BATTLEFIELD OF THE FUTURE

PARALLEL WARAND HYPERWAR
" When attacked, mutate . Defeating parallel war also
requires planning how the organism will adapt, transform
itself, and recover, if attacked . The adversary intent on
defeating parallel war will anticipate a reduction in energy
levels after an attack . Even so, the adversary also will
realize that a planned mutation at the bifurcation point is
superior to a random one . Especially cunning adversaries
will choose an asymmetrical and unpredictable response
to attacks, not a symmetrical or predictable one . If, for
example, electrical power production comes under
intense attack, the adversary might respond by
intentionally shutting down all visible electrical power .
(One cannot be especially cunning without having
considered and prepared for this in advance .) This
unexpected mutation makes damage assessment difficult.
The air campaign planner may cope with this difficulty by
forcing an extensive search for corroboration that attacks
have achieved required damage expectancies, may fall
into the trap of wishful thinking and reallocate sorties
to other roles, or-and this is the likely case-may
mindlessly continue to adhere to the installation-driven
or target-driven air campaign plan . Another useful
mutation might be to withdraw uniformed fielded
forces and employ terrorists or special operations forces
in the attacker's homeland .
" Attack information . The five rings exist in peacetime as
well as in wartime . If information is indeed the bolt that
holds them together, an adversary will realize that attacks
should begin in the prehostility phase . The object of
preliminary attacks in the prehostility phase will be to
paralyze or destroy a target set called "any public opinion
that does not support my aims ." Combining propaganda
with more active measures, such as assassination and
other kinds of terrorism, may prevent a weak-willed
attacker from taking the offensive . (On the other hand,
active measures might stimulate uncharacteristically
ferocious responses .) Failing the success of propaganda
and anticipating an attack, an adversary may turn to
"worms" and "viruses" as its swords . As one communications
analyst has noted :