together with John Warden were ultimately misinterpreted past times most armed forces practitioners.
Towards a Deeper Understanding of Military Thought together with Warfighting Philosophies
While acknowledging the thought-pieces past times Harry Summer, John Warden, together with other contributions to armed forces together with strategic theory next the Vietnam War through the earliest of days of the 21st century, the fundamental theories together with primary thought-pieces of John Boyd are used to item the 3rd schoolhouse of thinking: Structuralist/Operational School. Following the battlefield successes together with their accompanying strategic failure of the U.S. interest inwards Vietnam, Boyd sought to capture, articulate, together with champion the shift inwards thinking from mechanistic together with tactical modes of thinking to those associated with a newer scientific discipline founded on complexity, chaos, probability, together with the human endeavor equally they relate to state of war together with warfighting. His approach is at the crux of the Structuralis/Operational School. In Boyd’s Destruction together with Creation, he offered a agency past times which to shout back on state of war together with warfighting when he introduced what Kurt Godel revealed inwards 1931, which basically stated that it was “impossible to encompass mathematics inside a unmarried scheme of logic [and] whatever consistent scheme is incomplete”[12] without a fundamental foundation based on logic. Boyd’s utilisation of mathematics together with logic inwards framing a novel way of thinking was meant to emphasize a uniformity together with dependency of whatever 1 scheme requires us to re/construct an alone different scheme of enquiry together with work of engagement.[13] One of Boyd’s primary influences for such approaches to novel thinking included Jean-Francois Lyotard together with his writings on the postmodern condition. It is of import to clarify that the postmodern status focuses on the written report of guild together with its utilisation of knowledge inwards what the philosophical, artistic, anthropological, together with other social scientific discipline disciplines reference showtime inwards the mid-20th century. The postmodern status is non synonymous with the Post-modern/Tactical School outlined inwards this article.[14] Nevertheless, Lyotard’s influence on Boyd’s thinking is structuralist inwards nature whereby the 3rd schoolhouse is conceptualized through a fuller agreement of a system’s overall completeness, the variable properties of the system, together with the self-determination abilities of the scheme itself.[15]
Regardless of the similarity of damage together with their relation to the fundamental themes of this article, 1 of Boyd’s master copy hypotheses on broad thinking inwards relation to its application inwards state of war together with warfighting centers on the demand that “we must constantly brand sure as shooting nosotros develop mental models to brand upwards for the ever-present together with unavoidable degree of uncertainty” inwards conflict.[16] This article is non meant to belittle, select away from, or distill downward Boyd’s accomplishments inwards strategic thought or his evolution of contemporary armed forces theory. Instead, this article aims to get upwards awareness to together with insight a deeper appreciation of how Boyd viewed the importance of models, logic, together with noesis equally agency to ameliorate understand, react to, together with - inwards essence - command uncertainty.
Despite the breadth together with depth of Boyd’s theoretical writings on strategy together with warfighting, he is belike best known for the “so called ‘OODA loop’ where ‘OODA’ is to a greater extent than oftentimes than non understood to stand upwards for observation, orientation, decision, together with action.”[17] Over the past times 40-years, the OODA has go synonymous with conclusion cycles together with to a greater extent than importantly, the conclusion cycles of U.S. commanders inwards relation to the adversary. Notwithstanding Boyd’s intentions for this epitome to ascent to a higher house the intrinsic wishing of many, if non most, inside the U.S. armed forces to gain advantageous spatial positioning over an adversary, the OODA ultimately became to a greater extent than accepted past times U.S. commanders (and staffs) inwards making decisions better, faster, together with to a greater extent than accurately inwards the application of forcefulness comparable to the decisions together with actions of respective adversaries. While the OODA together with the Structuralist/Operational School breaks away from the technical together with tactical applications of force, much of the operational-level thinking together with application of forcefulness remained tactically oriented despite the fact that such applications were beingness off-set past times spatial applications of forcefulness across vast distances. This, however, was never the intent behind Boyd’s premise pertaining to the changing human face of state of war together with warfighting. Regardless of this, the Structuralist/Operational School did initiate a important shift inwards how Western militaries inwards full general together with the U.S. armed forces inwards particular began applying tactical activity inwards efforts to run into strategic goals.
