The Case for Enhancing the Role of Deception in Romanian Military Doctrine

The 80th anniversary of the largest amphibious operation in history, the D-Day landings in Normandy on 6 June 1944, also brings to mind a concept critical to the success of that military operation: deception. Creating and gaining operational advantage on the battlefield by manipulating the enemy’s perception has always been a desideratum for any military force. Although the art of deception received somewhat less attention in Western military doctrine at the beginning of this millennium, it has become increasingly important in recent years due to the heightened competition between the great powers, being considered critical to the success of current military operations. In this context, the article aims to sensitise Romanian military decisionmakers at all levels with respect to the operational necessity of deception, the need to perfect specific skills during the training process, as well as to the development of an appropriate doctrinal framework that will contribute to the consolidation of the Romanian Armed Forces’ combat power.