In January 2020, Headquarters U.S. Air Force (HAF), in cooperation with the Joint Staff, requested SMA to address relevant aspects of JROCM 068-19, “Operations in the Information Environment DOTMLPF-P Change Recommendation (DCR). The purpose of this SMA effort was to assess how the Joint Force can most effectively integrate information and influence into its activities across the competition-conflict continuum.

The SMA approach integrated state-of-the-art information and communication theory, best practices from industry and governments (United States, allies, and adversaries), and conducted a net assessment of the strategic balances between the United States and its adversaries in their operations in the information environment (OIE). SMA leveraged contemporary scientific understanding of OIE to create a net assessment process that generated hypotheses regarding US and adversary OIE. These hypotheses were tested with experiments, computational models, and a tabletop exercise (TTX). The combination of background knowledge, hypotheses, and scientific testing produced the findings summarized in an integration report. In addition to the analytic efforts, SMA created knowledge ecosystems around topics of shared interest across the Joint Force through an interactive IIJO speaker series. SMA hosted 21 livestreamed events with over 4,100 total audience members, averaging approximately 216 attendees per event.

Performers:

NSI, Univ. of MD ICONS, CART, MESA, Intelligent Biology, Frontier Design, George Mason University, TRADOC G-2

The following is the list of reports completed in support of this effort. Reports and events can be accessed via the links provided

*Reports without a link can be requested by emailing mariah.c.yager.ctr@mail.mil from a .mil or .gov email address.

Summary Reports by NSI

• IIJO Integration Report*
• Effective Communication: Lessons Learned from Those Outside the US Government and Military
• Integrating Operations in the Information Environment (OIE) into the DOTmLPF-P Framework*

Quick Look Reports by NSI and the Media Ecology and Strategic Analysis (MESA) Group

• SMA Prior Work in the Information Environment: An Annotated Bibliography
• Cognitive Biases: Causes, Effects, and Implications for Effective Messaging
• Influencing Public Behavior: Takeaways From Public Communication Scholarship
• The Development of Communication Models
• Communicative Power in a Globalized “Network Society”
• Inoculation Theory
• Propaganda: Indexing and Framing and the Tools of Disinformation
• Understanding Mass Self-Communication
• Transactional Communication Model

Research Reports

• Using Messaging and Communication to Influence and Inform: Insights from the Private Sector (A ViTTa® report) by NSI
• Integrating Information: Expert Insights into a Complex Problem* (A ViTTa report) by NSI
• Orientation to Information Operations: Insights from Adversaries and Allies* (A ViTTa report) by NSI
• How [Culture] Change Happens: A Roadmap of What Works by Frontier Design
• Cognitive Defense of the Joint Force in a Digitizing World by Intelligent Biology
• The Future Character of Information in Strategy: Forged by Cognition and Technology by Intelligent Biology
• Experimental Red Teaming to Support Integration of Information in Joint Operations by the Center for Advanced Red Teaming (CART)
• Operations in the Information Environment: Course of Action Analysis Exercise by Univ of Maryland ICONS
• Assessments of Operations in the Information Environment for the Eastern Mediterranean and South China Sea an Athena Simulation report by TRADOC G-2
• Information in Joint Operations: Insights for Commanders and Planners From Competitive Risk Modeling by George Mason University
• Measuring Information Effects: Exploration Workshop by NSI
• Strategic Balances in the Operational Informational Environment: A Net Assessment Report* by NSI

Invited Perspectives from Invited Authors

• Vulnerabilities to Cognitive Biases in the OODA Loop Process
• The Three N Approach to Strategies for United States Government Information Operations
• Retransmitting the Caliphate
• Escalation Management in 21st Century Operations in the Information Environment
• On Education and Training for Operations in the Information Environment
• Operational Cyber Psychology:  Adapting a Special Operations Model for Cyber Operations
• Information Maneuver in Military Operations

*Reports without a link can be requested by emailing mariah.c.yager.ctr@mail.mil from a .mil or .gov email address.

