British Army's 6th(Hybrid Warfare) Division: Organisation & Roles undertaken

[PanzerKiel]

1. Hybrid warfare is a military strategy which employs political warfare and blends conventional warfare, irregular warfare and cyber-warfare with other influencing methods, such as fake news, diplomacy, lawfare and foreign electoral intervention. By combining kinetic operations with subversive efforts, the aggressor intends to avoid attribution or retribution. Hybrid warfare can be used to describe the flexible and complex dynamics of the battlespace requiring a highly adaptable and resilient response.
2. Traditional militaries find it hard to respond to hybrid warfare. Collective defense organizations such as NATO might find it hard to agree on the source of the conflict making response difficult. Also, to counter a hybrid threat, hard power is often insufficient. Often the conflict evolves under the radar and even a "rapid" response turns out to be too late. Overwhelming force is an insufficient deterrent. Many traditional militaries lack the flexibility to shift tactics, priorities, and objectives on a constant basis.
3. The British Army has taken the lead in the fight again hybrid threats by raising the 6th (UK) Division specifically tailored for Hybrid Warfare. It provides the British Army with asymmetric edge over its adversaries by orchestrating intelligence, counter-intelligence, cyber, electronic warfare, information operations and unconventional warfare capabilities.
4. HQ 6 (UK) Division has a structure of following five specialist brigades that deliver unique capabilities:-

• 1st ISR Brigade. It became operational on 1 September 2014 and has responsibility for all British Army ISR capabilities. The Brigade has following 18 units; 10 Regular and 8 Reserve units (approximately 3,300 Regular and 3.000 Reservist personnel):-
  • 14th Signal Regiment
  • 21 Special Air Service Regiment
  • 23 Special Air Service Regiment
  • 1 Military Intelligence Battalion
  • 2 Military Intelligence Battalion
  • 3 Military Intelligence Battalion
  • 4 Military Intelligence Battalion
  • 5 Military Intelligence Battalion
  • 6 Military Intelligence Battalion
  • 7 Military Intelligence Battalion
  • Specialist Group Military Intelligence
  • Land Intelligence Fusion Centre
  • Defence Cultural and Linguistic Support Unit
  • 5th Regiment Royal Artillery
  • Honourable Artillery Company
  • 32nd Regiment Royal Artillery
  • 47th Regiment Royal Artillery
  • 74 (Support) Battery
• 1st Signal Brigade. 1st Signal Brigade is, uniquely, under the Operational Command of both 6 (UK) Division and the Allied Rapid Reaction Corps (ARRC). The Brigade provides Force Elements at readiness to the ARRC, Permanent Joint Headquarters (PJHQ), the Joint Helicopter Force and Other Government Departments. Details of brigade units are as under:-
  • The ARRC Support Battalion is responsible for providing the Staff Working Environment, Real Life Support and the Force Protection for Headquarters ARRC.
  • 22 Signal Regiment provides the information communications systems to enable Commander ARRC to exercise command over the Corps.
  • 30 Signal Regiment is responsible for enabling PJHQ's deployable Joint Force Headquarters and supporting other High Readiness Formations such as the Very High Readiness Field Hospital, the Air Assault Task Force and Joint Helicopter Command.
  • 299 Signal Squadron (Special Communications) provides specialist communications support worldwide.
• 11th Signal Brigade. Its role is to form a vital link between the Army and local communities. The Brigade has six Regular Army signal regiments and three Army Reserve signal regiments.
• Specialized Infantry Group. The Specialized Infantry Group is a game-changing new capability for the Army. Its units are trained, structured and equipped to work alongside chosen Partner Forces. They increase the UK Army’s contribution to countering terrorism and building stability overseas. This supports the UK efforts to project Global influence and deter threats. Detail of its units are as follows:-
  • Specialized Infantry Battalions are focused on the most important regions for the UK and are made up of 267 rigorously assessed soldiers who will work by, with and through the Partner Force in high threat and austere environments.
  • Specialized Infantry soldiers and officers are mature, selected volunteers. They prioritise cultural understanding and empathy to enable them to operate successfully alongside Partner Forces. They are expert soldiers and expert instructors.
• 77 Brigade. 77th Brigade is an agent of change; through targeted Information Activity and Outreach it contributes to the success of military objectives in support of commanders, whilst reducing the cost in casualties and resources. It currently comprises five groups: Information Activity Group; Task Group; Outreach Group; Support Group; and Staff Corps. Its assigned tasks are as follows:-
  • Conducting timely and appropriate audience, actor and adversary analysis.
  • Planning and integrating information activity and outreach (IA&O).
  • Supporting and delivering IA&O within pre-designated boundaries.
  • Supporting counter-adversarial information activity.
  • Support to partners across Government upstream and post-conflict institutional development/reform.
  • Collecting, creating and disseminating digital and wider media content in support of designated tasks.
  • Monitoring and evaluating the information environment within boundaries or operational area.
  • Audience, Actor and Adversary Analysis.
  • Information Activity and Outreach.
  • Counter-adversarial Information Activity.
  • Support to Partners across Government.
  • Collecting media content.
  • Disseminating Media.
  • Monitoring the information environment.
  • Evaluating the information environment.
  • Advising and training on Human Security and providing support to current operations.

