page_title: Information Operations (United States)
section_title: Radio in a Box
hierarchical_section_title: Information Operations (United States) / Other/Integrated / Radio / Radio in a Box
caption_attribution_description: English: From top to bottom, left to right: (1) Photo self-taken (Iraq; 2003-2004), released into public domain by author. (2) Photo from the USCAPOC Website: http://www.usacapoc.army.mil/images/gallery-leaflet-drop/008.html Info - Maj. John Ross disperses 30,000 leaflets over a specific target location in Baghdad, Iraq on June 23. Ross is helping the 315th Tactical Psychological Operations Company drop leaflets which identify a known insurgent in order to alert the people of Baghdad that he is operating in their area and should be reported to the Iraqi police. Sgt. Felix Fimbres, USACAPOC(A) Public Affairs Specialist ∙ June 23, 2009 ∙ Baghdad, Iraq (3) Photo self-taken (Iraq; 2003-2004), released into public domain by author. (4) Photo self-taken (Iraq; 2003-2004), released into public domain by author. (5) Photo from the US Army Special Operations Website: http://news.soc.mil/imagery/USACAPOC/USACAPOC.htm Info - Spc. Jarod Delhotal, a psychological operations specialist assigned to Company B, 9th PSYOP Battalion, operates a portable loudspeaker as he broadcasts messages in Russian to role players in the Military Operations in Urban Terrain city at Range 68 on Feb. 5. (Photo by Sgt. Kyle J. Cosner, USASOC PAO)
context_page_description: Information Operations is a category of direct and indirect support operations for the United States Military. By definition in Joint Publication 3-13, "IO are described as the integrated employment of electronic warfare, computer network operations, psychological operations, military deception, and operations security, in concert with specified supporting and related capabilities, to influence, disrupt, corrupt or usurp adversarial human and automated decision making while protecting our own." Information Operations are actions taken to affect adversary information and information systems while defending one's own information and information systems.
  At a workshop of experts at RAND in October of 2019, the U.S. Deputy Secretary of Defense Mick Mulroy officially rolled out the Irregular Warfare Annex and said it was a critical component of the U.S. 2018 National Defense Strategy. He explained that irregular warfare included counter-insurgency, counter-terrorism, unconventional warfare, foreign internal defense, sabotage and subversion, as well as stabilization and information operations, among other areas.
context_section_description: Radio is the dominant information tool to reach wide audiences in isolated, mountainous regions.  The US military has deployed RIABs throughout Afghanistan in order to communicate with the residents. Due to a 70 percent illiteracy rate and lack of education in Afghanistan, radio is a vital communications tool used to broadcast information where radio ownership exceeds 80 percent. The United States military operates approximately 100 RIABs and hire local Afghan DJs in Afghanistan to broadcast information and host call-in shows. The United States Army employed RIAB systems to broadcast anti-Taliban and anti-Al Qaeda messages and countered Taliban propaganda by pushing onto Taliban frequencies in Paktia Province. One advantage of employing RIAB systems is the ability to broadcast vital information immediately to a large audience in the event of a crisis. One Afghan DJ has 50,000 listeners. Nawa District Governor Abdul Manaf uses the local RIAB station to conduct weekly call-in shows and believes the RIAB system is one of his best communication tools to inform a large audience. In Afghanistan's Paktika province, which has a literacy rate of two percent, an estimated 92 percent of the residents listen to the radio every day. Radio programs transmitted using RIAB systems provide beneficial information to Afghan farmers in remote areas. In the isolated, mountainous Wazi Kwah district of Paktika Province, a RIAB system supplies the only source of outside news. Afghan National Army commanders use the RIAB to communicate to villagers and elders and provide thoughts to the community.  Afghans can use information distributed by the United States military such as how to react to an approaching military convoy or purpose or use of U.S.-sponsored agriculture programs.  For general news, Afghans can also use other information outlets such as the BBC or VOA because RIAB systems are controlled by the US military. Special Operations first employed RIAB systems in Afghanistan in 2005 which improved their ability to supply information to and communicate with the local population in their areas of operation.
caption: United States Psychological Operations
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