[R-G] The New Art of War

[Anthony Fenton]

The New Art of War
Washington Post
By Walter Pincus
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/03/02/ 
AR2008030202216.html
Monday, March 3, 2008; A15

If there were any doubts that the United States is preparing for war  
in space and cyberspace, testimony before the Strategic Forces  
Subcommittee of the House Armed Services Committee last week would  
have wiped them away.

According to Gen. Kevin P. Chilton, head of U.S. Strategic Command,  
"our adversaries understand our dependence upon space-based  
capabilities, and we must be ready to detect, track, characterize,  
attribute, predict and respond to any threat to our space  
infrastructure."

Although space threats have received much attention in the past, it  
was the possibility of cyberspace warfare that was given new emphasis  
at the hearing.

Chilton described cyberspace as an "emerging war-fighting domain." He  
said that "potential adversaries recognize the U.S. reliance on . . .  
[its] use and constantly probe our networks seeking competitive  
advantage," providing the reasons for developing defensive and  
offensive systems in this area.

U.S. cyberspace, in Pentagon terms called the Global Information  
Grid, serves as "a conduit that links human activity and facilitates  
the exchange of information," Chilton said.

Michael G. Vickers, assistant secretary of defense for special  
operations, low-intensity conflict and interdependent capabilities,  
who also testified, told the panel: "Threats to our computer networks  
are real and growing," and attacks and attempted intrusions come "on  
a daily basis."

Strategies and institutions have been created for the war to protect  
cyberspace. There is, for example, the classified 2006 National  
Military Strategy for Cyberspace Operations, which concludes that  
"offensive capabilities in cyberspace offer both the U.S. and our  
adversaries an opportunity to gain and maintain the initiative."

Strategic Command, working with Joint Chiefs of Staff personnel, is  
developing contingency plans and carrying out operations that protect  
the government's computer networks through detection and coordinated  
counterattacks against intruders. This often involves other Pentagon  
and interagency elements, according to Chilton.

Capabilities are being developed "to operate, defend, exploit and  
attack in cyberspace," he said.

Here are a few of the units that Chilton said have been enlisted to  
prepare for cyberspace battles:

¿ The Joint Task Force for Global Network Operations in Arlington  
directs operations and defense of the worldwide Defense cybernetwork  
in real time at strategic, operational and tactical levels. It is  
involved in fighting, intelligence gathering and conducting normal  
business.

¿ The Joint Functional Component Command for Network Warfare is led  
by the director of the National Security Agency at Fort Meade. This  
group manages the cooperative arrangements for defending national  
computer operations and for carrying out network warfare against  
adversaries. In an article on the command three years ago, Wired  
magazine reported: "It could best be described as the world's most  
formidable hacker posse. Ever."

¿ The Joint Information Operations Warfare Command, located at  
Lackland Air Force Base in Texas, integrates elements of electronic  
warfare, military deception, operations security and strategic  
communications to ensure that cyberspace is controlled and available  
to friendly forces for offensive and defensive uses.

When it came to space vulnerabilities, Chilton and Vickers both  
pushed for "prompt global strike" capability. That refers to an  
intercontinental ballistic missile with a conventional warhead or  
another type of delivery system that could reach anywhere in the  
world within an hour, programs that are being researched today.

The threat was described to the panel by Vickers, who said, "Our  
space capabilities face a wide range of threats such as radio  
frequency jamming, laser blinding and anti-satellite systems,"  
including the "anti-satellite capability demonstrated by China last  
year."

Asked by Rep. Terry Everett (R-Ala.) what could be done if the  
Chinese continued to "dazzle" U.S. satellites with lasers, Vickers  
referred to that same type of prompt global strike concept.

"We believe we need that capability now," Vickers said.

National security and intelligence reporter Walter Pincus pores over  
the speeches, reports, transcripts and other documents that flood  
Washington and every week uncovers the fine print that rarely makes  
headlines -- but should. If you have any items that fit the bill,  
please send them tofineprint at washpost.com.