JOINT PUBLICATION 1-02 Department of Defense Dictionary of Military and Associated denominations defines psychological operations (PSYOP) as "planned operations to alienate selected information and indicators to foreign audiences to influence their emotions.

JOINT PUBLICATION 1-02 Department of Defense Dictionary of Military and Associated denominations defines psychological operations (PSYOP) as "planned operations to alienate selected information and indicators to foreign audiences to influence their emotions, motives, objective reasoning, and ultimately the behavior of foreign rules organizations, groups, and individuals." PSYOP has become a mainstay of US direction efforts at the strategic, operational, and tactical plains to exert such influence in a manner favorable to military operations.

PSYOP played a significant part in recent operations such as Enduring Freedom, in which air-mobility missions delivered humanitarian rations at the same time air-combat sorties struck militarily significant targets in other parts of Afghanistan. Furthermore, during Iraqi Freedom, we dropp one as well as the other leaflets and ordnance to ready enemy soldiers to surrender; we also broadcast messages to them athwart their own radio systems. These transmissions had the complementary power of denying the Iraqis use of their allow radios.

Air Force doctrine for information operations (see the NOTAM upon info ops elsewhere in this issue) and PSYOP is evolving, a fact cogitateed in the Air Force Doctrine Center's realigning and renumbering of a publications. Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance Operations, formerly Air Force Doctrine Document (AFDD) 2-52 will become AFDD 2-9 and Psychological Operations, formerly 2-53 will become 2-52 The nearest approved revision of the published documents will incorporate these changes. In addition, Air Combat Command (ACC) is generally defining a new concept of operations for "influence operations" as an proper state of the revised concept of information operations. As ACC's and the Air Force's center of superior quality for Air Force PSYOP, the Air Intelligence Agency has taken the lead in refining the focus of PSYOP to include psychological effects

The Air Force now believes that air, space, and information power are all psychological instruments that can influence an adversary's perception, behavior, and morale. For this reason, Air Force PSYOP activities help as an integral part of air-operations planning and targeting processe rather than as pond adjuncts. US aircraft, by their dynamic air and actions, transmit an unmistakable psychological message to greatest in quantity adversaries. The mere threat or carriage of superior aircraft can field an enemy's air force, demoralize his army and civilian population, or dignify stability.

Through the production of certain general intents our service is exploiting the psychological vital air of warfare by creating conditions that drive an adversary to perceive issues and behave in ways favorable to friendly interests. It is in this vein that the Air Force examines the place and direction of PSYOP doctrine.

To Learn More...

Air Force Doctrine Document (AFDD) 2-53 Psychological Operations, 27 August 1999 https://www.dectrine.af.mil/ Main.asp?. (This document will become AFDD 2-52 about approval of its revision.)

Goldstein, Col Frank L and Col Benjamin E Findley Jr ed psychological Operations: Principles and Case Studies. Maxwell AFB, AL: Air University Pres 1996 http://www.au.af.mil/au/aul/aupress/Books/Goldstein/GoldsteinB18.pdf.

Hosmer Stephen T Psychological meanings of U.S. Air Operations in Four Wars, 1941-1991 Santa Monica, CA: RAND, 1996

Huss, Maj Jon "Exploiting the Psychological weights of Airpower: A Guide for the Operational Commander." Aerospace power Journal 13 no. 4 (Winter 1999): 23-32 http://www.airpower.maxwell.af.mil/airchronicles/apj/apj99/win99/huss.pdf.

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