5. The formation of Division 6 is part of a wider rebalancing activity which will allow UK army to meet the challenges of constant competition and maintain its high-end war-fighting capability. As well as learning skills such as cyber, members of the 6th Division will be encouraged to study different cultures and take up languages, with some expected to work in small teams on the ground with irregular allied forces.
6. The UK MoD believes that this new raising will ensure that UK Army can compete with and defeat adversaries both above and below the threshold of conventional conflict. The changes will be integrated within broader defense, national and alliance efforts and will enable UK’s military to operate and fight more effectively above and below the threshold of conflict.

 

[Amaa'n]

Specialist Brigades Group to Deliver Cutting-Edge Capability
The British Army has today unveiled its latest adaptation to modern warfare: the 6th (UK) Division. The new division replaces and augments the former Force Troops Command structure. With ten specialist brigades, the 6th Division is the now the largest of the British Army’s three divisions.

Hailed as a hybrid warfare capability, the 6th Division will deliver what the Army chooses to call combat support, command support and specialist logistics support. Comprising about one third of the entire British Army, the new division brings together 1st Signal Brigade, HQ 11th Signal and West Midlands Brigade, 1st Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance Brigade, 7th Air Defence Brigade, 77th Brigade and the Specialised Infantry Group.

Discussing the new development, Lieutenant General Ivan Jones, Commander Field Army, , said: “The character of warfare continues to change as the boundaries between conventional and unconventional warfare become increasingly blurred. The army must remain adaptable and evolve as a fighting force. The three complementary British army divisions harness the wide range of British army capabilities, providing choice to the government in defence of the UK’s interests. The speed of change is moving at a remarkable rate and it will only get faster and more complex.”

Quoted in the Daily Telegraph, Lt Gen Jones further said that the division would operate “above and below the threshold of conventional conflict” specifically to address threats from Russian unconventional warfare units and technologically sophisticated terrorist groups such as the Islamic State.

The 6th (UK) Division was first established in 1812 by Arthur Wellesley, 1st Duke of Wellington, for service in the Peninsular War as part of the Anglo-Portuguese Army and was active for most of the period since, including the First World War and the Second World War. The modern division was reformed on 1 February 2008 as a deployable two star Headquarters for service in Afghanistan during Operation Herrick. The division was officially reformed with a parade and flag presentation at York on Tuesday 5 August 2008 and then closed in April 2011, until being reformed again on 1 August 2019 to replace Force Troops Command.

The new 6th Division is essentially a rebranded Force Troops Command, but with some adjustments. Previously, Force Troops Command comprised eight brigades: 8th Engineer Brigade, 1st Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance Brigade, 1st Signal Brigade, 11th Signal Brigade and Headquarters West Midlands, 2nd Medical Brigade, 104th Logistic Support Brigade, 77th Brigade, 7th Air Defence Group.

In a statement released by the MOD, Lt Gen Jones added that the “6th Division focuses on Cyber, Electronic Warfare, Intelligence, Information Operations and unconventional warfare through niche capabilities such as the Specialised Infantry Battalions.”

Specialist Brigades
Headquartered at Upavon, Wiltshire, the 6th (UK) Division is made up of specialist brigades from across the country. According to the British Army, the 6th comprises ten such brigades, but the new webpage for the formation lists only six of these:

1st Signal Brigade
1st Signal Brigade is, uniquely, under the Operational Command of both 6 (UK) Division and the Allied Rapid Reaction Corps (ARRC). The Brigade provides Force Elements at readiness to the ARRC, Permanent Joint Headquarters (PJHQ), the Joint Helicopter Force and other government departments. 1st Signal Brigade is composes of three units: 22 Signal Regiment provides the information communications systems to enable Commander ARRC to exercise command over the Corps; 30 Signal Regiment is responsible for enabling PJHQ’s deployable Joint Force Headquarters and supporting other High Readiness Formations such as the Very High Readiness Field Hospital, the Air Assault Task Force and Joint Helicopter Command; and 299 Signal Squadron (Special Communications) provides specialist communications support worldwide.

HQ 11th Signal and West Midlands Brigade
Headquarters 11th Signal and West Midlands Brigade is located at Donnington, near Telford and we cover the counties of Shropshire, Herefordshire, Worcestershire, Warwickshire, Staffordshire and the West Midlands conurbation. The Brigade has six Regular Army signal regiments and three Army Reserve signal regiments.

