The following article is taken from the latest issue of the Globe & Laurel magazine.
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The Information Activities Cell (IA) recently deployed to Marine Corps Base Quantico in Virginia, USA to take part in Ex Information Warfighter 23 a multi-national Info Ops Wargame and Tactical PsyOps exercise. There was representation from several NATO and Non-NATO states. The roster included the USA, Canada, France, the Netherlands, Belgium, Singapore and the UK.
IWX was designed and executed to provide those who work in the Information Environment (OIE) community an opportunity to exercise tactical OIE skills, practise the integration of efforts into a supported unit staff, and increase understanding between Joint and Partner Nations.
It was a mixed team from across the Royal Marines and Royal Navy who deployed. The main body of the team consisted of the 30 Cdo IA Cell, both RM and RN ranks. Bolstering the contingent were Info Ops SMEs from the Royal Navy Reserve (RNR), 40 Cdo RM’s Information Warfare Coy, and CTCRM’s Combat Intelligence Cell.
The design of the exercise had changed from previous iterations, with a knowledge exchange conference on the first two days of the exercise, to deepen understanding of how the nations present operated, before working both together and against one another.
This also presented an opportunity for all the training audiences to begin getting to know one another. The first two days passed, and the exercise began in earnest. There were two main lines of effort within IWX. The Information Wargame, and the tactical PsyOps exercise.
The bulk of the team were on the tactical PsyOps stream. The design of the tactical side of the house was that there would be two mixed, multinational teams planning and operating against one another over seven days. An initial planning phase of three days culminated in a final IO Concept of Support brief to our supported unit’s Ground Force Commander, before we moved into the implementation phase. The British contingent was Blue force alongside members of the USMC, US Airborne, Dutch Navy and Korps Mariniers. We implemented our plan over four days, going out on the ground in
Quantico’s ‘Combat Town’ that was full of CIVPOP actors. Each of the actors had been given an extensive brief on their roles and how to react in certain situations. As such whenever we entered the town, the results of our previous planning and actions, as well as that of the Red Forces, were evident to see. Throughout we were supported by UAS, EW experts and COMMSTRAT Marines.
The Information Operations Wargame was focused on the operational and strategic level of planning. Once again there were Red and Blue forces, with largely mixed multinational teams. The wargame scenario centred on an illegal invasion by Red forces. Overall, the main effort was to gain an operational and strategic advantage, by leveraging Info Ops to target decision-makers. As ever, Blue forces operated and adhered to the Laws of Armed Conflict. Each day began with a member from the opposing sides going head-to-head and briefing their plan. Once one side had delivered their mission set and outlined their plan, the opposite team would have an opportunity for rebuttal. This all culminated in a throw of the dice to determine whose plan would come on top. Well thought out and detailed plans required a low number to succeed. Ad hoc and less detailed plans required a higher number on the dice roll to achieve success. An adjudicating panel then backbriefed the result of the exchange and the overall campaign shifted accordingly.
It was however, not all work and no play. With a weekend of stand down in Virginia Beach, the team was able to get out and experience some other parts of the State. We were hosted by the organiser of the Oceana Naval Air Station’s Annual Air Show. We spent a full day watching displays from civilian and military aviators, with highlights coming from the Blue Angels Display Team, and the F-22 Raptor, which seemingly defied physics with its manoeuvres.
The team also visited some of Washington DC’s main attractions and museums. The Spy Museum, the Air and Space Museum and the Marine Corps Museum were all visited over the course of the trip. IWX was an intensive two weeks which provided great value through learning how our partners operate by providing an opportunity to conduct Info Ops against a live opposing force.
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