The 3rd armed forces ontology categorized equally the Structuralist/Operational School, coupled with novel strategic theory past times such thought leaders equally John Boyd, eventually paved the way for the evolution of novel ways of state of war together with warfighting throughout the finally 3 decades of the 20th century. Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 fairly evolutionary physical care for at firstly went from experiments with nuclear-armed Army divisions together with follow-on doctrine that placed a heavy emphasis on weapon systems that were primarily meant for attrition warfare to a greater extent than so than whatever previous American armed forces doctrine. “Active Defense,” equally it came to live called, based itself on the tenets of an elastic defence that prioritized trading geographic infinite for time. This doctrine ultimately evolved into AirLand Battle together with Full-Spectrum Dominance doctrine. Purposeful or not, the maturation of armed forces thinking together with warfighting philosophies remained rooted inwards a fairly tactical epitome despite the gains achieved past times technology, battlefield awareness, networked command together with control, precision weapons, together with the inception of operational fine art inwards American warfighting. Perhaps the selection of “Battle” equally constituent of the AirLand Battle moniker was an ontological prelude. Nevertheless, from a armed forces ontological perspective, AirLand Battle inwards the piece of cake 20th century together with its off-spring of Full-Spectrum Dominance past times the early on 21stcentury was no longer weighed fully downward or constrained solely past times technical or tactical anchors. Rather, the 3rd ontology provided “a machinery for disseminating analytically audio together with theoretically-derived operational concepts that prompted commanders to engage [technical together with tactical considerations] inwards a much to a greater extent than intellectual manner.”[18] They did, however, remain focuses to a greater extent than so on using operational precepts to 1 time again gain together with maintain spatial positioning over adversaries inwards a given infinite together with fourth dimension (regional contingencies together with express campaigns). This, again, express the utilisation together with strategic importance of information, its relation to maneuver together with the other Joint Functions, together with to operational precepts eventually beingness developed past times the middle of the bit decade of the 21st century.
In the end, most U.S. armed forces theorists together with practioners misinterpreted Boyd’s theories together with focused on what they thought was his fundamental argument, which inwards their sentiment rested on the premise that victory goes to the side that completes the OODA loop faster than the adversary; inwards essence applying forcefulness on behalf of the faster thinking side. As a result, several Joint Functions inwards full general together with informational components inwards particular, became codified but equally enablers to the decisive action. In using a critical theory approach to the adjacent r/evolution inwards thinking, this article acknowledges that spell the Structuralist/Operational School rests on the notion that victory goes to the victor that completes the OODA first, at that spot is a higher degree of thinking needed inwards the adjacent schoolhouse of thought that stresses that victory does non necessarily go to the side that completes the OODA firstly from a friendly forcefulness perspective. Rather, it is to a greater extent than of an operational reality that victory ultimately goes to the side that controls the OODA first, fastest, or to a greater extent than efficiently than the other side. The old focusing on ultimately gaining some faster way inwards which to brand decisions to gain some mensurate of spatial wages over the adversary. The latter focusing to a greater extent than so on placing the adversary at some disadvantage resulting from Perceptual Positioning together with Informational Maneuver. Contemporary thinking together with warfighting philosophies are only instantly showtime to comprise such considerations that information may non necessarily live but an enabler to decisive action. Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 mutual misconception remains inwards much of the armed forces that the OODA is but a decision-making physical care for predicated on information superiority, speed, mass, together with firepower. “The OODA loop is much less a model of decision-making than a model of private together with organizational learning together with adaptation inwards which orientation...plays the dominant role.”[19] The security surroundings instantly demands nosotros consider “Big “I” information” to live both an enabler to decisive action, equally good as, inwards some instances, thedecisive activity inwards together with of itself. Especially inwards lite of the increased emphasis past times senior armed forces together with national-level leaders to compete below the threshold of traditional armed conflict, the generation of informational powerfulness equally the decisive activity validates the importance such directives mandate.