1st Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance Brigade
1st Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance Brigade became operational on 1 September 2014 and has responsibility for all British Army ISR capabilities. The Brigade is comprised of 19 units of 10 Regular and 9 Reserve units, approximately 3,300 Regular and 3,000 Reservist personnel, including elements from Royal Signals, Royal Artillery and all seven of the Army’s Military Intelligence battalions, as well as Specialist Group Military Intelligence, Land Intelligence Fusion Centre and the Defence Cultural and Linguistic Support Unit.

7th Air Defence Brigade
Headquartered at Baker Barracks, Thorney Island, 7th Air Defence Group commands the British Army’s Air Defence Capability. It is also responsible for detecting, identifying and tracking aircraft in support of UK Operations. 7 AD Gp is equipped with the Rapier missile that has seen service in the Falkland Islands, the High-Velocity Missile and the LEAPP target identification system. It is soon to upgrade to the new state-of-the-art SkySabre anti-aircraft missile system which it will start to be introduced later in the year.

The Formation is made up of: 12th Regiment Royal Artillery; 16th Regiment Royal Artillery; and 106 (Yeomanry) Regiment Royal Artillery (Reserve Regiment).

77th Brigade
Based at Denison Barracks, Hermitage, the British Army describes the 77th Brigade as “an agent of change” using targeted information activity and outreach to contribute to the success of military objectives in support of Commanders as a fundamental part of the Army’s Integrated Action model. It currently comprises five groups: Information Activity Group; Task Group; Outreach Group; Support Group; and Staff Corps.

Specialised Infantry Group
Headquartered at Imphal Barracks, York, the Specialised Infantry Group was formed in October 2017, initially comprising only two battalions: 4 RIFLES and 1 SCOTS. In July 2018, the Group increased in size from two battalions to three (2 PWRR) and saw the arrival of the Joint Counter Terrorist Training and Advisory Team. 2 LANCS was added to its strength in January 2019, bringing the SIG up to four battalions. By October 2019, all units will deploy trained Spec Inf Coy’s on operations.

The Three Division Structure
This restructuring of the Field Army is described by the MOD as “part of the Army’s response to the emerging Defence thinking” intended to create a Field Army of integrated, interdependent and complementary formations from 1 Aug 2019.

1st (United Kingdom) Division
The 1st (United Kingdom) Division (1 (UK) Div), with its blend of lighter infantry, logistics, engineers and medics, will provide more strategic choice and a range of capabilities, conducting capacity building, stabilisation operations, disaster relief and UK resilience operations. It will include: 4th (Infantry) Brigade, 7th (Infantry) Brigade, 11th (Infantry) Brigade, 51st (Infantry) Brigade, 8th Engineer Brigade, 102nd Logistic Brigade, 104th Logistic Brigade, 2nd Medical Brigade.

3rd (United Kingdom) Division
The 3rd (United Kingdom) Division (3 (UK) Div) will remain as the Army’s primary armoured warfighting force comprising: 1st Armoured Infantry Brigade, 12th Armoured Infantry Brigade, 20th Armoured Infantry Brigade, 1st Artillery Brigade, 101st Logistic Brigade, 25th Engineer Group. The MOD statement also included the 7th Air Defence Group, but the British Army website clearly lists 7 AD Gp as part of the new 6th.

6th (United Kingdom) Division
The re-designation of Force Troops Command (FTC) to 6th (United Kingdom) Division (6 (UK) Div) will provide the Army’s asymmetric edge , orchestrating Intelligence, Counter-Intelligence, Information Operations, Electronic Warfare, Cyber and unconventional warfare. 6 (UK) Div will include: 1st Signal Brigade, 11th Signal Brigade, 1st Intelligence Surveillance and Reconnaissance Brigade, 77th Brigade, 7th Air Defence Group and the Specialist Infantry Group.

There will be no changes to personnel numbers, resourcing, cap badges or locations.

http://www.warfare.today/2019/08/01/british-army-launches-new-6th-division/

@Horus

1. Hybrid warfare is a military strategy which employs political warfare and blends conventional warfare, irregular warfare and cyber-warfare with other influencing methods, such as fake news, diplomacy, lawfare and foreign electoral intervention. By combining kinetic operations with subversive efforts, the aggressor intends to avoid attribution or retribution. Hybrid warfare can be used to describe the flexible and complex dynamics of the battlespace requiring a highly adaptable and resilient response.
2. Traditional militaries find it hard to respond to hybrid warfare. Collective defense organizations such as NATO might find it hard to agree on the source of the conflict making response difficult. Also, to counter a hybrid threat, hard power is often insufficient. Often the conflict evolves under the radar and even a "rapid" response turns out to be too late. Overwhelming force is an insufficient deterrent. Many traditional militaries lack the flexibility to shift tactics, priorities, and objectives on a constant basis.
3. The British Army has taken the lead in the fight again hybrid threats by raising the 6th (UK) Division specifically tailored for Hybrid Warfare. It provides the British Army with asymmetric edge over its adversaries by orchestrating intelligence, counter-intelligence, cyber, electronic warfare, information operations and unconventional warfare capabilities.
4. HQ 6 (UK) Division has a structure of following five specialist brigades that deliver unique capabilities:-

