AFDD 2-5, AIR FORCE DOCTRINE DOCUMENT: INFORMATION OPERATIONS (05 AUG 1998)

AFDD 2-5, AIR FORCE DOCTRINE DOCUMENT: INFORMATION OPERATIONS (05 AUG 1998)., This Air Force Doctrine Document (AFDD) explains the Air Force perspective on information superiority, and the relationship between information operations and its two pillars, information warfare and information-in-warfare. This AFDD focuses its discussion primarily on information warfare. The “gain” and “exploit” aspects of information operations are explained in Air Force Doctrine Documents 2–5.1, Electronic Warfare Operations, and 2–5.2, Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance. This AFDD applies to all active duty, Air Force Reserve, Air National Guard, and civilian Air Force personnel. The doctrine in this document is authoritative but not directive; therefore, commanders need to consider not only the contents of this AFDD, but also the particular situation they face. The Air Force will carry out appropriate information operations actions and functions to properly support national and military objectives. The term "information operations" applies across the range of military operations from peace to war. Even when the United States is at peace, the Air Force is vulnerable to information operations or attack and is aggressively enacting defensive counterinformation programs and capabilities that will deter and respond appropriately to threats. At the far end of the range of military operations, warfighters conduct offensive counterinformation operations while simultaneously protecting friendly information and information systems. The term “information warfare” generally includes and subsumes previous Air Force definitions for command and control warfare. The primary difference is it is now conceivable to identify, attack, and defeat more than just command and control systems and this must be considered in both offensive and defensive planning.