Dr. James Pritchard, University of Hull
The term “information warfare” has included the use of information (gaining and denying information to inform action, propaganda, deception, etc.) as well as of information technologies. As cyber warfare has become common for the latter activities, information warfare should now logically refer only to the former.
Lieutenant Colonel Brian Kerg, U.S. Marine Corps
Information management (IM) does not belong under information warfare. Commands often place IM under the communications directorate because IM employs information technology (IT). This is folly—every section employs IT, and communications is not empowered to direct staff-wide IM processes. IM belongs under operations or the chief of staff.
Captain Fred Furtek, U.S. Navy Reserve (Retired)
Only intelligence, electronic warfare, and cryptology should be considered information warfare. They focus on the immediate concerns of the warfighter and form a manageable body of information. Networks, communications, oceanography/meteorology, cyberspace, and space are best handled at specialized “other” organizations.
Lieutenant Micky S. Hall, U.S. Navy
Information warfare is the control and exploitation of information to assure command and control, produce and exploit intelligence, and disseminate factual and deliberately misleading information for operational advantage. Conducting a cyberattack to shut off an adversary’s electricity is not.
Captain John P. Miller, U.S. Marine Corps
While joint doctrine does not see information as a type of warfare, multiple services and planners use information warfare to describe the mobilization of information to obtain an advantage. Within this context, psychological operations, civil affairs, public affairs, electromagnetic spectrum operations, and cyberspace and space operations fall into this category.
Colonel Jamel Neville, U.S. Marine Corps
Information warfare achieves outcomes by disrupting an adversary’s perception of its environment. Visual communication specialists, economists, psychologists, linguists, sociologists, and cultural experts provide a comprehensive understanding of adversaries’ environment. Designing effective multimedia campaigns to shape behavior is crucial for generating favorable information warfare outcomes.
Lieutenant Commander David Herrmann, U.S. Navy
Joint interface control officers (JICOs) should be considered part of the information warfare community. According to the Joint Staff, JICOs are “responsible for planning, monitoring, and managing the architecture and technical integration of joint data and communications systems for the Multi-Tactical Data Link Network.” In my experience, Navy JICOs are limited-duty officers who were formerly enlisted operations specialists.
Julia Fink
Information warfare relies on specialties such as cybersecurity, electronic warfare, and psychological operations to employ information in pursuit of strategic and tactical objectives. However, specialties that do not align with its objectives should be excluded. To confront the challenges of information warfare, we must develop the relevant specialties and disciplines and adapt to a constantly evolving information landscape.
Ensign Kade M. Heckel, U.S. Navy
Artificial intelligence and machine learning. Information warfare is all about achieving decision advantage; expertise in leveraging and attacking the powerful algorithms that will drive combat decisions and policy in the future is a vital yet currently undervalued specialty.
Lieutenant Colonel Daniel W. Clark, U.S. Army
No specific discipline should be exclusively considered information warfare. Information warfare should consist of the deliberate employment of any capability to achieve an effect in any dimension of the information environment. Thus, all disciplines and specialties should be considered integral to information warfare.
Lieutenant Commander Carl Grover, U.S. Navy
All specialties and disciplines, whether kinetic, nonkinetic, line, or staff, have a role in influencing the adversary. The information warfare community needs experts in the adversary’s culture to deliver the intended message. Anyone else, including some traditionally part of the community such as cyber operators, better support information warfare from the outside.
Captain Corey Ware, U.S. Marine Corps
Current joint doctrine no longer mentions information warfare. As such, the joint force conducts operations in the information environment to deliver nonlethal effects. These include civil-military operations, cyberspace operations, electromagnetic spectrum operations, key leader engagements, military deception, military information support operations, public affairs, combat camera, space operations, and special technical operations.
Captain Eugene A. Razzetti, U.S. Navy (Retired)
A replicable, defensible risk assessment and management strategy, in which are identified: threats, criticalities, and vulnerabilities. After risk identification and prioritization, identify potential corrective actions. You do this on an uncomplicated Excel spreadsheet model. I have taught this approach for more than 20 years.
A Marine Corps staff sergeant and defensive cyber operator with Defensive Cyberspace Operations (DCO) Internal Defensive Measures Company, 9th Communication Battalion, I Marine Expeditionary Force Information Group, analyzes and collects data at a computer station during a DCO training event at Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton, California. U.S. Marine Corps (Dalton S. Swanbeck)
Master Chief Paul H. Sayles, U.S. Navy (Retired)
Given the almost universal access to computers and other electronic devices, everyone, regardless of rating or discipline, military or civilian, family member, or contractor, is engaged in information warfare.
Captain John Ferrari, U.S. Navy Reserve
Any action aimed at affecting the information environment, from a psychological operation influencing an audience’s perceptions to a kinetic attack on a line of communication, is information warfare. Anyone involved in these activities is involved in information warfare, and planners or action officers focused on affecting the information environment are information warriors.
Michael Sweeney
The art of critical thinking. There is information overload in the new cyber world, and we need to reidentify critical thinking to sort through the priorities of information. Oxford Languages defines critical thinking as “the objective analysis and evaluation of an issue in order to form a judgment.”
Chief Petty Officer John Duffy, U.S. Navy (Retired)
The operations specialist rating should be considered, of course! Most actionable information on all surface, subsurface, and air contacts is gathered by operations specialists in the combat information center. In cooperation with sonar technicians, signalmen, and lookouts, they provide tactical information to the bridge. Cyber warfare has its place in information warfare but has little importance once the battle is about to be joined and the ship is going to general quarters.
Midshipman Jacob J. Van Nostrand, U.S. Naval Academy
Intelligence about the adversary should be considered information warfare, as it provides commanders with assessments of enemy capabilities and intent. Such assessments are vital for information dominance on the battlefield and for ensuring effective battlespace awareness.