• 1st ISR Brigade. It became operational on 1 September 2014 and has responsibility for all British Army ISR capabilities. The Brigade has following 18 units; 10 Regular and 8 Reserve units (approximately 3,300 Regular and 3.000 Reservist personnel):-
  • 14th Signal Regiment
  • 21 Special Air Service Regiment
  • 23 Special Air Service Regiment
  • 1 Military Intelligence Battalion
  • 2 Military Intelligence Battalion
  • 3 Military Intelligence Battalion
  • 4 Military Intelligence Battalion
  • 5 Military Intelligence Battalion
  • 6 Military Intelligence Battalion
  • 7 Military Intelligence Battalion
  • Specialist Group Military Intelligence
  • Land Intelligence Fusion Centre
  • Defence Cultural and Linguistic Support Unit
  • 5th Regiment Royal Artillery
  • Honourable Artillery Company
  • 32nd Regiment Royal Artillery
  • 47th Regiment Royal Artillery
  • 74 (Support) Battery
• 1st Signal Brigade. 1st Signal Brigade is, uniquely, under the Operational Command of both 6 (UK) Division and the Allied Rapid Reaction Corps (ARRC). The Brigade provides Force Elements at readiness to the ARRC, Permanent Joint Headquarters (PJHQ), the Joint Helicopter Force and Other Government Departments. Details of brigade units are as under:-
  • The ARRC Support Battalion is responsible for providing the Staff Working Environment, Real Life Support and the Force Protection for Headquarters ARRC.
  • 22 Signal Regiment provides the information communications systems to enable Commander ARRC to exercise command over the Corps.
  • 30 Signal Regiment is responsible for enabling PJHQ's deployable Joint Force Headquarters and supporting other High Readiness Formations such as the Very High Readiness Field Hospital, the Air Assault Task Force and Joint Helicopter Command.
  • 299 Signal Squadron (Special Communications) provides specialist communications support worldwide.
• 11th Signal Brigade. Its role is to form a vital link between the Army and local communities. The Brigade has six Regular Army signal regiments and three Army Reserve signal regiments.
• Specialized Infantry Group. The Specialized Infantry Group is a game-changing new capability for the Army. Its units are trained, structured and equipped to work alongside chosen Partner Forces. They increase the UK Army’s contribution to countering terrorism and building stability overseas. This supports the UK efforts to project Global influence and deter threats. Detail of its units are as follows:-
  • Specialized Infantry Battalions are focused on the most important regions for the UK and are made up of 267 rigorously assessed soldiers who will work by, with and through the Partner Force in high threat and austere environments.
  • Specialized Infantry soldiers and officers are mature, selected volunteers. They prioritise cultural understanding and empathy to enable them to operate successfully alongside Partner Forces. They are expert soldiers and expert instructors.
• 77 Brigade. 77th Brigade is an agent of change; through targeted Information Activity and Outreach it contributes to the success of military objectives in support of commanders, whilst reducing the cost in casualties and resources. It currently comprises five groups: Information Activity Group; Task Group; Outreach Group; Support Group; and Staff Corps. Its assigned tasks are as follows:-
  • Conducting timely and appropriate audience, actor and adversary analysis.
  • Planning and integrating information activity and outreach (IA&O).
  • Supporting and delivering IA&O within pre-designated boundaries.
  • Supporting counter-adversarial information activity.
  • Support to partners across Government upstream and post-conflict institutional development/reform.
  • Collecting, creating and disseminating digital and wider media content in support of designated tasks.
  • Monitoring and evaluating the information environment within boundaries or operational area.
  • Audience, Actor and Adversary Analysis.
  • Information Activity and Outreach.
  • Counter-adversarial Information Activity.
  • Support to Partners across Government.
  • Collecting media content.
  • Disseminating Media.
  • Monitoring the information environment.
  • Evaluating the information environment.
  • Advising and training on Human Security and providing support to current operations.

5. The formation of Division 6 is part of a wider rebalancing activity which will allow UK army to meet the challenges of constant competition and maintain its high-end war-fighting capability. As well as learning skills such as cyber, members of the 6th Division will be encouraged to study different cultures and take up languages, with some expected to work in small teams on the ground with irregular allied forces.
6. The UK MoD believes that this new raising will ensure that UK Army can compete with and defeat adversaries both above and below the threshold of conventional conflict. The changes will be integrated within broader defense, national and alliance efforts and will enable UK’s military to operate and fight more effectively above and below the threshold of conflict.

interesting unit...

 

[jaibi]

Sir, a wonderful read. Absolutely amazing!