Approaching a Pedagogy[20] of Cognition together with the Application of Information inwards War
Through the 1990s AirLand Battle together with the Revolution inwards Military Affairs (RMA) - both underpinned together with characterized past times operational tenets influenced past times armed forces theorists including Summers, Warden, together with Boyd – inspired novel approaches to applying forcefulness inwards combat equally good equally inwards operations other than war. The digitization of warfare together with the thought of “smart power” together with “smart bombs” became the damage du jour. So much so that the Joint Community finally codified how the Joint Force was to “govern the articulation activities, together with performance of the Armed Forces of the the States inwards articulation operations equally good equally the doctrinal basis for US armed forces interest inwards multinational together with interagency operations.” However, because of the successes of AirLand Battle together with Full-Spectrum Dominance that underpinned the U.S. together with Coalition successes inwards State of Kuwait together with Republic of Iraq inwards 1991, novel articulation doctrine past times 1993 publicly stated that it was meant to depict “how to shout back most directing, planning, together with conducting articulation together with multinational operations, equally good equally interagency operations across the total hit of armed forces operations (war together with operations other than war).”[21] In reality, this novel doctrine would proceed to focus much to a greater extent than heavily on the application of cloth forcefulness equally a constituent of full-scale combat operations rather than anything else. Senior leaders’ inclinations together with institutional credence of such thinking is epitomized inwards a declaration past times General John Shalikashvili, old Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, who 1 time said that “...they should hang a sign exterior the edifice [Pentagon], REAL MEN DON'T DO PEACEKEEPING [and...] to this solar daytime the doctrine [introduced inwards the early on 1990s together with accepted past times the preponderance of the military] remains that the best peacekeepers are the soldiers best trained for combat.”[22] Essentially codifying the mindset that doctrine for combat together with the application of force, equally the extreme manifestation for modern militaries, could but live tailored to run into the demands of what today is beingness captured equally requirements occurring “below the thresholds of traditional armed conflict.” Sadly, though, equally seen over the past times decade together with a one-half of state of war inwards Iraq, the Levant, together with Afghanistan, 1 size does non necessarily fit all.
With only slight modifications inwards the 1990s, U.S. armed forces thinking on state of war together with warfighting remained stagnant, with the Joint Force continuing to care for doctrine much to a greater extent than equally dogma rather than equally principles together with precepts. Such adherence pulled the Joint Force dorsum into focusing on “fighting the finally war” upwards to together with fifty-fifty beyond the events of September 11, 2001. Despite the seminal publication inwards 2006 of Field Manual 3-24/Marine Corps Warfighting Publication 3-33.5, Counterinsurgency (COIN) Operations[23], the Joint Force continued to live pulled past times 2 horses traveling inwards contrary directions: 1 towards stability together with peacekeeping operations spell the other galloped towards full-spectrum combat operations. Unfortunately, it wasn’t until the middle of the bit decade of the 21st century that the Joint Force began exploring 1 time again armed forces thinking together with warfighting philosophies that went good beyond a 21st century adaptation of AirLand Battle, Full Spectrum Dominance, together with COIN. Regardless of the timeline, past times mid-2015 together with good into 2017 many (if non most) tactical practioners, operational artists, strategists, together with theorists alike became acutely aware of the depths together with breadths of our adversaries’ efforts at leveraging information, information inwards war, together with information warfare. It is from these events that the Destructionist/Strategic School manifests itself today.
Similar to how structuralism was explained previously, it is of import to expound on why “deconstructist/deconstructivism” is applied to categorize this adjacent schoolhouse of armed forces thinking together with warfighting philosophies. Taking cues from modern philosophical thinking, this article applies “deconstruction” equally the shape of analysis together with categorization of the Strategic School. Deconstruction was originally a shape of philosophical together with literary analysis, which was derived mainly from piece of work begun inwards the mid-twentieth century past times French philosopher, Jacques Derrida. For Derrida, deconstruction is meant to formally together with methodically query the conceptual together with accepted logic of philosophy together with literature. However, since the 1960s, deconstruction has gone on to live applied inwards numerous fields of written report that extend good beyond philosophy together with literature. These fields of written report include history, theology, psychology, neuroscience, international relations, economics, together with political theory amid numerous other fields. Simply, deconstruction is beingness applied inwards this article equally a agency past times which a critical dismantling, disassembling, together with demolishing of tradition together with traditional modes of thinking occurs. Essentially, it accomplishes a “deconstruction” together with reevaluation of the Structuralist/Operational School of thinking together with Boyd’s theories on strategy together with warfighting.
