Systems failure: the US way of irregular warfare

ABSTRACT

Since 9/11, the United States has achieved notable gains against al Qaeda, and also Islamic State (IS), all while avoiding another mass-casualty attack at home. Yet, institutionally, culturally, and in its capabilities, the US government remains seriously ill-equipped for the task of countering irregular threats. Partly as a result, Islamist extremism shows no sign of being defeated, having instead metastasized since 9/11 and spread. Why, given the importance accorded to counterterrorism, has the US approach remained inadequate? What is impeding more fundamental reforms? The article evaluates the United States’ way of irregular warfare: its troubled engagement with counterinsurgency and its problematic search for lower cost and lower risk ways of combating terrorism. It suggests needed reforms but acknowledges also the unlikelihood of change.     

信息心理战理论模型以及量化模型探讨

军事理论的研究在心理战方面已经取得了一些成果,但在量化分析方面显示不足。从信息心理战基本作用原理入手,利用数学建模的思想,构建基本信息传播扩散原理模型并且设置合理参数模拟动态过程,从而获得军事行动中心理战的心理攻击信息内部传播动态数学模型,对于未来信息化战争量化分析以及效能分析有一定参考价值。     

Hybrid warfare through the lens of strategic theory

Hybrid warfare is the latest of the terms/concepts that have been used within the defence community in the last three decades to label contemporary warfare. It has been officially adopted in the core strategic documents of NATO, EU and national governments and has already inspired many articles, policy papers and books; however, this paper is unique in the sense that it analysis the hybrid warfare concept through the lens of strategic theory. It is argued that hybrid warfare does not merit the adoption as a doctrinal concept. Strategic theory instead, which lies at the nexus of all dimensions of warfare, provides a better viewpoint to approach contemporary warfare. It concludes that efforts should be directed towards exploring warfare under the light of eternal principles instead of proving the emergence of new types of warfare.     

Conceptualizing caveats for political research: Defining and measuring national reservations on the use of force during multinational military operations

The upsurge in post-Cold War coalition operations has stimulated research on caveats: national reservations on the use of force in multinational military operations. However, because the concept of caveats has no agreed-upon definition, it is used inconsistently. This in turn impedes comparing research findings across academic and policy studies and therefore systematic research. This article is a contribution to the scholarly debate on how the analytical concept of caveats are to be delimited. Crucially, we argue that caveats result from some calculated political decision, and should not be confused with reserved behavior due to financial and technical limitations, or lack of coordination. We suggest that caveats are empirically observed and measured in two ways: First, we argue that coalition rules of engagement should be used as a yardstick for measuring direct reservations on the use of force. Second, we suggest reservations on task-assignment and geographical mobility should be used to register indirect reservations.     

网络舆论斗争系统模型与应对策略

装备技术已成为制约网络舆论斗争作战效能的关键性问题。论文突破传统的网络舆论斗争研究定式,根据网络舆论斗争的作战流程,建立了网络舆论斗争系统结构模型,分析了装备技术组成,给出了应对策略。论文的研究成果,对于发展网络舆论斗争装备技术,占领网络舆论制高点,具有重要理论意义和参考价值。     

水下信息对抗中水声网络相关问题

水下信息对抗是海军信息化建设中需要重点考虑的内容之一.除了现有的声纳侦察之外,在未来的海战中,信息获取和信息对抗将更多地依赖水声网络的作用.因此,水声网络的相关问题必须得到重视.探讨了水声网络的一些关键技术,从信息对抗的角度分析了水声网络面临的挑战及应对措施.     

大数据在信息作战指挥决策中的运用

针对信息作战指挥决策中大数据的运用问题，通过对大数据的海量信息检索能力、交叉复现的分析能力、“全信息”运算能力、智能决策执行能力的研究，提出了大数据为其提供按需订制的情报信息、多元多维的决策视角、动态实时的决策支持、智能自主的决策方式的观点，初步探索了大数据在信息作战指挥决策中的运用，对将大数据引入信息作战指挥决策具有十分重要的指导意义。     

基于Multi—Agent仿真模型的非对称作战有效性分析

针对多要素在非对称作战中运用的复杂影响，建立了基于Multi-Agent的仿真模型，对非对称作战的有效性进行了数学解释；给出了Multi-Agent的系统结构，在EINsTein仿真平台中设置了指挥决策Agent、态势感知Agent、通信协作Agent和作战行动Agent，以此模拟作战要素在非对称作战中运用的主要功能，进而演示非对称作战的过程，获得非对称作战的仿真实验数据；仿真模型描述了多要素影响下作战体系的突变现象；通过作战目的的实现和高倍增的作战效果，实证了仿真模型的有效性和可行性。     

The strategic purpose of individual augmentee officers for junior partners in multinational military operations

ABSTRACT

This article examines the strategic purpose of Individual Augmentee Officers (IAOs) for junior partners in multinational military operations through an exploratory case study of Danish IAOs in Iraq and South Sudan between 2014 and 2017. IAOs are individual officers who are moved from their normal functions to be seconded to other units of the armed forces of their own or another country or an international institution. The study concludes that IAOs function as strategically important, yet not necessarily indispensable, supplements to military contingents in several ways: making tangible contributions to the overall mission (contributing), gaining access to information, knowledge, and experience (learning), and lobbying decision-making processes within mission headquarters (lobbying). The usefulness of IAOs depends on whether the junior partner has specific interests and a significant presence in the theatre and whether the mission is conducted as a UN mission, a NATO mission, or an ad hoc coalition.     

无人机在电子战中的作用

现代战争是高技术的信息战、电子战。无人机是一种无人驾驶飞行器,由于其具有隐蔽性好、造价低廉、机动灵活、不惧伤亡等特点,在未来的电子战中,无人机可用于现代战争中的战场侦察、电子干扰、电子辐射等电子战的各个环节。随着无人机技术的不断发展,无人机在现代战争中必将起到越来越重要的作用。