1. Hybrid warfare is a military strategy which employs political warfare and blends conventional warfare, irregular warfare and cyber-warfare with other influencing methods, such as fake news, diplomacy, lawfare and foreign electoral intervention. By combining kinetic operations with subversive efforts, the aggressor intends to avoid attribution or retribution. Hybrid warfare can be used to describe the flexible and complex dynamics of the battlespace requiring a highly adaptable and resilient response.
2. Traditional militaries find it hard to respond to hybrid warfare. Collective defense organizations such as NATO might find it hard to agree on the source of the conflict making response difficult. Also, to counter a hybrid threat, hard power is often insufficient. Often the conflict evolves under the radar and even a "rapid" response turns out to be too late. Overwhelming force is an insufficient deterrent. Many traditional militaries lack the flexibility to shift tactics, priorities, and objectives on a constant basis.
3. The British Army has taken the lead in the fight again hybrid threats by raising the 6th (UK) Division specifically tailored for Hybrid Warfare. It provides the British Army with asymmetric edge over its adversaries by orchestrating intelligence, counter-intelligence, cyber, electronic warfare, information operations and unconventional warfare capabilities.
4. HQ 6 (UK) Division has a structure of following five specialist brigades that deliver unique capabilities:-

• 1st ISR Brigade. It became operational on 1 September 2014 and has responsibility for all British Army ISR capabilities. The Brigade has following 18 units; 10 Regular and 8 Reserve units (approximately 3,300 Regular and 3.000 Reservist personnel):-
  • 14th Signal Regiment
  • 21 Special Air Service Regiment
  • 23 Special Air Service Regiment
  • 1 Military Intelligence Battalion
  • 2 Military Intelligence Battalion
  • 3 Military Intelligence Battalion
  • 4 Military Intelligence Battalion
  • 5 Military Intelligence Battalion
  • 6 Military Intelligence Battalion
  • 7 Military Intelligence Battalion
  • Specialist Group Military Intelligence
  • Land Intelligence Fusion Centre
  • Defence Cultural and Linguistic Support Unit
  • 5th Regiment Royal Artillery
  • Honourable Artillery Company
  • 32nd Regiment Royal Artillery
  • 47th Regiment Royal Artillery
  • 74 (Support) Battery
• 1st Signal Brigade. 1st Signal Brigade is, uniquely, under the Operational Command of both 6 (UK) Division and the Allied Rapid Reaction Corps (ARRC). The Brigade provides Force Elements at readiness to the ARRC, Permanent Joint Headquarters (PJHQ), the Joint Helicopter Force and Other Government Departments. Details of brigade units are as under:-
  • The ARRC Support Battalion is responsible for providing the Staff Working Environment, Real Life Support and the Force Protection for Headquarters ARRC.
  • 22 Signal Regiment provides the information communications systems to enable Commander ARRC to exercise command over the Corps.
  • 30 Signal Regiment is responsible for enabling PJHQ's deployable Joint Force Headquarters and supporting other High Readiness Formations such as the Very High Readiness Field Hospital, the Air Assault Task Force and Joint Helicopter Command.
  • 299 Signal Squadron (Special Communications) provides specialist communications support worldwide.
• 11th Signal Brigade. Its role is to form a vital link between the Army and local communities. The Brigade has six Regular Army signal regiments and three Army Reserve signal regiments.
• Specialized Infantry Group. The Specialized Infantry Group is a game-changing new capability for the Army. Its units are trained, structured and equipped to work alongside chosen Partner Forces. They increase the UK Army’s contribution to countering terrorism and building stability overseas. This supports the UK efforts to project Global influence and deter threats. Detail of its units are as follows:-
  • Specialized Infantry Battalions are focused on the most important regions for the UK and are made up of 267 rigorously assessed soldiers who will work by, with and through the Partner Force in high threat and austere environments.
  • Specialized Infantry soldiers and officers are mature, selected volunteers. They prioritise cultural understanding and empathy to enable them to operate successfully alongside Partner Forces. They are expert soldiers and expert instructors.
• 77 Brigade. 77th Brigade is an agent of change; through targeted Information Activity and Outreach it contributes to the success of military objectives in support of commanders, whilst reducing the cost in casualties and resources. It currently comprises five groups: Information Activity Group; Task Group; Outreach Group; Support Group; and Staff Corps. Its assigned tasks are as follows:-
  • Conducting timely and appropriate audience, actor and adversary analysis.
  • Planning and integrating information activity and outreach (IA&O).
  • Supporting and delivering IA&O within pre-designated boundaries.
  • Supporting counter-adversarial information activity.
  • Support to partners across Government upstream and post-conflict institutional development/reform.
  • Collecting, creating and disseminating digital and wider media content in support of designated tasks.
  • Monitoring and evaluating the information environment within boundaries or operational area.
  • Audience, Actor and Adversary Analysis.
  • Information Activity and Outreach.
  • Counter-adversarial Information Activity.
  • Support to Partners across Government.
  • Collecting media content.
  • Disseminating Media.
  • Monitoring the information environment.
  • Evaluating the information environment.
  • Advising and training on Human Security and providing support to current operations.

