It all starts with lady called Jennifer Sims.  As a CIA analyst she developed a concept that she named Decision Advantage and it outlines a method by which sensors are linked to decision making.  In her concept, Decision Advantage is enabled by 4 things:  Counter Intelligence, Transmission, Collection and Anticipation.  Once all 4 are achieved you will be in a position of Decision Advantage and, subject to making the right decision and chaotic luck, therefore a winning position.

• Counterintelligence is the ability to protect what you know of the opponent and degrade the opponent's understanding of you
• Transmission is not only the dissemination of intel and information, is is the corroboration of ideas and plans
• Collection is he ability to collect data and translate that to information or intel
• Anticipation is the ability to 'predict' the opponents movements or actions.

If you imagine a graph.  On this graph you draw a line which indicates the level of understanding required in order to achieve decision advantage.

Below the line you are at disadvantage

Above you gain the advantage.

In 2007 I was on a missions the ISR Tactical Coordinator.  the Commander declared that in order to win we needed the following:

• Confirmation of the bad guys
• Location of the bad guys
• Confirmation that the bad guys were in our Area of Operations

The commander had defined decision Advantage.  All I had to do was make it happen. 

Initially, as would be expected, through collection and transmission, we started to learn a great deal about the opponent.  But over time our ability to learn more slowed until we plateaued

The decision was made to arrest the bad guys at a key location that would provide more evidence that they were truly 'bad'.  The arrest team were covertly inserted and we waited...

The bad guys were tracked to the location and on command, the arrest team went to work.

Within seconds we lost decision advantage.  Why?  Simple.  In showing our hand and trying to arrest the bad guys, they knew that we were there, they knew our intent and they had a better understanding of the environment.  In the blink of an eye, they had decision advantage over us.

We arrested 1 bad guy, the other fled.

In order to continue to learn more, we needed to employ counter intelligence techniques that would confuse the opponent and provide enough agitation for them to become more overt.  All this was done while we maintained our comsec and covert posture.

Obviously, in the game of decision advantage, if the opponent knows your are there, you can never drive to a position of advantage.

The counter intelligence plan worked and we drove above the decision advantage line.  I remember clearly turning to the commander and saying, "The bad guys are here, we can confirm that they are linked to xxx activity and I can confirm that they will enter our AO in 15 minutes at point xxx."  I had achieved decision advantage.

The lessons from this mission resonated in my head for many years.  On the positive side, decision advantage is not a myth and it is achievable, on the negative side, it is fragile and transient.

This lead me to develop information Advantage as an achievable goal with full knowledge of its fragility.

In defining Information Advantage I looked at how other domain advantages were defined.

• Air Superiority is that degree of control of the air by one force that permits the conduct of its operations at a given time and place without prohibitive interference from air and missile threats.
• Air Supremacy is that degree of control of the air wherein the opposing force is incapable of effective interference within the operational area using air and missile threats. 

Is Information Advantage simply:

• Information Advantage is that degree of control of the information domain by one force that permits the conduct of its information operations at a given time and place without prohibitive interference from adversary detection or denial operations.

I think there is more to it than that.  Information Advantage relies on 3 things:

• Knowledge/intel on the subject
• Intent of the subject
• Understanding of the subject’s intelligence levels 

Information Advantage is not a myth, although it is the 'holy grail' for all modern militaries.  It is achievable and arguably it is the purpose of the ISR Division.

At 360iSR we have been developing concepts and teaching cutting edge ideas to advance organisations ability to strive for and maintain the information high ground.  If your training provider isn't capable of this and simply regurgitate doctrine and manuals you should be asking your self why.

If you want to find out how we can build information advantage in to your organisation or talk to us about other developing concepts int eh intelligence, ISR and information domains, come and chat.