Quarrelsome committees in US defense acquisition: the KC-X case

When the US Air Force set out to acquire a new aerial tanker (the KC-X), two highly suitable alternatives were offered. What could have been a short and simple source selection turned into a prolonged embarrassment. The original selection of 100 leased KC-767s was made in May 2003. But the KC-46 is expected to be operational in 2017 – more than a decade later. Our primary purpose here is to narrate and explain key events in the KC-X program. We search for useful paradigms, based in part on the US Government being better viewed as a quarrelsome committee than a monopsonist. In addition, we consider what this case might tell us about the US defense acquisition system.     

Learning ‘Under Fire’: Israel’s improvised military adaptation to Hamas tunnel warfare

What organisational attributes enhance a military’s ability to effectively adapt on the battlefield? Upon the outbreak of war in July 2014 between Israel and the Palestinian militant group Hamas, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) encountered an expansive network of tunnels from which Hamas was launching large-scale assaults into Israel. This article illustrates that the IDF’s ability to successfully adapt ‘under fire’ to this battlefield surprise was facilitated by several important attributes related to its organisational learning capacity: a dynamic, action-oriented organisational culture, a flexible leadership and command style, specialised commando units which acted as ‘incubators’ for learning and innovation, and a formal system to institutionalise and disseminate lessons learned.     

美国国防部后勤转型

简要介绍了美军后勤的定义与管理构架,分析了美国国防部（DoD）后勤转型的背景和实施过程,研究了DOD后勤转型的特点,并结合军队后勤体制变革总结几点启示。     

Military Spending and Growth: The Role of Institutions

Recent literature on whether military spending affects economic growth argues that the relationship may be a conditional one. We add to this literature by considering the role that ‘good institutions’ play in the effect of military spending on growth. Using data from a sample of over 100 countries from 1988 to 2010, our analysis suggests that the effect of military spending on growth is generally negative or zero at best, and this effect is mitigated in the presence of good economic and political institutions.     

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.     

新型装备作战指挥信息系统军事需求论证的反向分析方法

基于新型装备作战指挥信息系统构成及功能,提出了"体系作战效果-作战运用方式-关键能力需求-需求方案决策优化"的军事需求映射机制,构建了新型装备作战指挥信息系统军事需求论证的反向分析总体框架,并分析反向分析方法的内容和设计了流程。该研究对新型作战力量指挥信息系统的顶层设计和工程建设具有一定的价值,对于开展其他复杂系统的体系结构研究也具有借鉴意义。     

【邀请论文】美国2021财年国防高科技预算提案解析

美国总统特朗普向国会提交的2021财年总统预算提案中,包含美国国防预算7054亿美元。2021财年美国国防预算聚焦未来高端作战需求,其中国防研发预算提案1066亿美元,主要用于关键新兴科技和先进能力赋能器的研究和发展,成为有史以来最大规模的研发预算。本文系统梳理了2021财年美国国防预算提案的总体情况,并对该提案中涉及科学技术部分的预算进行了分析,在此基础上,解析了人工智能、自主系统、高超声速、5G与量子通信、太空、生物技术与网络安全等重点领域的具体预算。综合美国对重点新兴科技领域大力投资的预算行为,可以看出美国正在进行重点先进技术的多样化融合,实现其军事技术能力的跳跃式提升。面对美国高强度的国防高科技预算提案,中国应做足准备做到“知己知彼”。     

反舰导弹与近程反导舰炮武器系统

在简述了反舰导弹的发展和水面舰艇防御问题的基础上,分析了近程反导舰炮武器系统抗击反舰导弹的必要性和有效性     

美国国防部指令5000.01重大变革分析及启示

美国国防采办系统是世界上最为庞大、复杂、严谨、运转稳定的采办系统,为维持美国的强大军事优势做出了突出贡献。近年来,为了确保军事技术优势的可持续发展,美国的国防采办系统在国防战略牵引下,也一直处于不断调整完善之中,并且有不断加速的趋势。2020年,美国国防部总结各项采办改革实践中的经验和教训,对国防部指令5000.01《国防采办系统》进行了重大变革调整。本文首先简要介绍了此次变革的背景;其次,从政策和职能两个方面分析了变革的内容,探究国防采办政策的新变化与新思路,管窥国防采办系统的发展动向;最后,在上述研究基础上,从法规政策、新科技运用等四个方面提出几点启示,以期为军队装备采购工作提供借鉴与参考。