(a) Findings
Congress makes the following findings:
Information operations must be ongoing, iterative, and responsive to rapidly evolving conditions in the information environment. Narratives and messaging that are effective at one point in time can quickly become outdated or counterproductive as the information environment changes.
Department of Defense Directive 3600.01, Information Operations , currently designates Combatant Commanders at the four-star and flag officer level as the principal authorities for integrating, synchronizing, employing, and adapting information-related capabilities and for developing, planning, programming, and assessing information operations.
The concentration of tactical information operations approval authority at the Combatant Commander level creates operational bottlenecks, as those officers bear responsibility for the full range of joint force activities and may be unable to respond to tactical information operations requirements with the speed demanded by the information environment.
In other operational domains, commanders at the O–6 level and below routinely exercise authority to execute tactical actions within strategic frameworks approved by higher-level commanders. A similar model may be feasible and beneficial for tactical information operations.
At the same time, information operations carry unique risks, including potential foreign policy, legal, and escalatory implications, that may counsel retaining significant oversight at senior command levels. Any delegation of authority must be carefully calibrated to preserve appropriate oversight while reducing operational bottlenecks.
Before directing any revision to Department of Defense Directive 3600.01, Congress should have the benefit of a thorough and expert assessment of the feasibility, benefits, risks, and implementation requirements of delegating tactical information operations authority to lower-level commanders.
(b) Report required
(1) In general
Not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Defense shall submit to the congressional defense committees a report on the feasibility of revising Department of Defense Directive 3600.01 to delegate authority to approve and execute tactical information operations to commanders below the level of the combatant commander.
(2) Contents of report
The report required in paragraph (1) shall include—
an assessment of the current command authority structure under Department of Defense Directive 3600.01 as it applies to the planning, approval, and execution of tactical information operations, including an assessment of existing operational bottlenecks and their impact on the speed and effectiveness of information operations;
an evaluation of the feasibility of delegating authority to approve and execute tactical information operations to commanders at specified rank levels below combatant commander, including the O–6 (colonel or Navy captain) level, or other appropriate levels as determined by the Secretary of Defense;
For each delegation option evaluated under subparagraph (B), an assessment of—
the potential benefits, including improvements in operational speed, responsiveness, and effectiveness;
the potential risks, including risks related to escalation, foreign policy implications, legal compliance, consistency with strategic narratives, and unintended consequences;
the mechanisms and safeguards that would be necessary to ensure that tactical information operations executed by lower-level commanders remain consistent with higher-level strategic objectives and narratives established by Combatant Commanders and the Secretary of Defense;
the training, education, and personnel requirements necessary to prepare lower-level commanders to exercise information operations authority effectively and responsibly;
the legal authorities and any statutory or regulatory changes that would be required to implement the delegation;
the oversight mechanisms that would be required to maintain the visibility of the combatant commander and Secretary of Defense into tactical information operations conducted pursuant to delegated authority; and
the estimated costs and resource implications of implementing the delegation;
an examination of analogous delegation models in other operational domains, including fire support, electronic warfare, and cyber operations, to identify lessons learned and best practices applicable to information operations;
an assessment of the experiences of allied and partner nations that have implemented delegation of tactical information operations authority to lower-level commanders, to the extent practicable;
an evaluation of whether the current bottleneck in tactical information operations approval could be addressed through means other than formal authority delegation, including—
dedicated information operations staff augmentation at the level of the combatant commander;
predelegated authorities for specific, preapproved categories of tactical information operations activities;
streamlined approval processes and standing execution orders; and
improved interoperability and communication systems to reduce approval timelines;
an identification and assessment of any legal, policy, or operational constraints that would prevent or limit the feasibility of delegating tactical information operations authority; and
the assessment of Secretary of Defense of whether revision of Department of Defense Directive 3600.01 to delegate tactical information operations authority to lower-level commanders is feasible, advisable, and in the interest of the Department of Defense.
(3) Form
The report required in paragraph (1) shall be submitted in unclassified form, but may include an classified annex.