Information: Gorgas
Gorgas has a dynamic and relatively free media environment. Gorgan information warfare (INFOWAR) capability is growing, with training and equipment adhering closely to NATO standards. Gorgas will be limited compared to regional neighbors on the resources it will be able to expend to grow both information and INFOWAR infrastructure.
Satellite Telecommunications
As a small country, Gorgas relies on third party satellite services and contracts with a larger satellite company that incorporates a fleet of 31 geostationary satellites utilizing Ku-band transponders.
Gorgas commercially purchases global positioning receivers that support commercial needs as well as military navigation and targeting operations.
Public Communications Media
With the exception of Ariana’s heavy-handed control of its public communications, the Caucasus region enjoys comparative freedom of the press, within broad content boundaries, policed by relatively soft governmental censorship. Independent press demonstrates significant growth.
Internet
According to current statistics, over 28% of Gorgans use the Internet. Internet users in Gorgas grew from 20,000 in 2000 to 1.3 million people today. Combined with increased mobile phone use, Internet use will likely continue to grow. The Gorgan Internet plays an integral role in the country’s political and economic development, but also became key terrain in the recent war against Donovia. Donovia targeted Gorgan Internet operations, and this experience will likely temper Gorgas’ use of the Internet in future military operations. Gorgas, however will probably increase its Internet use for perception management operations targeted at both domestic and foreign audiences.
Television
Television serves as the major source of information for the vast majority of the Gorgan population. Once primarily state-controlled, Gorgan broadcasters have slowly drifted away from governmental control to a more independent status. Currently, the Gorgan government only directly funds one public television station and also controls TV Gorgas, one of the two major TV networks. Not surprisingly, viewers see TV Gorgas as generally pro-government and, because of that association, TV Gorgas receives better access to government operations such as military maneuvers. Radio/TV Gorgas National operates as the other major Gorgan television outlet—with a history of independence that includes reports unflattering to the government.
Radio
Gorgas operates two national and three regional radio broadcast stations. Radio broadcasts begin at 0600 and conclude at midnight. Programs include news, talk shows, music, and children's programs. FM radio stations broadcast on Radio 2, ACL Radio, Scarlett Band, and NOLE Radio. Gorgas also receives European-sourced programming and locally rebroadcasts it.
Print Media
Though technically private, such publications as the Gorgan-language Republican Gorgan and the Donovian-language United Gorgas receive government subsidies, have editors appointed by the president, and serve as official propaganda outlets. Since government agencies must subscribe to Republican Gorgan, its daily circulation reaches 6,000 to 7,000. The Republican Gorgan covers Gorgan news and summarizes international news. The Gorgan-language Tbilisi Times serves as the capital city’s newspaper. Several other local newspapers serve Tbilisi, but their circulation and reporting remain unreliable.
Independent newspapers dominate the Gorgan newspaper market. Major publications include the daily Gorgan Independence News, a popular weekly digest, GorgasNOW! and a tabloid, Click!Gorgas! Small newspapers outside the capital struggle to maintain both financial viability and editorial independence. While available, magazines and other periodicals maintain limited circulation due to paper shortages.
Telephone
While primarily found in the larger cities, Gorgan telephone service remains limited and unreliable, with outdated international connectivity. Public phone use requires city tokens or phone cards that Gorgans can purchase at kiosks or in the central post office, the country’s long-distance provider. Cellular telephones currently remain limited to cities and towns, though 75% of the populace can access them. One international landline connects Gorgas with Donovia. A leased gateway switch located in Donovia provides satellite telephone service.
Postal/Courier
While Gorgas operates a postal system, users consider the government service less reliable than private couriers for important deliveries. Private couriers operate efficiently, with short delivery times along the major Gorgan roads or large cities such as Tbilisi or Poti. Not surprisingly, postal service remains weak or non-existent along the Gorgan borders with South Ostremek and Zabzimek.
Word of Mouth
Cell phone technology, especially for the youth and urban dwellers, established SMS as a popular medium. As cell phone technology matures and the price falls, Gorgans will likely supplement their conversations with social media outlets.
Information Control
Gorgas traditionally uses the external threat from Donovia to rally support for the Gorgan government and its ruling elites. Fear of Donovian dominion remains omnipresent in many Gorgan TV and radio programs generally controlled by the government or those closely aligned with it. Gorgas will also play up its Western orientation for foreigners of all varieties, part of efforts to bring Western nations into closer alignment to better deter aggressive Donovian activities.
INFOWAR
INFOWAR in the Caucasus region contains a mixture of old and new technology. While older Donovian equipment forms the backbone for much of the region’s INFOWAR warfighting capability, the countries conduct advanced operations with dedicated INFOWAR units. For example, regional perception management activities, often web-based, form the current global state-of-the-art. Internet operations are frequently used as an adjunct to major combat operations. Most countries in the Caucasus focus their INFOWAR on their likely adversaries.