5. The formation of Division 6 is part of a wider rebalancing activity which will allow UK army to meet the challenges of constant competition and maintain its high-end war-fighting capability. As well as learning skills such as cyber, members of the 6th Division will be encouraged to study different cultures and take up languages, with some expected to work in small teams on the ground with irregular allied forces.
6. The UK MoD believes that this new raising will ensure that UK Army can compete with and defeat adversaries both above and below the threshold of conventional conflict. The changes will be integrated within broader defense, national and alliance efforts and will enable UK’s military to operate and fight more effectively above and below the threshold of conflict.

 

[PanzerKiel]

1. Hybrid warfare is a military strategy which employs political warfare and blends conventional warfare, irregular warfare and cyber-warfare with other influencing methods, such as fake news, diplomacy, lawfare and foreign electoral intervention. By combining kinetic operations with subversive efforts, the aggressor intends to avoid attribution or retribution. Hybrid warfare can be used to describe the flexible and complex dynamics of the battlespace requiring a highly adaptable and resilient response.
2. Traditional militaries find it hard to respond to hybrid warfare. Collective defense organizations such as NATO might find it hard to agree on the source of the conflict making response difficult. Also, to counter a hybrid threat, hard power is often insufficient. Often the conflict evolves under the radar and even a "rapid" response turns out to be too late. Overwhelming force is an insufficient deterrent. Many traditional militaries lack the flexibility to shift tactics, priorities, and objectives on a constant basis.
3. The British Army has taken the lead in the fight again hybrid threats by raising the 6th (UK) Division specifically tailored for Hybrid Warfare. It provides the British Army with asymmetric edge over its adversaries by orchestrating intelligence, counter-intelligence, cyber, electronic warfare, information operations and unconventional warfare capabilities.
4. HQ 6 (UK) Division has a structure of following five specialist brigades that deliver unique capabilities:-

• 1st ISR Brigade. It became operational on 1 September 2014 and has responsibility for all British Army ISR capabilities. The Brigade has following 18 units; 10 Regular and 8 Reserve units (approximately 3,300 Regular and 3.000 Reservist personnel):-
  • 14th Signal Regiment
  • 21 Special Air Service Regiment
  • 23 Special Air Service Regiment
  • 1 Military Intelligence Battalion
  • 2 Military Intelligence Battalion
  • 3 Military Intelligence Battalion
  • 4 Military Intelligence Battalion
  • 5 Military Intelligence Battalion
  • 6 Military Intelligence Battalion
  • 7 Military Intelligence Battalion
  • Specialist Group Military Intelligence
  • Land Intelligence Fusion Centre
  • Defence Cultural and Linguistic Support Unit
  • 5th Regiment Royal Artillery
  • Honourable Artillery Company
  • 32nd Regiment Royal Artillery
  • 47th Regiment Royal Artillery
  • 74 (Support) Battery
• 1st Signal Brigade. 1st Signal Brigade is, uniquely, under the Operational Command of both 6 (UK) Division and the Allied Rapid Reaction Corps (ARRC). The Brigade provides Force Elements at readiness to the ARRC, Permanent Joint Headquarters (PJHQ), the Joint Helicopter Force and Other Government Departments. Details of brigade units are as under:-
  • The ARRC Support Battalion is responsible for providing the Staff Working Environment, Real Life Support and the Force Protection for Headquarters ARRC.
  • 22 Signal Regiment provides the information communications systems to enable Commander ARRC to exercise command over the Corps.
  • 30 Signal Regiment is responsible for enabling PJHQ's deployable Joint Force Headquarters and supporting other High Readiness Formations such as the Very High Readiness Field Hospital, the Air Assault Task Force and Joint Helicopter Command.
  • 299 Signal Squadron (Special Communications) provides specialist communications support worldwide.
• 11th Signal Brigade. Its role is to form a vital link between the Army and local communities. The Brigade has six Regular Army signal regiments and three Army Reserve signal regiments.
• Specialized Infantry Group. The Specialized Infantry Group is a game-changing new capability for the Army. Its units are trained, structured and equipped to work alongside chosen Partner Forces. They increase the UK Army’s contribution to countering terrorism and building stability overseas. This supports the UK efforts to project Global influence and deter threats. Detail of its units are as follows:-
  • Specialized Infantry Battalions are focused on the most important regions for the UK and are made up of 267 rigorously assessed soldiers who will work by, with and through the Partner Force in high threat and austere environments.
  • Specialized Infantry soldiers and officers are mature, selected volunteers. They prioritise cultural understanding and empathy to enable them to operate successfully alongside Partner Forces. They are expert soldiers and expert instructors.
• 77 Brigade. 77th Brigade is an agent of change; through targeted Information Activity and Outreach it contributes to the success of military objectives in support of commanders, whilst reducing the cost in casualties and resources. It currently comprises five groups: Information Activity Group; Task Group; Outreach Group; Support Group; and Staff Corps. Its assigned tasks are as follows:-
  • Conducting timely and appropriate audience, actor and adversary analysis.
  • Planning and integrating information activity and outreach (IA&O).
  • Supporting and delivering IA&O within pre-designated boundaries.
  • Supporting counter-adversarial information activity.
  • Support to partners across Government upstream and post-conflict institutional development/reform.
  • Collecting, creating and disseminating digital and wider media content in support of designated tasks.
  • Monitoring and evaluating the information environment within boundaries or operational area.
  • Audience, Actor and Adversary Analysis.
  • Information Activity and Outreach.
  • Counter-adversarial Information Activity.
  • Support to Partners across Government.
  • Collecting media content.
  • Disseminating Media.
  • Monitoring the information environment.
  • Evaluating the information environment.
  • Advising and training on Human Security and providing support to current operations.

