An historical review of US defense strategy from Vietnam to operation Iraqi freedom

Facing nearly half a billion dollars in spending cuts over the next five years, US defense planners and strategists must simultaneously rebuild a war-weary Army weakened from over a decade of war, build new sea and air capabilities for the Pacific theater, and reduce manpower, procurement, and contractor budgets while promoting innovation. The US defense department is embarking on what may be the most sweeping period of defense transformation in recent memory. This article reviews the history of American defense transformation, focusing on an important but largely overlooked period of military innovation that began in the shadow of Vietnam and ended with troops fighting through blinding sandstorms at night on the road to Baghdad. The multifaceted transformation strategy conceived in the 1970s paved the way for a military revolution in the 1990s and enabled unprecedented battlefield adaptation in the 2000s. After reviewing the revolutionary changes that led to American dominance in conventional warfare in the 1990s, the article examines US transformation policies in the 2000s to inform defense strategy and planning efforts in the 2010s.     

【专题】“无人系统自主性与智能化”专题编者按

地空协同无人系统作为新质跨域智能作战力量已成为世界强国开展军事技术竞争的前沿方向。本文首先总结了地空协同无人系统的概念、功能及发展目标,分析了世界主要国家制定的专项规划,从形成智能作战体系、改变战场攻防平衡及全面提高作战效能三个方面阐述了地空协同无人系统对未来战争的重大意义;其次,针对其面临的环境复杂、资源受限和平台异构等约束条件,从分布式态势认知、适应性智能导航及异构系统协同控制等方面总结了地空协同无人系统需要突破的关键技术;最后,为应对智能化战争挑战,从技术瓶颈、平台建设及政策支持等方面提出发展建议。该研究可为地空协同无人系统在国防科技领域的研究、应用和发展提供参考。     

Private military contractors’ financial experiences and incentives

ABSTRACT

This article analyses findings from an original survey of 187 private military contractors on their incentives for working in the industry. Perceptions of contractors as “greedy, ruthless, and unscrupulous mercenaries” shape both public and military opinions of outsourcing and may impact U.S. military effectiveness, civil–military relations, and contractor identity. We find that contractors are motivated by a range of factors and that their financial experiences are not clearly more positive than that of state military troops. We recommend broad education of military and defense officials and the public in the U.S. and other relevant nations, regarding the true incentives of modern-day, Western contractors, in an effort to dispel misperceptions, increase effective utilisation of contractors, and beneficially shape PMC-military coordination. DoD may consider integrating such training into its current efforts to improve outsourcing, including its Joint OCS Planning and Execution Course, pre-deployment fora, and curricula of advanced military studies schools.