From one exceptionalism to another: France’s strategic relations with the United States and the United Kingdom in the post-Cold War era

ABSTRACT

The failed expedition of Suez in 1956 and France’s subsequent strategic ‘divorce’ from the United Kingdom and the United States lies at the heart of a policy paradigm that has dictated France’s defence posture from de Gaulle’s presidency to the end of the Cold War. Some crucial features of the Gaullist posture remain today enduring references for French presidents in the definition of France’s exceptionalism. While it is so, there have been significant changes since the 1990s when it comes to France’s strategic relations with the United States and the United Kingdom. This article demonstrates the extent and mechanisms of this rapprochement by analysing it through three dimensions of policy change: modes of action, institutional commitments and discourses. The article demonstrates the dimensions’ mutually reinforcing effects and argues that France’s exceptional posture has de facto been reversed.     

防空C3I系统作战效能评估

为了更好地认识防空C3I在现代防空作战中的作用,了解我军防空C3I的作战效能,立足我军防空C3I装备现状,根据其技术性能及作战使用方法,依托已有研究成果,采取新的研究思想,运用WSEIAC法评估了防空C3I的作战效能.这种评估思想紧贴防空作战的实际,最大限度地衡量了防空C3I在作战中的性能发挥程度,对今后进行深入的研究发展,具有一定的参考价值.     

对象Petri网在反导防空体系建模中的应用

反导防空体系包含的对象多、作战过程复杂。Petri网模型综合了数据流、控制流和状态转移,能方便地描述系统的分布、并发、同步、异步、冲突等特性,既能表示系统的静态功能和结构,又能表现其执行、交互等动态行为。基于对象Petri网的建模仿真环境,采用面向过程和面向对象建模相结合的方法,能够很好地满足对反导防空体系的建模、仿真以及体系结构分析。     

中俄普通高校国防教育比较研究

俄罗斯在普通高校国防教育的法律保障、机构设置、教育内容和形式以及人才培养等方面都取得了一定的成效。借鉴俄罗斯的经验对提升我国全民国防意识和国防素质将具有重要意义。     

Feeding the Lion: China and defence development in African states

ABSTRACT

In analysing trends in Chinese defence engagement and their impact on defence development in African states, it is important to consider both China's changing policy priorities and its capabilities for the provision of defence support. China's international ambitions and its economic development contribute to its emergence as a key supporter of defence capability development in Africa, occupying a crucial niche as a provider of support, particularly arms transfers, appropriate to evolving local requirements. The economic and politico-military imperatives driving China's engagement of Africa, which stem from its economic reforms and re-emergence as a great power, are facilitating defence modernisation by accelerating the introduction of modern arms in substantial quantities. The commercial importance of arms exports and the growing importance of strategic ties strongly situate China to help sustain processes of defence capability development in African states over the long term.     

Economic impact of the ministry of defence’s budget: methodological design and results for the Spanish economy

This article analyses the economic impact of the expenditure budget of the Spanish Ministry of Defence (MoD) and its Autonomous Agencies (AA), distinguishing direct, indirect and induced effects. The input–output methodology is used to find intersectoral effects on the rest of the economy. The article quantifies the economic impact in terms of production, gross value added (GVA), employed population, tax revenue, and also in terms of its contribution to the gross domestic product (GDP) of Spain in 2010. The results show that the activity of the MoD and AA generates 1.2% of the country’s GDP and 1.7% of total employment in that year.     

The subversion of the Bulgarian defence system – the Russian way

Russia has long been pursuing an intended and calculated policy of keeping enough influence in Bulgaria in order to have control over national decisions. Together with the economic, energy, political and information tools used by Russia in its hybrid war against Bulgaria and in its bid to achieve an enduring “state capture,” defence is also a distinct target of Russian subversion now. A list of noticeable subversive actions with tangible effects can be summarised, ranging from fuelling division and manipulating public opinion, preventing the strengthening of the NATO position in the Black Sea, sabotaging defence reform to various options of subverting the modernisation of the Bulgarian Armed Forces and seeking new ways to keep legacy Soviet military equipment in operation as long as possible. This issue must be urgently addressed both nationally and in NATO.     

Addressing the “headwinds” faced by the European arms industry

ABSTRACT

The European arms industry is challenged by several adverse “headwinds.” Fragmentation leads to costly duplications and, in conjunction with stagnating budgets and sharply increasing costs, prevents firms from exploiting economies of scale and learning. This is exacerbated by size differentials vis-a-vis the leading US arms manufacturers and competition from emerging producers. As some “headwinds” are self-enforcing, far-reaching industrial and policy responses are required to improve the industry's outlook. As exports may not indefinitely compensate for low domestic demand, there is an economic imperative for further cross-border collaboration and consolidation. Despite various EU policy initiatives, progresses regarding the European Defence Equipment Market and strengthening the European Defence Technological Industrial Base have been relatively slow. It remains to be seen whether the European Defence Fund will be the proclaimed “game-changer,” raising competitiveness of the European arms industry. At the same time, the UK's withdrawal from the EU adds uncertainties.     

摆动喷管控制精度相关问题讨论

对不同性质的喷管特点以及在控制力作用下喷管的响应特性进行了初步分析;以某防空导弹为例,阐述了摆动喷管在非理想状态下摆动时作动器牵连运动、正负摆角不对称、力臂变化、摆心漂移、位移传递系数精度和预调角对摆角控制的影响;同时说明了负载力矩和伺服机构相关参数影响着摆动喷管位置控制精度。     

舰艇编队反导作战评估模型研究

通过剖析舰艇编队反导作战的内容及层次,引入层次分析法,对编队反导作战方案进行定量评估,从而找出较优化的编队反导作战方案,以有限的反导资源获取最大的反导作战效益。