For Derrida, he saw the deconstruction of something past times way of the “play” of differences betwixt content together with context of an existing essence – non necessarily making something completely new, but rather taking something that pre-existed (in this illustration the Stucturalist/Operational School of armed forces thinking together with warfighting philosophies) together with decompose it to brand something novel or different. Derrida coined the term différance, which agency both a deviation inwards together with an deed of deferring, which is meant to ameliorate characterize the way inwards which pregnant is created through the play of differences betwixt pre-existing together with futurity formations of something. Given this, the Deconstructivist/Strategic School takes a much to a greater extent than discerning review of together with appreciates much deeper the original intent together with content of Boyd’s theories together with the essence of the OODA. There is no error that this article, similar to Boyd’s Destruction together with Creation, seeks a devastation of electrical flow thinking (in this instance most information) together with the creation of different ways of thinking together with using information inwards contemporary together with futurity war.
As Jackson introduced inwards The Roots of Military Doctrine, he ontologically frames his Strategic School equally 1 that is much to a greater extent than philosophical inwards grapheme together with intent.[24] Expanding on this acknowledges that this degree of doctrine serves equally “the capstone articulation doctrine [that] provides doctrine for unified activity past times the Armed Forces of the the States [and provides guidance that is] broad, authoritative, together with serves equally a foundation for the development”[25] of the Joint Force. As importantly, this article presents the Strategic School equally the maturation of armed forces thinking together with warfighting philosophies from a much higher, abstract perspective. It does so past times deconstructing what has been previously presented together with considered equally the Structuralist/Operational School. As such, the Deconstructivist/Strategic School attempts to walk dorsum much of the confusion past times many inwards the U.S. armed forces that were “unable to derive from the resulting amalgam much sense”[26] of Boyd’s original positions together with importance of information inwards warfare.
It is of import to focus on 1 of Boyd’s overarching premises, which stressed that forces must “comprehend together with acquire by with our surroundings [by developing] mental patterns or concepts of meaning... to permit us to both shape together with live shaped past times a changing environment.”[27] It is the “shaping” aspects of this declaration that serves equally a cornerstone to the Deconstructionist/Strategic School. By taking a to a greater extent than holistic together with abstract hold off at the Structuralist/Operational School together with so deconstructing it, spell using key portions of it inwards different ways, the Decontructionst/Strategic School takes on greater relevance together with applicability inwards the contemporary together with futurity security environments.
While it tin bathroom live argued that Boyd’s theories on maneuver warfare were novel together with ultimately most impactful at the operational degree of war, his original intent for his theories was to live “useful conceptual frameworks past times agency of which to sympathise the full general requirements of a strategy together with the full general logic associated with its effective employment.”[28] Therein lies the rub betwixt the misinterpretations of Boyd together with the eventual manifestations inwards Airland Battle together with Full-Spectrum Dominance of the Structuralist/Operational School together with the Deconstructivist/Strategic School approach beingness proposed here. Osinga cages it nicely when he states that strategic theory should “take into trouble concern human relationship novel actors... novel technologies... or phenomena [and] contemporary social context determines what [is] employed inwards a purposeful fashion inwards war, together with equally this social context evolves, so does (or should) strategic theory.”[29] Osinga, past times introducing the plant of Barry Watts, farther highlights that Boyd (like Watts) focused heavily on the notion that “uncertainty is inherent inwards the physical together with social world, [which] favored a to a greater extent than organic icon of state of war inwards which human nature together with conduct inwards state of war forms the foundation for armed forces theory.”[30]
