Annex F. Special Operations Technology
Army Science and Technology Master Plan (ASTMP 1997)

7. Automated Information Warfare (IW) Systems Enhancements to Influence and Protect Information Systems, Links and Nodes

Technologies that should have the potential to provide SOF advanced capabilities for deception, electronic warfare (EW), Psychological Operations (PSYOP), and speech technologies.

Technologies for deception and EW should enhance capabilities to disable, jam, spoof, or otherwise confuse enemy sensor and detection systems, including radars; thermal imageries and other optical-electronic systems; acoustic detectors; and seismic sensors and systems. Other areas for enhanced tactical deception include disruption, disablement, or reducing the efficiency of communication and command and control systems, which may have radio frequency (RF), laser, hard-wire, fiber-optic, or other links.

Advanced PSYOP technologies are also required to develop, produce and disseminate PSYOP products, including: radio (AM/FM/ SW); television broadcasts; and printed material. Technology must support production, distribution, and dissemination of PSYOP products to, from, and within forward and remote locations. It also should include the integrated utilization of broadcasts or products using broadcast range extenders, aerial pamphlet disseminators, loudspeakers, high capacity print facilities, translators, etc. Technologies should enable the development of new and advanced means of disseminating or projecting PSYOP messages to a target audience. Such technologies might include direct satellite broadcasting, UAV payloads, digital signal processing, voice synthesizing, laser video, acoustic generators, holograms, artificial intelligence applications, and attitudinal/ behavior agents. Applicable speech technologies should provide automated recognition and translation both from English to the target language and from the target language to English. Technology must have the potential to achieve real-time, voice-to-voice translation; speaker identification; be a small, light-weight package; interface with C4I systems; and transcribe and translate text at a near real-time rate.