Rose-tinted lenses: how American functionalist strategy inhibits our appreciation of complex conflicts

Strategists and military professionals have previously questioned many of the methodological (theoretical underpinnings, the principles, and rules applied by the discipline) decisions associated with American military strategy, but the direction this essay takes is above and beyond the common methodological rivalries in how we pursue strategic desired future states. To get beyond methodological disputes entirely, we must consider thinking about our thinking as an organization on American strategy. Thus, this article hovers between philosophies, organizational theory, as well as our usually unquestioned belief in something called “strategy”. Questioning things about our basic understanding of the world tends to trigger strong organizational defense mechanisms, for good reason. Critical reflection at deep levels puts our worldview, and our role within it at stake. Nonetheless, as strategic disappointment emerges over multiple complex conflict developments, even the most cherished and guarded choices on how the world ought to work are ripe for critical inquiry. This essay examines the limited single strategic paradigm of the US defense industry and how the latest American National Security Strategy and Army Future Operating Concept (Win in a Complex World through 2030) presents a flawed strategic position. This essay presents valid alternative strategies that operate within different paradigmatic constructs.     

Operations planning revisited: theoretical and practical implications of methodology

Parts of NATO’s contemporary planning framework called the comprehensive operations planning directive (COPD), and parts of the operation-level planning process should be revised since they suffer from methodological inconsistency. This claim is defended by discussing contradicting methodological properties and heuristics applied when framing and managing a military problem in accordance with the COPD. The methodological inconsistency within the COPD; in other words, simultaneously applying contradictory methodological properties, implies one theoretical and three practical implications. The theoretical implication is summarised in a meta-theoretical framework and explained by discussing five methodological properties: non-linearity, emergence, independently changeable generalisations, invariance and boundaries. The three practical implications of methodology imply that methodology is guiding: the problem-frame, conceptual development and action. To improve military planners’ understanding and management of these four identified implications, NATO is recommended to develop a “handbook of methodology.” The purpose of such a handbook should be to emphasise the utility of methodology when planning military operations.     

近地一次环月两次交会的载人登月任务规划

针对近地一次环月两次交会的载人登月任务飞行阶段多、周期长、约束复杂,导致各阶段飞行窗口与轨道衔接匹配复杂的难题,提出分层分解、正逆向结合的全任务标称飞行窗口与轨道衔接设计策略。介绍近地一次环月两次交会的载人登月任务飞行模式特点和应用前景,假定任务基本需求与工程约束,仿真验证所提方法的有效性,可以快速规划出近地一次环月两次交会的载人登月任务飞行轨道与窗口。     

低速冲击下玻璃钢/钢复合结构损伤特性实验研究

考虑基体材料的不同增韧特性,针对两种不同的玻纤织物增强复合材料/钢复合结构进行低速冲击实验,采用超声波探伤仪对玻璃钢损伤区域进行了探测.结果表明,采用增韧基体的玻璃钢/钢复合结构在低速冲击下玻璃钢层的抗冲击能力更强,相同能量冲击下的损伤面积更小;损伤面积近似呈正方形分布,正方形对角线与纤维方向一致.     

针对窄脉冲雷达测角的相位干涉仪仿真研究

以Matlab／simulink为工具，对相位干涉仪快速准确获取窄脉冲目标雷达的角信息问题进行了仿真研究。研究表明，相位干涉仪快速、准确获取窄脉冲目标雷达角信息的基本能力主要取决于鉴相器中低通滤波器截止频率的设计，并给出了截止频率的设计公式。此外，还对读取相关信息的时机和方法等问题进行了研究，给出了相应的解决方案。     

Spaghetti: systems thinking and the US Army

In the mid-2000s, the United States Army was embroiled in counterinsurgency missions in Iraq and Afghanistan that required deeper understanding of local social systems. The Army turned to systems thinking and design thinking to model and understand the world, define problems, and develop approaches to strategic and operational challenges. However, the Army’s approach as expressed in publications and doctrine encourages the development of complicated, unsupported, and unfalsifiable hypotheses. The risk is that the Army will act on incorrect assumptions and develop plans that are fragile.     

ADTA-1：一种嵌入式异构双核微处理器

针对多核日益严重的功耗问题,利用异步技术在低功耗方面的优势,结合数据触发结构设计并实现了一种嵌入式异构双核微处理器(ADTA-1).该设计将异步设计应用于嵌入式多核微处理器中,并在芯片中对异步微处理器进行了测试,验证了异步电路在多核微处理器中的有效性和低功耗特性,为进一步设计和实现低功耗异步多核微处理器进行了有益的探索.     

装备工作TRD方法论研究

在分析装备工作复杂性特点的基础上，提出了从事装备工作需要树立系统、活动、体系、部队和设计等5个观念，构建了用于装备工作的“任务-规律-设计”方法论，设计了从事装备工作的一般逻辑步骤，讨论了该方法论的特点、运用原则及方法体系，并以装备采购工作中货源选择工作为例，验证了该方法论的实用性。     

相控阵雷达LPI搜索方法研究

相控阵雷达可通过合理配置工作参数优化其性能。针对相控阵雷达在搜索目标时易受敌方电子侦察设备威胁的现实,研究了在保持搜索能力的同时,通过合理配置参数降低截获概率的问题。分析了影响相控阵雷达搜索状态LPI(Low Probability of Intercept)性能的主要因素,建立了截获概率模型与搜索能力模型,给出了3种参数调整策略。仿真试验验证了模型的有效性,并比较了3种策略的优劣。     

The case of Donald Rumsfeld: leadership traps in national security

Taking its point of departure in Donald Rumsfeld’s second term as US Secretary of Defense (2001–2006), this article analyses the crisis of strategic leadership in Western national security. Three “traps” are identified that explain why Donald Rumsfeld ultimately was a failure as defence secretary and demonstrate the perils of national security governance. These traps are termed the inquisitor trap, the strong leader trap and the delegation trap. It is argued that our understanding of strategic leadership in national security, particularly in defence, can benefit from insights gained from the study of strategic leadership in business. As such, this article engages the recent trend of merging insights from business and military strategy.