Page:United States Army Field Manual 3-13 Information Operations.djvu/8

 PART ONE Information Operations Doctrine

Commanders conduct (plan, prepare, execute, and assess) information operations (IO) to apply the information element of combat power. Combined with information management and intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance operations, effective IO results in gaining and maintaining information superiority. Information superiority creates conditions that allow commanders to shape the operational environment and enhance the effects of all elements of combat power. IO has two categories, offensive IO and defensive IO. Commanders conduct IO by synchronizing IO elements and related activities, each of which may be used either offensively or defensively. Army IO doctrine supports joint IO doctrine, supplementing it where necessary to meet the conditions of land operations. Part One discusses the doctrinal concepts that underlie IO and the capabilities of, contributions made by, and links among the IO elements and related activities. It also establishes doctrine for two IO elements: operations security and military deception.

Chapter 1 Design of Army Information Operations

Information operations (IO) bring together several previously separate functions as IO elements and related activities. To provide unity of effort, IO is placed under a special staff officer, the assistant chief of staff G-7.

Text Box: CONTENTS Information Environment 1-2 Information-Environment-Based Threats 1-3 Information Environment Challenges 1-9Information Superiority 1-10 Information Management Contributions 1-10 Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance Contributions 1-10 Information Operations Contributions 1-11 Achieving Information Superiority 1-12Aspects of Information Operations 1-13 Elements of Information Operations 1-13 Army-Joint Information Operations Relationships 1-14 Offensive Information Operations 1-14 Defensive Information Operations 1-17 Relationship of Offensive and Defensive Information Operations 1-18Information Operations Across the Spectrum of Conflict 1-18 Peace 1-19 Crisis 1-20 War 1-21The G-7 Section and the Information Operations Cell 1-21Training for Information Operations 1-22Summary 1-23