Through our examination, nosotros tin bathroom assess that the U.S. armed forces based the bulk of its doctrine on Boyd’s concept of observing, orienting, deciding, together with acting faster than the adversary rather than looking deeper at the basis of Boyd’s fundamental declaration that thinking, emotion, together with conduct are the most of import tenets inwards warfare. The OODA was taken to a greater extent than so equally a agency past times which U.S. armed forces commanders could focus on “two concepts of universal significance inwards generating combat power: speed together with focus. Speed is rapidity of action. It applies to both fourth dimension together with space. Speed over fourth dimension is tempo—the consistent powerfulness to operate quickly.”[31] Again, though, Boyd’s approach to warfighting was non so much concerned with completing the OODA first. Rather, its aim is to command the OODA of the adversary; to shape the emotions, behaviors, together with conclusion making past times generating informational powerfulness separately, inwards concert with, or gratis to the generation of physical power. When nosotros hold off at Boyd’s 3 dimensions of control: physical, mental, together with moral, nosotros tin bathroom reexamine together with ameliorate sympathise the essence of his theories together with the critical importance of information inwards warfare. In doing so, a novel “deconstructed” appreciation for together with application of the strategic schoolhouse of thought is manifesting inwards electrical flow theoretical debates inside the U.S. military.[32]
There is a growing armed forces role of information inwards the contemporary together with futurity security surroundings at the strategic, operational, together with tactical levels of war, inwards armed forces thinking, together with inwards novel warfighting philosophies. The operational surroundings together with its components (to include the information environment, the cyberspace domain, together with the electromagnetic spectrum) receive got changed over the past times 30-years. The dynamically evolving nature of science, technology, engineering, together with mathematics (STEM), together with ease of access to such capabilities has changed the nature of information together with its utilisation equally an chemical element of national together with non-state power. Despite conventional U.S. armed forces capabilities remaining unchecked, albeit with some near-peer contender from specific nation-state adversaries, all of our relevant actors of concern are seeking (and employing) agency to contender the the States past times to a greater extent than indirect agency together with ways – 1 time again exactly below the thresholds of traditional armed conflict. Because the the States has built together with trained a armed forces together with cultivated a civilian back upwards base of operations that thrive on mindsets together with paradigms associated with fighting together with winning large-scale conventional contingencies, our adversaries are out-maneuvering us equally they seek to select wages of our thinking, our policies, laws, together with capabilities that residual on tactically together with operationally oriented 20th century. Furthermore, because nosotros are the most technologically advanced land inwards the world, nosotros are also the most lethal military. However, with this high degree of engineering together with sophistication come upwards a high degree of vulnerability due to the nation’s together with the U.S. military’s high reliance on technology, networks, together with automated processes. Paradoxically, at that spot is a penchant inside the U.S. armed forces to discover it easier – from a capabilities, policies, together with authoritative perspectives – to driblet ordinance on a target rather than generating other less-lethal, less-irreversible, together with less-transparent effects. This inclination to generate lethal effects vice non-lethal effects is real applicable at the tactical together with operational levels of war. However, equally demands increment to compete below thresholds of traditional armed conflict, the utilisation of less-conventional agency to generate to a greater extent than non-lethal effects at all levels of state of war (with a growing requirement for operational together with strategic engagement) volition go to a greater extent than routine. This demands a epitome shift inwards how the the States leverages information inwards monastic tell to generate physical together with informational effects across the entire conflict continuum.
Finally coming to damage with the fact that outcomes inwards peace together with inwards state of war hinge ultimately on the human-cognitive together with psychological-behavioral aspects of conclusion making alongside individuals, minor cells, groups, militaries, together with fifty-fifty entire nations instantly demands a novel way of warfighting together with armed forces thinking inside the U.S. military. Under the tutelage of the technical, tactical, together with operational schools of thought, militaries used to seek to gain some modicum of spatial positioning against an adversary. Now, from the Deconstructivist/Strategic School of armed forces thinking together with warfighting philosophies, commanders demand instantly to consider how they volition employ information to gain perceptual positioning together with cognitive maneuver against an adversary.