5. The formation of Division 6 is part of a wider rebalancing activity which will allow UK army to meet the challenges of constant competition and maintain its high-end war-fighting capability. As well as learning skills such as cyber, members of the 6th Division will be encouraged to study different cultures and take up languages, with some expected to work in small teams on the ground with irregular allied forces.
6. The UK MoD believes that this new raising will ensure that UK Army can compete with and defeat adversaries both above and below the threshold of conventional conflict. The changes will be integrated within broader defense, national and alliance efforts and will enable UK’s military to operate and fight more effectively above and below the threshold of conflict.

... So, finally, a whole Signal division has been raised and is operational. It's somewhat similar to its sister British outfit as highlighted in the original article.

 

[TheSolution]

... So, finally, a whole Signal division has been raised and is operational. It's somewhat similar to its sister British outfit as highlighted in the original article.

So we have our own version of Division 6 for Pakistan? Or just one of the brigades?

 

[PanzerKiel]

So we have our own version of Division 6 for Pakistan? Or just one of the brigades?

Whole division, multiple, multi tasked brigades.

 

[TheSolution]

Whole division, multiple, multi tasked brigades.

Alhamdulilah

 

[khansaheeb]

Learn something everyday!

About Lawfare: A Brief History of the Term and the Site

Lawfare went live on September 1, 2010. Ben’s first post set forth our general aims and, relatedly, our reasons for selecting our title:

www.lawfareblog.com

About Lawfare: A Brief History of the Term and the Site​

Lawfare went live on September 1, 2010. Ben’s first post set forth our general aims and, relatedly, our reasons for selecting our title:

Welcome to Lawfare, a new blog by Robert Chesney, Jack Goldsmith, and myself. For those readers familiar with our prior writings, our subject will come as no surprise: We mean to devote this blog to that nebulous zone in which actions taken or contemplated to protect the nation interact with the nation’s laws and legal institutions. We will, I am sure, construe this subject broadly to include subjects as far-flung as cybersecurity, Guantánamo habeas litigation, targeted killing, biosecurity, universal jurisdiction, the Alien Tort Statute, the state secrets privilege and countless other related and not-so-related matters. . . .
The name Lawfare refers both to the use of law as a weapon of conflict and, perhaps more importantly, to the depressing reality that America remains at war with itself over the law governing its warfare with others. This latter sense of the word—which is admittedly not its normal usage—binds together a great deal of our work over the years. It is our hope to provide an ongoing commentary on America’s lawfare, even as we participate in many of its skirmishes.

Since the term “lawfare” is controversial in some circles, and subject to a variety of interpretations and uses, a bit more explanation about our understanding of the concept is in order. Going back to the 1950s, the term has frequently been used in contexts wholly unrelated to national security, ranging from divorce law to courtroom advocacy to colonialism to airfare for lawyers. But its most prominent usage today very much concerns national security. Its first use in this context, seems to have appeared in "Unrestricted Warfare," a military strategy book written in 1999 by two officers in the People’s Liberation Army who used the term to refer to a nation’s use of legalized international institutions to achieve strategic ends. More significantly, however, the term “lawfare” was popularized in the modern parlance in an influential 2001 paper by then-Air Force Colonel (and later General) Charles Dunlap, who is now the Executive Director of Duke Law School’s Center on Law, Ethics and National Security. As Jack explained in his first post on this blog:

[General Dunlap’s] most influential idea . . . is “lawfare.” I don’t think he was the first to coin the term but he certainly popularized it and was the first to analyze it seriously. General Dunlap first used the term in a 2001 paper that came on the heels of the 1999 Kosovo campaign, in which both lawyers and public debates about the legality of the war figured prominently. “Is lawfare turning warfare into unfair?,” he asked, and his basic answer was “Maybe.” General Dunlap defined “lawfare” as the “use of law as a weapon of war,” which he described as “the newest feature of 21st century combat.” The paper gave many examples of relatively weak U.S. adversaries using legal principles dishonestly and strategically to “handcuff the United States” in an effort to “exploit our values to defeat us.” After cautioning against overreaction and insisting on the importance of adherence to the law of armed conflict, he concluded that “there is disturbing evidence that the rule of law is being hijacked into just another way of fighting (lawfare), to the detriment of humanitarian values as well as the law itself.” General Dunlap subsequently wrote many more essays about “lawfare,” and in part (I think) to rebut misinterpretations or misappropriations of his work, he expanded the definition of the term to mean “the strategy of using – or misusing – law as a substitute for traditional military means to achieve an operational objective.”

