Samenvatting

The global technological evolution in the field of information has changed the world. Information now not only integrates most elements of modern life, including the civil community and the military world, but also accelerates all processes. An operational shift of focus towards a systems approach to war fighting is evident. This shift of focus led to the necessity for NATO to closely examine all systems involveds with respect to the possible impact of information. This in turn led to the development of the NATO policy for Information Operations (Info Ops), contained in the Military Committee document MC-422 (15 Dec 1998), that was approved by North Atlantic Council on 22 January 1999. In summary, Info Ops are actions taken to influence decision makers in support of political and military objectives, by affecting information as well as the information-based processess. Info Ops integrate Command and Control Warfare with the political consultation process, decision making apparatus and combined political-military operations of the Alliance. It provides the Commander with a vehicle for implementing this new view/approach into the military planning processes. Similarly it provides a defensive focus. The important operational change is the shift of focus towards the role of information. This includes the semantic, or perceptions aspects, as well as the technical ones, (physical and logical). Military planning, therefore, nor only requires the direct involvement of the political decision making apparatus, but also the involvement and integration of a wide range of staff elements.