15 (UK) PSYOPS Group Annual Report - PsyWar.Org

‘To fight and conquer in all your battles is not supreme excellence; supremeexcellence consists in breaking the enemy’s resistance without fighting’Sun Tsu, The Art of War 6th Century BC15 (UK) PSYOPS GroupSince 1945, various ad hoc military and civilianPSYOPS organisations have been formed in the UKto support Operations and subsequently disbanded.Following the Gulf War of 1991, the UK formed ashadow PSYOPS capability called 15 (UK) PSYOPSGroup (Shadow). A double-digit prefix number wasselected to identify the Group to avoid any confusionwith US counterparts; the Roman numeral 15was chosen, as PSYOPS activities in support of 21Army Group during WWII were conducted by AmplifierUnits numbered 10-14. The Group adopted thestags head formation sign in recognition of the sterlingwork carried out by the Indian Field BroadcastUnits that supported the Chindit campaign againstthe Japanese in South East Asia. The deer’s antlersrepresent the combat support function of PSYOPSand the antennae associated with radio, a majormeans of disseminating PSYOPS messages.15 (UK) PSYOPS Group is the custodian of PSY-OPS expertise and exists to ‘provide a PSYOPSplanning and production capability to deployed UKforces undertaking both multinational and nationalJoint Operations in order to enhance their militaryeffectiveness’. Lodged at the Defence Intelligenceand Security Centre at Chicksands near Bedford,the Group is a Tri-Service unit under Army command,subordinate to 1 Military Intelligence Brigade,Theatre Troops and LAND. Currently manning isdrawn from 37 regulars and 28 reservists from theRoyal Navy, Royal Marines, Army combat and combatsupport arms, Royal Air Force and RAF Regiment.Equipped with advanced Print productionand Broadcast equipment, the Group is able to plan,produce and disseminate PSYOPS messages withoutcensorship or interference, which is one of thecrucial factors that separates the aim and conduct ofPSYOPS from that of Media Operations. The Groupprovides training for PSYOPS practitioners and individualaugmentees and is maintained at HighReadiness for Operations. The Group also augmentsthe Joint Force HQ and other formation HQsto provide PSYOPS planning support during majorExercises and is an essential element of formationpre-deployment training and mission rehearsals.The Group has recently restructured to accommodateadvanced production equipment, vehicles andthe uplift in regular manning, such that the Groupnow comprises 2 deployable multimedia PSEs, withan HQ element at Chicksands. This brings withit the flexibility to configure a PSE to incorporateappropriate planning and production elements withconsiderable reach, tailored to meet the demands ofa particular Operation.