SMA held a speaker series to support the IIJO effort. Links to the recorded events, when available, are below:

• January 14, 2021: Mr. Matthew Armstrong (Mountain Runner Blog)- Neglected History, Forgotten Lessons: The Struggle for Minds and Wills Relies on Leadership First, Organization Second
• January 21, 2021: Dr. James Farwell (The Farwell Group)- Information Warfare
• January 22, 2021: Dr. Robert Ehlers (Jmark Services, Inc.)- Waging New Cold Wars: Gaining Advantage in Great Power Competition
• February 2, 2021: Dr. Sara Cobb (George Mason University)- ’Standing Under’ Stories: Narrative Research Methods for Anticipatory Intelligence
• February 11, 2021: Dr. Thomas Rid (Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies)- Disinformation and Political Warfare: Historical and Technological Insights (A Conversation with Thomas Rid)
• February 18, 2021: Dr. Sean Lawson (University of Utah & Marine Corps University) and Dr. Robert Gehl (Louisiana Tech University)- Masspersonal Social Engineering: Manipulative Communication at the Intersections of Cyber and Information Operations
• March 9, 2021: Mr. John Cappello (Balkan Security Network)- Mitigating Disinformation in a Contested Environment: Frontline Experience from the Western Balkans
• March 11, 2021: Lessons Learned on How to Counter Disinformation
• March 30, 2021: Mr. Peter Pomerantsev (John Hopkins University)- Can Democracy Survive in an Age of Information War?
• April 7, 2021: Mr. Jon Bateman (Carnegie Endowment for International Peace’s Cyber Policy Initiative), Mr. Tim Hwang (Georgetown University’s Center for Security and Emerging Technology [CSET]), and Dr. Nicholas Wright (Intelligent Biology)- Deepfakes: The National Security Threat in Context
• April 14, 2021: Dr. Olga Vartanova (Marine Corps Information Operations Center [MCIOC])- Russian Influence Operations (IPb) In 2021: Status and Expectations Through Geopolitical Assessment
• April 21, 2021: Sir David Omand (Kings College London; Former Director, GCHQ; First UK Security and Intelligence Coordinator), Dr. Thomas Rid (Johns Hopkins University School of Advanced International Studies), and Dr. Bill Casebeer (Riverside Research)- Success and the Ethics of Operations in the Information Environment
• May 5, 2021: Dr. Christopher Paul (RAND) and Mr. Michael Schwille (RAND)- Improving Capabilities for Operations in the Information Environment: Information Forces and Intelligence Support
• May 11, 2021: Dr. Matthew Ford (University of Sussex) On the New War Ecology
• May 26, 2021: Mr. Rob Morgus (US Cyberspace Solarium Commission), Mr. Mark Montgomery (US Cyberspace Solarium Commission), and Ms. Natalie Thompson (US Cyberspace Solarium Commission)- Understanding Policy Responses to the National Disinformation Challenge
• June 2, 2021: Ms. Sarah Cook (Freedom House)- China’s Global Media Footprint
• June 29, 2021: Dr. Shelby Grossman (Stanford Internet Observatory) and Mr. Joshua Goldstein (Stanford Internet Observatory)- Recent Trends in Online Influence Operations
• July 15, 2021: Mr. Greg Griffith (Edge Theory)- Narrative Intelligence: Separate Signal from Noise
• July 20, 2021: Dr. Joshua Garland (Santa Fe Institute)- An Agenda for Disinformation Research
• July 28, 2021: Ms. Victoria Smith (Carnegie Endowment for International Peace)- Survey on Countering Influence Operations Highlights Steep Challenges, Great Opportunities
• July 29, 2021: Dr. Carolina Vendil Pallin (Swedish Defence Research Agency)- Moscow’s Digital Offensive: Building Sovereignty in Cyberspace

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