Tactical Deception
Posted on July 23,2019Article Date Nov 01, 1983
by Capt Stephen A. Raub
The Aug83 article on tactical deception by Maj Daly was excellent. It points out how critical it is that we thoroughly understand and effectively employ tactical deception even though we have only recently begun to study it in depth. Deception is an important facet of maneuver warfare and a critical part of command, control, and communications countermeasures. With the dramatic increase in intelligence gathering capabilities through advances in high technology, it will be far more difficult to deceive our enemy in future combat than it was at Normandy, Okinawa, or Inchon. Yet with the possibility of encountering far more combat power on the beach than we have in the past, it is imperative that we skillfully integrate tactical deception into our amphibious planning. The recently published IP 3-9 Deception in Amphibious Operations, * is an excellent document on deception, and the Army has begun an intensive effort to develop tactical deception techniques at its Combat Arms Center in Ft. Leavenworth. The Joint Electronic Warfare Center does work in electronic deception to support tactical deception and can provide assistance to single-Service or joint organizations (see MCG, Apr83, p.6).
It is the development of the concepts of tactical deception and maneuver warfare, in conjunction with the enhanced mobility for our forces provided by air cushion landing craft and light armored vehicles, that will ensure the amphibious assault remains a viable strategy in defense of U.S. interests.
* IPs are Instructional Publications prepared by the Education Center at Quantico.
