Dynamic defence

Dynamic defence, is a key concept in Rhizome Manoeuvre, and Three-Dimensional (3D) Tactics Analysis, and is a key concept in contemporary Terrorist Tactics, Techniques, and Procedures.

Definition

An “erratic assault/dynamic defence” is where one or both sides deliberately act without any plan as a means to create a chaotic situation during the battle, thereby overwhelming opponents.^[1]

Key concepts

Some of the key concepts underpinning dynamic defence, are:

• Deliberate erratic actions.
• Attack zones.

Deliberate erratic actions

In military tactics, the deliberate use of "erratic action",^[2] forces an opponent, subjected to hit-and-run attacks without warning, to remain on constant alert; and which deliberately wears them down. This scenario, describes a scenario in tactics, in particular terrorism, where:

• Attacks are opportunistic,
• Targets selected have only a generic relationships with the supposed political aims of the terrorists involved.
• The value of the attack, rests in the confusion, and ultimate shock value of the attack when it finally happens.

These tactics deliberately present ambiguity, and are largely impossible to predict. The advantage of an 'erratic attacks', is that these constitute an omnipresent and/or invisible threat, and as these occur seemingly randomly; such as for example - a wide range of potential targets are possible, however one will be chosen randomly, and immediately attacked. The purpose of which is to avoid encountering any form of prepared defence.

Attack zones

An attack zone is an adaptation of the concept of an attack surface, which in the world of computer security, means ‘the depth of methods a hacker can use to exploit a system’.^[3] The concept, also has an historical military strategy parallel, in the 1921 Turkish defence at the Sakarya River, was based on Mustafa Kemal Atatürk’s instructions: “you will no longer have a line of defence, but a surface of defence.... All of Turkey shall be our surface of defence, upon which our units will resist everywhere and all the time”.^[4] Fundamentally, an 'attack zone', is represented by a surface, or space, and represents the sets of ways in which an adversary can attack a system and potentially cause damage. There are two types of attack:

• Avenue of attack: This focuses on a particular objective that is perceived to be tactically/strategically important. This type of attack is typically controlled by ‘force moderation’, and a deliberate process of targeting and selection.
• Zone attack: No real targets are identified, except that the attack zone contains a number of potential targets.

This situation places an attacker, at a tactical advantage, as the defenders tend to think in terms of deliberate process of targeting and selection. The attackers think in terms of no specific targets. Thus, adding to deception and confusion among the defenders. In particular, making interdiction for a defender difficult to implement; as attackers have an immediate advantage deploying in a target rich environment, behaving erratically to achieve surprise and deception, through a series of rhizome manoeuvres.

Dynamic or randomized defence

In order to out-compete the erratic moving attacker, the defender has two options:

• Adopt a denial strategy (akin to concept of sea denial): The defender creates areas under surveillance or fire that become no-go-zones for a would-be attacker.
• Harness happenstance and coincidence: The defender begins to move themselves throughout the zone – meandering around, in order to create a situation where the attacker cannot be sure where the defender will be next and both combatants run the risk of coming across the other without warning. In which case, both forces, depend on having a higher state of situational awareness and high-end military capacity to out-perform them when encountered.

References

1. Flaherty, C. (2009) 2D Verses 3D Tactical Supremacy in Urban Operations. Journal of Information Warfare. (8)2: 13-24.
2. Ranan D. Kuperman. (2007) Cycles of Violence: The Evolution of the Israeli Decision Regime Governing the Use of Limited Military Force. Lexington Books: 41.
3. Flaherty, C. (2014) 3D Vulnerability Analysis Solution to the Problem of Military Energy Security and Interposing Tactics. Journal of Information Warfare. URL: http://www.jinfowar.com/3d-vulnerability-analysis-solution-problem-military-energy-security-interposing-tactics/
4. Kinross, P. (2001), Atatürk: The Rebirth of a Nation. Phoenix, London, UK.