At the time we launched this blog, “lawfare” in some quarters carried solely negative connotations. That is, for many people the terms signified, for better or worse, only the misuse or distortion of legal forms, as distinct from the broader, value-neutral sense involved in General Dunlap’s expanded definition. Many people who sought to make international and domestic law a more significant constraint on the prosecution of armed conflicts thought of the term as kind of political slur that equated legal challenges to government policies as tools of America’s enemies. And some who viewed such efforts suspiciously used the term in precisely this fashion. For example, an advocacy group called The Lawfare Project—which is devoted “to identifying, analyzing, and facilitating a response to lawfare in all of its manifestations”—insists that lawfare “is not something in which persons engage in the pursuit of justice, and must be defined as a negative phenomenon to have any real meaning.”
We do not regard the term as having only negative connotations. For one thing, it seemed to us that the term also resonated on a symbolic level--as Ben’s initial post suggested--with the simple fact that in the post-9/11 era, there have been innumerable sharply-contested legal debates relating to national security—a “war” over the content of national security law, as it were. In addition, Jack’s initial post went on to “offer two examples in which lawfare in the ‘a weapon of war’ sense captures an important reality that is in no way derogatory towards the rule of law”:

First, there is a war of sorts going on over the content and applicability of the laws of war to terrorist activities. It is a war in which battles take place across the ocean (the United States and Europe disagree, for example, whether there can be a war against terrorist groups, and whether terrorists can be detained without trial or be tried in military commissions); between proponents and opponents of the Goldstone Report; between the ICRC and government lawyers about the meaning and applicability of “direct participation in hostilities”; and among lawyers representing alleged terrorists, government lawyers, and judges in the D.C. Circuit. All of the combatants in this “war” believe they are fighting on behalf of the international rule of law, properly understood, and all use legal argument strategically to achieve this end.
Second, it is natural, I think, to see contemporary U.S. counterinsurgency (COIN) operations as an attractive form of lawfare – especially those aspects that involve the construction of legal institutions as a tool to defeat insurgents. The latest example is the brand new Rule of Law Field Force (ROLFF) in Afghanistan, commanded by the redoubtable General Mark Martins. The basic idea of ROLFF is to revive governance and rule of law functions in the Pashtun south where the insurgency is strongest during the “hold” phase of COIN operations (i.e., just after an area has been cleared of insurgents). General Martins, his soldiers, and their Afghan partners are literally fighting to bring ordinary Afghans criminal justice capacity, dispute resolution services, and anti-corruption institutions, all with the aim of promoting the legitimacy of the Afghan government and defeating the insurgency. If that’s not “using law as a weapon of war” I don’t know what is. . . . .

General Martins himself elaborated on his understanding of the term on this blog here and here and here and especially here and here. He concluded, with Jack, that he was, in fact, engaged in lawfare:

This is affirmative lawfare in Afghanistan: a conscious and concerted reliance upon law to defeat those inside and outside of government who scorn it. Surely, it must be waged as part of a comprehensive COIN campaign and must be focused upon the building and protection of those key rule of law nodes and institutions—formal and informal—upon which the authorities’ legitimacy depends. Great care must also be taken to preserve the initiative of the individual troops who continue to shoulder the most dangerous and significant burdens of this decentralized conflict. But if prosecuted effectively within these ground rules, it may well prove decisive.

Many others are continuing to explore the lawfare concept in all its manifestations as well, as demonstrated by an excellent 2010 issue of the Case Western Reserve Journal of International Law (titled “Lawfare!”) that contains almost two dozen articles on the topic from various perspectives (including the latest views from General Dunlap himself). This blog will continue to address the topic explicitly as well, as occasions arise. More often, however, our focus has been and will continue to be directed to the merits of the underlying legal and policy debates themselves—the “Hard National Security Choices” that also form part of our title.

 

[SQ8]

Whole division, multiple, multi tasked brigades.

If they are smart - they would be reading into Chat GPT and similar generative AI and how it can be used to mass produce fairly decent twitter and other social media content.

 

[Erieye]

Whole division, multiple, multi tasked brigades.

Will these be utilised for internal non-conventianal warfare? Like for example against BLA/TTP?

They also have a lot of propoganda in the cyber domain, to be honest the easiest method would be to suppress it by banning certain social media accounts/websites - india basically already does this

 

[Al_Muhannad]

Is there any civilian component in the division?
Is it only tasked with information warefare? Or other stuff like economics?

 

[AlKardai]

Is there any civilian component in the division?
Is it only tasked with information warefare? Or other stuff like economics?

The economical aspect is left to the civilians