As Steven Biddle argues inwards Military Power, the utilisation of information together with cognitive maneuver inwards state of war gives “rein to cognitive together with organizational distortions” together with tin bathroom Pb adversaries to hold off at truthful information together with that tin bathroom silent “be misinterpreted, [considered] truthful but irrelevant, some false, [but always] ambiguous.”[33] He goes on to emphasize that that “historical alter inwards armed forces [capabilities] is non the root create to mission failure,” rather mission failure together with armed forces defeat results “not from technological alter but from the failure of particular states to implement the (very difficult) methods” of employing such novel systems together with capabilities.[34] Transitioning from the Structuralist/Operational School of Thought to a higher degree of contemplation together with abstraction inwards the Deconstructionist/Strategic School brings to lite the growing importance of human factors: the emotional, behavioral, perceptive, cognitive, together with psychological that are the base of operations for all decisions, logical or illogical, rational, or something less than rational.
With Information beingness raised equally the 7th Joint Function, the U.S. armed forces requires a shift inwards how nosotros shout back most “Military” together with its interaction with “Information” equally 1 of the elements of national powerfulness together with how the armed forces volition leverage Information equally 1 of the 7 Joint Functions. In 2016, Secretary Gates said it succinctly that the U.S. armed forces will, inwards futurity conflict, gain advantage....in together with through the Information Environment. While the utilisation of forcefulness generates effects on the behavior, perceptions, conclusion making, together with emotions of relevant actors, so likewise produce does information equally a business office together with the associated IRCs separately or inwards concert with 1 another. The trans-regional, multifunctional, together with multi-domain threats the the States faces today together with for the foreseeable futurity requires novel concepts, capabilities, together with considerations live undertaken so that mission failure together with possibly direct threats to national security produce non occur. Dismantling many of the misinterpreted aspects of Boyd’s theories instantly proves valuable inwards the 21st century together with is only instantly showtime to uncover the importance of routinely employing “non-traditional tools for creating combat powerfulness [against] non-traditional targets inwards an enemy system.”[35]
Conclusion
In closing, the writer seeks, at a minimum, for this article to encourage dialogue together with discourse most the reason of contemporary together with futurity war, the U.S. military’s contributions to these institutions, together with how the U.S. military’s degree of thinking on the application of information is maturing. At most, this article seeks to initiate broad, critical thinking, conversations, working groups, planning sessions, together with conclusion boards convened to address the utility of how the electrical flow OE, IE, cyberspace domain, EMS, together with the other operational domains are defined; the utility together with operational relevance for a novel Definition together with composition of the OE – 1 that removes cyberspace equally a domain together with includes a novel informational domain that subsumes cyberspace together with the European Monetary System to ameliorate capture the mind/medium, content/flow, technical/psychological, or other comparable dimensions. Additionally, how the U.S. armed forces volition address the other IRCs, together with information, information inwards war, together with information warfare must occur through a much to a greater extent than responsive, adaptive, together with flexible Joint Capabilities Integration Development System (JCIDS) Process. However, dissimilar 20th century research, development, test, together with evaluation; acquisition; together with lifecycle administration processes, the JCIDS Process needed to address futurity informational requirements for the U.S. armed forces needs to live 1 that is streamlined, accelerated, right-sized, together with decentralized to a much greater extent than DoD programs receive got been predominantly over the past times 75-years. Such a physical care for volition require important modifications, changes, or consummate revisions or recensions to 1 or a combination of doctrine, organizations, training, materiel, leadership together with education, personnel, together with facilities (DOTMLPF). Because the strategic administration for the U.S. armed forces points towards information - equally the 7th Joint Function together with its overall importance to contemporary together with futurity state of war – Geographic together with Functional Combatant Commanders demand instantly to seat capabilities gaps inwards the context of information inwards monastic tell to influence the administration of manning, equipping, training, organizing, directing, employing, together with assessing the Joint Force equally chop-chop equally possible. Our futurity forcefulness requires it. The security of the land demands it.
End Notes
[1] Joint Chiefs of Staff, DOD Dictionary of Military together with Associated Terms Joint Publication 1-02. Washington, D.C.: Government Printing Office, Feb 2018.
[2] Pape, R. A., “The Strategic Logic of Suicide Terrorism,” American Political Science Review, Vol. 97 No.3. University of Chicago, August 2003.
[3] Echevarria, A. J., Clausewitz together with Contemporary War. Oxford, United Kingdom: Oxford University Press: 37-38.
[4] Joint Chiefs of Staff, Doctrine for the Armed Forces of the United States. Joint Publication 1. Washington, D.C.: Government Printing Office, July 2017, I-1.
