Fighter aircraft acquisition in Croatia: failure of policy delivery

The possibility for Croatia to obtain new fighter aircraft is not new, as this option has been publicly debated for at least a decade. A sudden decision to advance the acquisition of a limited number of fighter aircraft was made in 2017 with an international tendering process concluding in early 2018. Through open source material, this paper will look at this procurement process by examining the relationship between policy and strategic thinking on the one side, and policy delivery on the other, and evaluate why the tendering process failed in achieving envisaged results. The paper concludes that the problems facing the Croatian aircraft acquisition process stem from at least two interrelated factors: firstly, at the operational level, the failure of the procurement was the direct result of mismanaged tendering procedures linked to the wider public administration reform process; and secondly, at the strategic level, inherently complex civil-military relations and related cultural aspects which have not been adequately addressed over the past decades. The result was a failure to deliver on government policy, something which this paper argues will need to be addressed over the medium to long term.     

装备技术人才军民融合定制化培训模式

本文依托军民融合国家战略基础,对比国内外发展现状,分析现行培训形式的不足之处,梳理军民融合式培训需求,将军民融合理念贯穿人才培训全过程。针对军事体制调整后的专业技师和工程师等专业技术骨干,形成一套培训要求“专业化”对接、培训师资“军学研”共建、培训内容“菜单式”定制、培训样式“多手段”并举以及培训效果“递进式”发挥的装备技术人才军民融合定制化培训模式,并且有针对性地提出军民融合基地化培训的建设框架,从培训管理、培训实施等方面提出方法,为部队拓宽专业技术人才培训通道,实现被动式培训向主动式培训转变,提高装备实战化保障能力提供借鉴和指导。     

军民融合创新示范区产业集聚问题与对策

军民融合创新示范区是军民融合产业发展的重要载体,推动军民融合创新示范区产业集聚发展是军民融合深度发展的必然要求,也是建设现代产业体系的重要抓手。本文通过总结梳理军民融合产业集聚发展的历史演变,分析当前军民融合创新示范区产业集聚现状及发展中存在的主要问题,并提出加强产业集聚发展的对策建议。     

基于军民融合的军事信息资源效能转化

军事信息资源效能转化的强弱,事关军队信息化建设和军队战斗力生成,需要引起高度重视。本文阐述军民融合对军事信息效能转化工作的巨大推动力,并通过分析当前制约军民融合军事信息资源效能转化的内因和外因,提出完善军民融合军事信息资源效能转化工作的措施建议。     

A reply to Larry cable

Recent counterinsurgency experiences in Iraq and Afghanistan have demonstrated that the local operating environment often is dominated by indigenous power-holders. As counterinsurgents seek to establish control over the local population, collaboration with these agents has become an essential aspect of contemporary counterinsurgency. Although the practice of constructing collaborative relationships with indigenous power-holders might be perceived as unconventional by today's counterinsurgents, the approach itself goes back to the colonial era in which modern counterinsurgency has its roots. This article explores the dynamics, benefits, and dangers of collaborative relationships with indigenous power-holders by analysing an infamous episode in Dutch colonial history, the case of the collaboration between Dutch colonial authorities and warlord Teuku Uma during the Aceh War (1873–1913). This relationship ended in disaster for the Dutch as Uma departed their side at the moment he had become their pivotal asset in the local political landscape. The article explains that the Dutch succeeded to co-opt Uma, but failed to control him as they lacked the will and means to do so. Furthermore this case study provides an insight in the way the Dutch colonial authorities dealt with the complex process of intelligence-gathering in a fragmented indigenous society.     

Research communication

A UK House of Commons Defence Committee (HCDC) Report on the Gulf War recommended that the UK should be self‐sufficient in supporting its Armed Forces in times of crisis and not even rely on its Allies. This recommendation is at odds with UK Government policy which rejects any formal strategy of support for the defence industrial base preferring international open competition as its procurement philosophy. This paper examines the various factors ranging from the supply of raw materials, production capacity, stockpiling, international joint ventures, and competition through to the effects on the technological update of weapon systems resulting from this philosophy. It draws conclusions supporting the HCDC recommendation and calls for joint MOD‐Industry action to address the issues involved and thereby reduce the risks to the Defence of the Realm.     

Fragmented forces: The development of the Gambian military

This article provides a detailed look at the history of the Gambia Armed Forces (GAF), a military that has received very little academic attention within the study of African state security forces. It identifies key turning points in the GAF’s history, and highlights the vastly different roles the military played in the state under President Jawara (1965–94) and President Jammeh (1994–2017). Yet, it also highlights important similarities regarding internal patterns within the armed forces and shows the ways in which these continuities may challenge attempts to restructure the security sector. The article draws on archival research and interviews conducted with retired and active duty Gambian military personnel, government officials, and Gambian scholars.     

美国创新体系军民深度融合发展特点及启示

美国具有全球最为先进的军事科技实力、军事科技创新能力和国防保障能力,美国的科技创新体系具有军民融合深度发展的特点,在军民融合创新发展上没有明显的时间滞后,是世界上军民融合科技创新体系发展最好的典型样板国家。论文梳理分析美国国防创新系统及其特点,分析美国国防科技经费预算、研究方向和项目流程,研究分析美国促进军民融合创新与发展的制度保障体系,总结美国创新体系中军民深度融合发展的特点,解析美国军民融合发展中的典型案例、各自成功的模式和主要经验,并结合我国军民融合发展的实际情况提出建议。     

提高陆军合成部队指挥人员装备作战运用能力的几点思考

美国民营航天运输公司Space X创立十余年来,发展成绩斐然。与此同时,Space X是美国航天领域军民融合的一个侧影,其迅猛的发展历程反映出美国在航天领域以国家政策为牵引,以技术融合为抓手,以商业计划为支撑的军民融合发展特点,同时启示我国军民融合应通过强化政府搭台、宏观调控、物尽其用、绩效评估,以加速形成体制机制"军民互通"、军工市场"军民共荣"、基础资源"军民共享"、监督管理"军民共管"的繁荣持续的军民融合深度发展局面。     

我国军民融合研究热点知识图谱

论文试图通过近26年来军民融合研究的主要理论成果,总结出当前军民融合问题的研究热点和未来的发展方向。利用818篇有效文献和共词分析方法,绘制出军民融合聚类系谱图和热点知识图谱。研究发现,推进军品生产体系和军工企业绩效的改革,实现国防工业的转型升级、以技术创新驱动国防科技和武器装备建设不断发展、充分利用军地资源建立长期新型通识类和联合作战人才培养规划是军民融合问题的研究热点和重点;国防知识产权和自主创新相关问题尚未得到足够的重视;航天工业和卫星应用等方面研究未来需要与其他方向紧密结合。军民融合领域未来的研究应继续关注军民融合热点问题,重视隐蔽方向和未来军民融合的发展方向,加强跨专业领域、军民两地合作研究。