‘Responsibility to protect’ and the African Union: Assessing the AU’s capacity to respond to regional complex humanitarian and political emergencies

Despite its many institutional and political weaknesses and limitations, the African Union (AU) has been developing a variety of tools and mechanisms to respond effectively to complex disasters and emergencies (both natural and manmade) by building up a comprehensive regional security architecture. Furthermore, it has become the first and only regional or international organisation to enshrine the principle of ‘responsibility to protect’ (R2P) in its Constitutive Act. This regional approach to and formal endorsement of the R2P principle allowed it to assume a particular place in the promotion of peace and security in its area. This article aims to critically assess the effectiveness of the AU on the African continent by exploring its real capacity in preventing and responding to emergencies and violent conflicts, and therefore in rendering the principle of R2P operational. The article argues that the formalisation of principles does not necessarily mean their effective implementation. The organisation's use of the R2P principle is also greatly conditioned by internal and external factors.     

The relevance of the Gulf of Guinea in global energy politics

Africa and for that matter the Gulf of Guinea cannot be indifferent to the global energy politics of the 21st century. The increasing importance of the region has attracted major actors in the energy sector. The competing interests of these actors are played out in various forms. This heightened interest in the region, especially with the discovery of oil in huge commercial quantities, has brought the importance of the area into focus in global oil politics. This paper looks at the importance of the region in light of the huge energy potentials of the Gulf of Guinea and how the institution of proper governance systems could serve as an important factor in ensuring the proper management of the resource.     

Reserve forces and the transformation of British military organisation: soldiers,citizens and society

In recent years, there has been a sharp growth in political and sociological interest in the British military. Set against the backdrop of the armed forces’ increasing presence in everyday life, alongside the organizations’ ongoing restructuring, the current paper focuses on the MoD’s problematic attempts to recruit 30,000 reservists by 2020; what has become known as the Future Reserves 2020 programme (FR2020). We argue that these changes are driven in part by the need to cut costs in defence. However, we also suggest that they are a reflection of the changing nature of modern military organisation, and the manner in which armed forces engage with the societies of which they are a part, and with the citizens that make up that society. We locate FR2020 programme in the context of a wider narrative about the changing nature of military organisation in contemporary western democracies, identifying structural, circumstantial and normative reasons for change. We also examine the specific challenges of implementing FR2020 in practice, including issues of recruitment and retention, integration and support, and relations with families and employers, drawing on the experience of comparator countries to do so. We conclude by considering the implications of these changes, both for the future of UK armed forces, and for the evolving nature of military-society relations in Britain.     

基于建模仿真的靶标验证与确认方法研究

在武器系统试验鉴定中,靶标模拟威胁目标的逼真程度直接关系到试验结果的可信度,关系到靶场试验质量和效益。因此,在武器系统试验鉴定中科学规范地选择靶标、评估靶标对试验结果的影响至关重要。本文分析在试验选靶中进行靶标验证和确认的需求,解析相关概念,阐述了建模仿真对靶标的验证和确认的重要作用;以空中靶标为例,重点研究基于建模仿真的靶标验证与确认方法。     

高功率微波车辆迫停的效应机理分析

通过分析车辆电子控制单元输出的点火开关和燃油喷射信号波形在高功率微波辐射条件下的演变过程,阐明了高功率微波致使车辆发动机熄火的原因。研究结果表明,电子控制单元受到微波辐射扰乱后,点火开关信号发生意外丢失,燃油喷射信号脉冲重复周期迅速缩短,造成发动机气缸内喷入过量燃油,火花塞无法点燃油气混合物,迫使发动机转速下降甚至熄火。通过分析车辆发动机的点火系统工作原理,提出了根据监测车体辐射电磁信号获取车辆易受攻击的敏感频段的试验思路。     

基于信息-决策影响因素的兰彻斯特作战模型?

为有效评估信息因素和决策因素对现代作战进程的影响,改进了传统的兰彻斯特方程作战模型,通过引入信息获取能力指数和筹划决策能力指数,建立了基于信息-决策影响因素的兰彻斯特作战模型,并分3种假设情况进行了仿真。仿真结果表明,该作战模型一定程度上反映了信息因素和决策因素对作战的影响,体现了现代作战的基本致胜机理。     

基于 DoDAF 电子对抗训练导控系统体系结构设计

电子对抗训练导控系统是集电子对抗部队训练导调、指挥、控制、裁决、评估和管理等功能需求于一体的综合性军事信息系统。依据美国防部体系结构框架标准规范,结合电子对抗训练需求,按照结构化的设计方法,对电子对抗训练导控系统体系结构进行了初步设计,包括系统功能定位、指挥关系、指挥流程和接口关系等,希望为系统建设提供参考借鉴。     

基于二元语义和比较得分算子的敏捷指挥控制决策表达方法?

敏捷指挥控制是应对现代战场复杂多变特点和快速响应要求的有效途径。在指控群体决策中,为了实现指控的敏捷性,决策成员应当尽可能快速准确地表达自己的决策信息,以利于决策信息迅速集结和提高决策质量。针对利用二元语义分析方法进行决策时决策者很难精确给出符号转移值的问题,提出一种基于比较得分算子的符号转移值确定方法,对于多个备选方案被评价到同一语言评价等级上的情况,采用比较得分算子来确定这些方案的权重,再利用转换函数将权重转换为符号转移值。最后通过算例证明方法的有效性。     

基于系统动力学的协同决策模型性能分析

为探索信息化作战中指挥控制关键因素,提出改进作战指挥体制的对策措施,采用系统动力学理论,对协同决策的结构、参与者和信息反馈关系等关键因素进行了分析,在此基础上构建了基于系统动力学的协同决策模型并进行了模拟仿真。结果表明,增加指挥控制机构之间的信息共享可以有效提升协同决策的效率,为建立协同决策指挥控制体制提供了借鉴意义。     

轻量级SpaceFibre节点高速传输系统的优化设计

为满足卫星有效载荷间SpaceFibre链路的高带宽、高可靠性和轻量化的应用需求,提出一种SpaceFibre节点传输系统的优化设计。该设计采用基于帧累计的增量化计算方法减少了计算电路的冗余;通过四级流水架构满足了错误检测操作的时序要求,使用循环冗余校验共享机制平衡了硬件资源的使用;采取基于完整应答的双层控制策略提升了系统的可靠性,通过构建面向资源优化的控制状态机和存储架构简化了确认重传算法的实现逻辑。使用型号为XC7Z100FFG900-2的FPGA搭建双节点系统,板级验证表明:该设计满足协议规范,与同类设计方案相比,最高工作频率提高1.5倍,支持最高6.25 Gbit/s的传输速率,查找表资源和存储资源降低,寄存器资源相近,为开发具有自主知识产权的高速可靠SpaceFibre编解码器提供了参考。