17 May 2026

An A2/AD Strategy for the Cognitive Domain

U.S. Naval Institute  |  Jo-Wen Huang, Yin-Hsin Chien
Taiwanese naval commanders propose an "All-Domain Denial" (ADD) strategy to counter China's evolving "unrestricted warfare" tactics, moving beyond traditional Anti-Access/Area Denial (A2/AD) concepts. While A2/AD focuses on denying physical access, ADD aims to paralyze an adversary's decision-making and situational awareness by integrating physical, virtual, military, and civilian capabilities. China's use of long-range strike systems, air-sea blockades, electronic warfare, and low-intensity incursions in the first island chain necessitates this shift. The ADD framework encompasses information, cyber/electromagnetic, cognitive, psychological, and legal-political denial, emphasizing societal resilience and narrative control. Recommendations for implementation include establishing information operations command centers, conducting social-cognitive simulations, developing strategic narratives, fostering psychological resilience through national education, and coordinating cognitive defense with like-minded countries in the Indo-Pacific.

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