Information Warfare: New Roles for Information Systems in Military Operations,

Abstract : In the past decade we have witnessed phenomenal growth in the capabilities of information management systems. National security implications of these capabilities are only now beginning to be understood by national leadership. Information warfare (IW) is one of the new concepts receiving a great deal of attention inside the Washington DC beltway; in some circles 1W is even touted as the cornerstone of future US military doctrine. There is no doubt IW is a concept the modern military officer should be familiar with, for advancements in computer technology have significant potential to dramatically change the face of military command and control. Information warfare theory has tremendous political, technical, operational and legal implications for the military. This article seeks to define IW for the layman and discuss its potential applications. It will also attempt to identify potential military uses of existing information systems technology and address some of the issues facing those who will be responsible for implementing this new doctrine.