[5] Jackson, A. P., The Roots of Military Doctrine: Change together with Continuity inwards Understanding the Practice of Warfare. Fort Leavenworth, Kansas: Combat Studies Institute Press, 2013. This article uses Jackson’s approach of detailing the maturation of doctrinal thinking inwards Western militaries (Technical, Tactical, Operational, together with Strategic) equally the framework inside which the philosophical together with to a greater extent than intrinsic exploration of armed forces thinking together with warfighting philosophies has occurred (and continues to occur) inside Western, together with specifically, U.S. armed forces institutions.
[6] Ibid
[7] White, C. E., The Enlightened Soldier: Scharnhorst together with the Militarische Gesellschaft inwards Berlin, 1801-1805. London, United Kingdom: Praeger Press, 1988.
[8] Idib
[9] Weigley, R. F., The American Way of War: Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 History of the States Strategy together with Policy. Bloomington, Indiana: Indiana University Press, 1978.
[10] Jackson, The Roots of Military Doctrine, 18.
[11] Tyson, L., Critical Theory Today: Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 User-Friendly Guide s Edition. Abington, United Kingdom: Routledge Company, 210-211.
[12] Boyd, J. R., “Destruction together with Creation,”https://www.goalsys.com/books/documents/DESTRUCTION_AND_CREATION.pdf (accessed Jan 4, 2018), 4.
[13] Ibid, 4-5
[14] Lyotard, J-F, The Postmodern Condition: Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 Report on Knowledge. Minneapolis, Minnesota: University of Minnesota Press, 1984.
[15] Tyson, L., Critical Theory, 211.
[16] Osinga, F., Science, Strategy together with War: The Strategic Theory of John Boyd. Abington, United Kingdom: Routledge Press, Dec 2006, 224.
[17] Ibid, 2
[18] Jackson, The Roots of Military Doctrine, 22.
[19] Osinga, F., Science, Strategy together with War, 235.
[20] Pedagogy is used to depict the dependent area that deals with the theory together with exercise of armed forces fine art together with science. This abstraction is meant to inform tacticians, operational artists, strategists, together with theorists, past times taking into consideration the different theories of state of war together with warfighting over time. This pedagogy farther seeks to consider how information interacts with the other Joint Functions together with how, inwards doing so, reframes how the Joint Force is employed, how the OE is depicted, together with how the Joint Force leverages information inwards the contemporary together with futurity security environment.
[21] Joint Chiefs of Staff, Joint Operations, Publication 3-0, Washington, D.C.: Government Printing Office, Jan 17, 2017, v.-vi.
[22] Kline, J., “It’s Time for Extreme Peacekeeping,” Time Magazine, Nov 16, 2003,http://content.time.com/time/nation/article/0,8599,543748,00.html , (accessed Feb 6, 2018) 47.
[23] the States Army, Counterinsurgency Operations. Department of the Army Field Manual 3-24. Washington, D.C.: Government Printing Office, 2006.
[24] Jackson, The Roots of Military Doctrine, 29
[25] Joint Publication 1, i-ii.
[26] Bassford, C., Clausewitz inwards English: The Reception of Clausewitz inwards Great Britain together with America, 1815-1945. Oxford, United Kingdom: Oxford University Press, Feb 17, 1994, 223.
[27] Boyd, “Destruction together with Creation,” 1.
[28] Osinga, F., Science, Strategy, together with War, 13.
[29] Ibid, 13.
[30] Ibid, 17-18.
[31] Department of the Navy, Headquarters the States Marine Corps, Marine Corps Doctrinal Publication MCDP 1 Warfighting. Washington, D.C.: Government Printing Office, twenty June 1997, 40.
[32] Boyd, J., “Strategic Game of ? together with ?,” http://dnipogo.org/john-r-boyd/ (accessed Jan 7, 2018), 34-38.
[33] Biddle, S., Military Power: Explaining Victory together with Defeat inwards Modern Battle, Princeton, New Jersey: Princeton University Press, July 2006. 64.
[34] Ibid, 197.
[35] Osinga, F., Science, Strategy together with War 242.
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