Information Warfare and Holo-Technology

On 31 March 1997, the magazine Defense Weekly ran a feature entitled, "Air Force Organises For Offensive Info War". According to the article, the U.S. Air Force has created the position of Deputy Director for Information Operations.

An Offensive Information Warfare division will be created under the new deputy director. The division has an organisational code - AF/XOIOW - and is to be headed by Lt. Col. Jimmy Miyamoto.

Offensive information warfare is among the least discussed aspect of the Air Force's move to organise, train and equip the service for information dominance.

The new information operations office will co-ordinate with the Pentagon's Joint Chiefs of Staff, National Security Agency, Defense Intelligence Agency, Central Intelligence Agency, National Reconnaissance Office, Defense Airborne Reconnaissance Office and the National Imagery and Mapping Agency.

Information dominance covers the two following known areas:

• The USAF Office of Scientific Research is working on developing a small affordable laser and high-powered microwave for Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) - such as the ones probably being tested at the Groom Lake/Area 51 installation in Nevada and other sensitive locations.

  The UAVs will undertake a wide variety of missions, including disabling enemy communications and computer systems through software viruses beamed into enemy weapons and information links. These virsues remain dormant until activated by satellite, aircraft radar, or jamming equipment. When activated, the virus can render equipment useless, or better still, introduce a "very subtle change for a finite period of time".

• Holographic projection. The Defense Weekly article describes a quasi-information warfare/psychological operations program that was first discussed by the Air Force after Operation Desert Storm in the Gulf War.

  This involves projection of a three-dimensional holographic image to act as a decoy. The Pentagon spoke openly about its use of holographic projections during discussions of its non-lethal weapons program back in 1994. Since then, the program disappeared, most likely becoming a black project.

  The article concluded by stating that the U.S. Army's JFK Special Warfare Center and School disclosed back in 1991 that it was looking to develop a 'PSYOPS Hologram System' with the capability to "project persuasive messages and three-dimensional pictures of cloud, smoke, rain droplets, buildings, flying saucers and religious figures.