Comments on: The Art of Deception http://www.thinkdefence.co.uk/2009/12/the-art-of-deception/ A progressive view on UK military affairs Fri, 10 Feb 2012 10:07:24 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: DominicJ http://www.thinkdefence.co.uk/2009/12/the-art-of-deception/#comment-571 DominicJ Wed, 30 Dec 2009 10:55:32 +0000 http://www.thinkdefence.co.uk/?p=1619#comment-571 Deception has its place, however, I would guess it never really had a place in our war plans since the second world war. We were in effect set up to fight a defensive war against a technologically weaker opponent. Since we could probably shoot down the majority of the Soviet recon air force, and our light tanks could quite effectively blind their advancing ground forces, what deception could we have used? Are Stealth Aircraft and Stealth Submarines "Deception"? Are covered trenches? Is our loitering anti radiation missile? It would be nice for a mass wave of Soviet bombers to bomb nothing but dummy airfields, but it would be nicer for them to get shot down on the way in Deception has its place, however, I would guess it never really had a place in our war plans since the second world war.
We were in effect set up to fight a defensive war against a technologically weaker opponent.

Since we could probably shoot down the majority of the Soviet recon air force, and our light tanks could quite effectively blind their advancing ground forces, what deception could we have used?

Are Stealth Aircraft and Stealth Submarines “Deception”?
Are covered trenches?
Is our loitering anti radiation missile?

It would be nice for a mass wave of Soviet bombers to bomb nothing but dummy airfields, but it would be nicer for them to get shot down on the way in

]]> By: Jed http://www.thinkdefence.co.uk/2009/12/the-art-of-deception/#comment-563 Jed Tue, 29 Dec 2009 23:57:11 +0000 http://www.thinkdefence.co.uk/?p=1619#comment-563 Deception was always a big part of Soviet / Warsaw Pact strategy and tactics, perhaps more so than in western doctrine, and obviously deception is a major art if your a "terrorist" organization. We are not completely useless at it though. All armies understand deception, using camo nets is deception at its most basic. I have even been on ships where we changed our lighting configuration at night, and changed the apparent shape of the upper deck (using panels of radar absorbent material) in order to slip past someone else while keeping our identity secret. However, should we be better at it - yes possibly, and we must continue to teach our people how develop their own 'cunning plans' while being able to see around (or through) those of the bad guys. Deception was always a big part of Soviet / Warsaw Pact strategy and tactics, perhaps more so than in western doctrine, and obviously deception is a major art if your a “terrorist” organization.

We are not completely useless at it though. All armies understand deception, using camo nets is deception at its most basic. I have even been on ships where we changed our lighting configuration at night, and changed the apparent shape of the upper deck (using panels of radar absorbent material) in order to slip past someone else while keeping our identity secret.

However, should we be better at it – yes possibly, and we must continue to teach our people how develop their own ‘cunning plans’ while being able to see around (or through) those of the bad guys.

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