Deceive or Die: Revitalizing Military Deception for Large-Scale Combat Operations

Modern War Institute | Charlie Phelps

The US joint force faces critical vulnerabilities in a hyper-transparent environment unless tactical leaders actively revitalize military deception to obscure force intent and capability. While modern intelligence networks make hiding unit presence difficult, deceiving enemy sensor complexes regarding purpose and timing remains an indispensable requirement for survival during large-scale combat operations.

Pervasive sensor coverage and the sheer volume of lethal fires ensure that any unmasked unit is swiftly targeted, necessitating deception from Phase 0 shape through Phase V stabilization. To operationalize this doctrine, brigade and battalion commanders must integrate deception into the military decision-making process, enforce strict electromagnetic emissions control, deploy cheap multispectral decoys, and practice dynamic repositioning. Historical precedents, including British tactics during Operation Bertram in 1942 and Serbian multispectral decoys during the 1999 Kosovo Campaign, demonstrate how low-cost spoofing degrades high-value precision strikes. Mastering these multi-domain deception measures at the tactical edge allows commanders to shatter enemy decision cycles, protect critical nodes, and maintain asymmetric advantage.

Comment

The integration of passive electromagnetic intelligence collectors with long-range strike complexes like the People's Liberation Army Rocket Force transforms brief radio emissions into targeting tracks. Transient microwave bursts and active radar handshakes from forward units instantly collapse operational security in high-density sensor environments. This dynamic renders electromagnetic discipline as decisive to tactical survival in the Western Pacific as physical camouflage was in industrial-era warfare.

Strategic Question for Discussion

If sensor-fused recon-strike complexes like the People's Liberation Army Rocket Force automate target generation from transient emissions, which factor will dictate survival for dispersed forward elements — autonomous decoy orchestration or absolute electronic silence?

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