Electronic Warfare
The Gorgan military builds its jammers and sensors around a collection of some outdated and more recently purchased Western equipment. Gorgan OIF and OEF participation likely exposed its forces to a variety of the latest Western electronic warfare (EW) hardware. Additionally, recent close working relations with the Israelis probably created a significant cross-pollination of EW equipment, tactics, and techniques.
Computer Attack
The Gorgans maintain a computer attack capability, but are apt to face significant overmatch from their probable regional opponents. After Gorgas received cyber attacks in its war with Donovia three years ago, Gorgas increased its capabilities significantly with help from its NATO and Israeli allies.
Information Attack
Gorgas possesses limited information attack (IA) capabilities, but these continue to grow. Gorgas received aggressive IA by a variety of non-state and probable Donovian state actors in its war three years ago. Unclassified studies discussed in depth the various hacker operations for both sides, but neither side was able to conduct any advanced IA. Any IA attacks during the war failed or resulted in limited damage to the Gorgan computer system because of lack of a significantly large network within the Gorgan military.
Deception
Gorgas possesses a limited deception capability, with most resources likely focused on denying Donovian collection efforts. The relative size disparity between Gorgas and Donovia as well as Gorgan experience at the hands of Donovian deep-strike operations probably increased Gorgan efforts to frustrate the ability of Donovian forces to see and strike Gorgan military assets.
Physical Destruction
Since Donovia presents an overmatch in physical destruction capability, the Gorgan military is apt to only attack sensors in the most critical situations. Gorgas likely possesses few capabilities to conduct deep strikes against INFOWAR targets.
Protection and Security Measures
Gorgas faces a large and obvious threat from Donovia; thus it remains likely that the Gorgan government will exert maximum effort to defend it sensors, platforms, and systems from attack. Due to Donovia’s advanced capabilities, Gorgan protection and security measures (PSM) will focus as much on the remediation of damage and the capacity to rebuild capability as avoiding an attack. Gorgas does have a relatively deep INFOWAR civilian capability for a country its size, and thus might mobilize its civilian sector in such an effort.
Perception Management
Gorgan perception management will likely stress traditional Gorgan messages of mortal threat at the hands of the Donovians. Externally, the Gorgans will attempt to paint themselves as a Western nation with significant links to Europe and the US. When the US Army Corps of Engineers planned a railroad improvement project for Gorgas and Atropia, Ariana condemned the project in regular broadcasts by the “Voice of the Free Atropians” in northwestern Ariana and to listeners in Gorgas and Atropia. The message insinuated that the government did not build the railroad to improve life for the region’s poor, but to provide a means for the corrupt and oppressive governments in Tbilisi and Baku to efficiently control the people.
Intelligence
Gorgas maintains a small but reasonably competent intelligence service. Western support, combined with active service beside US forces has given the Gorgans exposure to the latest Western tactics and techniques. Gorgan intelligence will likely engage primarily Donovian targets or Donovia’s Zabzimek or South Ostremek proxies. Gorgan intelligence maintains a standard five-directorate intelligence service, with analytical, collection (known as information), counterintelligence (known as security), administrative, and training elements.
Human Intelligence
Human intelligence (HUMINT) serves as Gorgas’ most important collection discipline—targeting Donovian military activities in the Black Sea and the Donovian-controlled provinces of South Ostremek and Zabzimek. Gorgan counterintelligence operations focus on high-value targets such as the hydrocarbon pipelines and against Donovian activities within Gorgas.
Open Source Intelligence
Gorgas probably relies on open source intelligence (OSINT) as its primary means of strategic intelligence. Gorgan OSINT likely focuses on Donovian collection, especially on Donovian activities in South Donovia and areas that border the Ukraine.
Signals Intelligence
Gorgan signals intelligence (SIGINT) collection revolves around a series of ground collection stations that use a variety of Western and Donovian-era hardware. As more unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) enter service, Gorgas is expected to integrate the UAVs into the SIGINT collection architecture.
Imagery Intelligence
Gorgan imagery intelligence (IMINT) capability probably remains limited to air-breathing platforms, with UAVs as the most important. Gorgas maintains a small fleet of helicopters and light aircraft capable of IMINT collection, though it is unlikely they will conduct this task. Due to limited platforms, Gorgan IMINT capability remains extremely restricted. Gorgas would likely contact its Western allies for support if it needed to supplement its IMINT capabilities.
Measurement and Signatures Intelligence
Gorgan measurement and signatures intelligence (MASINT) capability remains limited and is used primarily for biometrics for security and counterintelligence purposes. Gorgans will probably explore MASINT capabilities like facial recognition for border security with Donovia, Zabzimek, and South Ostremek.
Summary
Despite resource constraints, Gorgan capability to effectively engage larger INFOWAR adversaries will grow, probably with significant outside support. Likewise, should international economic development foster overall economic development, the current free and dynamic information environment could blossom to become the region’s largest. Ultimately, Gorgas stands at a crossroads of information development—a path ultimately dictated by economic factors.