The Need for a USAF Information Warfare(IW) Strategy for Military Operations Other Than War (MOOTW)

Abstract

Abstract : With the end of the Cold War, much has been written recently about the future direction the U.S. should take in an uncertain and rapidly changing world environment. The decision will have far reaching implications for many years to come. Two areas having an impact on the answer to this question but not normally examined together are information warfare and the broad area of military operations short of large scale conventional combat operations commonly known as military operations other than war (MOOTW) and very recently alluded to as other military operations (OMO). This paper examines both the information warfare environment and MOOTW to determine emerging information warfare technologies that may impact on MOOTW, as well as to determine those types of MOOTW requiring unique information warfare capabilities not currently planned for in large scale conventional warfighting operations. The limitations of using information warfare in MOOTW are also examined in some detail. The author contends that although emerging Air Force strategy and doctrine on information warfare should attempt to address MOOTW more than it currently does, in general strategy and doctrine will be subject to more constraints than corresponding information warfare strategy and doctrine for mid to high intensity conflict.