The Art of Darkness: Deception and Urban Operations

An area of potential vulnerability for U.S. forces during urban operations is the need to face an adversary's use of deception. Significantly, deception is also an area of great potential benefit if employed effectively by U.S. forces as a core component of information operations. It concludes that deception is altered in form and abetted in function by the urban environment. This interrelationship between urban terrain and deception has 6 fundamental characteristics. The 6 factors represent a considerable hindrance when facing adversary deception in built-up areas but can also be a great help to U.S. forces conducting deception in support of urban operations. These findings form the basis of ongoing cork to improve U.S. capabilities for countering/employing deception in future urban operations.