Are non‐lethal weapons a viable military option to strengthen the hearts and minds approach in Afghanistan?

Commanders of the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) have repeatedly stressed the hearts and minds approach in Afghanistan, in saying that the human terrain is decisive for a successful outcome of the mission. Avoidance of civilian casualties is considered of strategic importance, and by nature highly dependent on the management of tactical level Escalation of Force (EoF) situations. Non‐lethal weapons (NLWs) are expected to enable tactical commanders to avoid innocent civilian casualties in such situations. This article considers a selected NLW on its potential to accomplish this requirement. It uses a defence technology assessment approach to analyse EoF situations experienced by Dutch ISAF forces in which the NLW is inserted. The analysis demonstrates that a range of contextual factors in the Afghanistan high‐risk environment tend to narrow down the window of opportunity for the NLW to help defuse the risk of unintended civil casualties.     

武器装备体系结构描述方法

在明确武器装备体系相关概念、特点的基础上,总结比较了目前体系结构描述方法和工具的优缺点,针对新形式对武器装备体系结构描述方法的选择提出了要求,并指出了武器装备体系要解决的\"短板\"问题。     

武器装备体系评价指标系统研究

近年来,武器装备体系研究成了复杂系统问题的一个研究热点,然而对它的评价方法、评价指标等方面的内容还处于争议状态。针对武器装备体系评价指标问题进行了系统分析,提出了建立装备体系评价指标系统的原则;根据原则给出了一个装备体系评价指标系统的框架,并对框架中各个指标的意义进行了说明。而要把这些指标综合起来,即将多指标转化成单指标的问题,就要用到系统效用分析方法,此方法在作者的其他文章中有详细的论述。     

核电站运行诊断系统探讨

根据国外核电站诊断系统的现状,简要叙述其基本组成及工作过程,分析了运行诊断系统在核动力方面的应用前景,提出了加强核电站运行诊断系统应用有效性的几个问题。     

复杂战场环境下的防空反导光学成像制导技术

光学成像制导技术是提升精确制导武器防空反导能力的核心技术之一,对提高复杂战场环境下精确制导武器的防空反导能力具有十分重要的作用。针对复杂战场环境下防空反导的需求,首先深入分析了各种复杂战场环境要素给光学成像制导武器带来的挑战,然后对未来光学成像制导技术发展趋势进行预测,最后结合我国光学成像制导技术发展现状,介绍了未来几年间需重点探索的几种新型光学成像制导技术。     

Indian Military Modernization and Conventional Deterrence in South Asia

In recent years, headline grabbing increases in the Indian defense budget have raised concerns that India’s on-going military modernization threatens to upset the delicate conventional military balance vis-à-vis Pakistan. Such an eventuality is taken as justification for Islamabad’s pursuit of tactical-nuclear weapons and other actions that have worrisome implications for strategic stability on the subcontinent. This article examines the prospects for Pakistan’s conventional deterrence in the near to medium term, and concludes that it is much better than the pessimists allege. A host of factors, including terrain, the favorable deployment of Pakistani forces, and a lack of strategic surprise in the most likely conflict scenarios, will mitigate whatever advantages India may be gaining through military modernization. Despite a growing technological edge in some areas, Indian policymakers cannot be confident that even a limited resort to military force would achieve a rapid result, which is an essential pre-condition for deterrence failure.     

基于体系对抗仿真的装甲装备体系效能评估

针对体系效能评估中仿真结果数据的转化和聚合问题,提出采用效用函数方法加以解决。首先构建了装甲装备体系作战效能的层次化指标体系,在此基础上,引入效用函数对仿真数据进行转化,然后通过加权求和得到体系的整体作战效能和作战能力。最后,通过装甲装备体系对抗仿真和效能评估实例,说明了该方法用于解决体系效能评估问题的可行性和有效性。     

The Problem of Weak Nuclear States

Governments are increasingly recognizing the problem posed by internally weak nuclear-capable states. The problem, however, is under-theorized. This article brings together literature on sovereignty and international order, the nonproliferation regime, and weak states, and introduces new concepts to provide a more structured understanding of this problem. Insight comes from focusing attention on the function and governance of two nuclear estates (termed the production and operational estates), and on their resilience to decay and disorder occurring within the state and society. Drawing on empirical observation, the authors suggest a typology of weakness in nuclear states, involving state fragmentation typified by the former Soviet Union, the “hard weak state” typified by North Korea, and the internally conflicted state typified by Pakistan. Although these types give rise to distinctive difficulties, their alleviation depends heavily on the maintenance of internal authority within the state and estates, the presence or absence of cooperative relations, and the international regulatory framework's vitality.