Dangerous work: Terrorism against U.S. diplomats

The goal of diplomats is to represent their countries’ interests through diplomacy, not arms. Because they are not military personnel, they may be perceived as at lower risk of being the target of terrorists. However, recent events have called this perception into question. Despite this danger, there has been little research on terrorist attacks against diplomats. Drawing on the terrorism studies literature, this article argues that diplomats are targeted more than non-diplomatic targets in countries where certain U.S. foreign policies are implemented. An empirical analysis of 471 attacks against U.S. diplomats from 1970 to 2011 reveals that while U.S. alliances and foreign aid increase the likelihood of attacks against diplomats, U.S. military intervention and civil war, on the other hand, increase the risk of terrorism against non-diplomatic targets. This finding is relevant because it shows terrorist attacks against diplomats result from certain types of foreign policy.     

Turkey’s strategic choice: buy or make weapons?

Turkey has been investing in its national defence industrial base since the 1980s. As with other developing countries, Turkey’s motivations for investing in national defence industries can be boiled down to the pursuit of defence autarky, economic benefits and international prestige. However, after 40 years of investment, Turkey is unable to reach the primary goals of defence industrialisation. We argue that three factors are important to understanding Turkey’s persistence in these primary goals. First, Turkey believes that there is an overall improvement in its defence industrial capabilities and the goal of autarky is still reachable. Second, increased defence exports support the belief that Turkish defence industries have become sustainable and the trend will continue in the future. The third reason, perhaps most important of all, has to do with the domestic political gains of defence industrialisation: the AKP uses defence industry and indigenous weapon systems for prestige and, therefore, garners broader support.     

The nuclear education of Donald J. Trump

During the 2016 American presidential campaign, Democrats and Republicans alike repeatedly raised concerns at the prospect of Donald Trump being in charge of America’s nuclear arsenal based on his seemingly unstable personality. Unfortunately, this emphasis on Trump’s character distracted attention from any in-depth investigation into his long-standing interest in nuclear issues. This article seeks to remedy this shortcoming by highlighting the nuclear legacy Trump will inherit from Obama, surveying his statements on nuclear issues over more than three decades, and providing an analysis of constraining factors on his administration’s nuclear agenda, particularly domestic institutions. It finds that most of Trump’s views on nuclear issues are relatively consistent with past Republican presidents. Where he is unique, however, is in his use of social media, which has potential implications on nuclear signaling.     

Perspectives for the development of key industrial capabilities for Canada’s defence sector

With the Canada First Defence Strategy, Canada has put forth a major opportunity to reconcile national security imperatives and industrial policy. The Jenkins Report (2013) set out to examine ways to use that procurement effort to foster key industrial capabilities (KICs) that would put the Canadian defence industry at an advantage both nationally and internationally. The Canadian defence industry should then develop highly focused capabilities with a view to moving up global value chains. As such, KICs that hold the best potential should be selected. They should be sustained through a range of strategies that are however contingent on the elimination of policy gaps. This leads to a balancing act between the need to control intellectual property assets versus accessing them in a world where national boundaries are eroded. Canada’s industry should target opportunities outside North America while continuing to focus on better integration with the North American industry.     

Sharing security in an era of international cooperation: unmanned aerial vehicles and the United States’ Air Force

The United States’ Air Force (USAF) has developed and used unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) technology to monitor and assassinate dangerous terrorists in Afghanistan, Iraq, Libya, Pakistan, Somalia, Syria, and Yemen. Currently, there are few countries that possess armed UAV and since the US created much of this technology, the USAF is usually part of the training that automatically accompanies the purchase of its UAVs. The research question this article attempts to answer is, “What is the extent of the United States’ Air Force assistance in the training and proliferation of UAV technology to foreign militaries?”     

How to Last Alone at the Top: US Strategic Planning for the Unipolar Era

This article investigates how key actors within the US defence policy community realigned their interests to forge a new consensus on the redirection of US defence strategy following the ‘peace shock’ they faced with the collapse of bipolarity. This consensus centred on the idea that achieving US security in the ‘age of uncertainty’ demanded overwhelming US military power, which was widely interpreted as necessitating military capabilities to fight multiple major theatre wars simultaneously against regional ‘Third World’ adversaries. This helped to preserve many of the principal pillars of US Cold War defence policy through deflecting calls for more radical organisational changes and deeper cuts to defence budgets.     

基于最优未知输入观测器的BIT降虚警技术

针对基于模型的机电控制系统BIT中的虚警问题,分析了系统中的信息不确定性和产生虚警的机理,基于最优未知输入观测器方法设计了BIT故障检测诊断系统,该系统对信息不确定性具有较强的鲁棒性,能够充分地抑制虚警。在某机电跟踪与稳定伺服平台BIT系统上进行了试验研究,结果表明机理分析正确,所提方法有效。     

战役野战油库油料输送力量优化分配研究

如何科学、合理分配战役野战油库油料输送力量是战时油料保障必须面临的一个实际问题。首先根据战役野战油库运油车分配模型得到一个运油车初始分配方案,然后运用计算机模拟技术对分配方案进行模拟,并根据模拟结果不断调整,直至得到优化的分配方案,为制定战役野战油库油料输送计划提供决策依据。     

高炮群火力优化分配的指派模型

火力优化分配是高炮群指挥控制的关键环节。依据有严格理论证明和实用价值的指派问题及其解法(匈牙利法),构建了一对一射击和多对一射击情形下的高炮群火力优化分配的指派模型,探讨了该模型的求解,分析了该模型的实际应用,并通过具体实例对该模型进行了初步验证。该模型的解法被证明是多项式时间算法,满足作战实时性要求。实际应用表明该模型用于解决高炮群的火力分配问题是有效的。     

辐射源威胁排序模糊综合评判

通过对多批目标所载辐射源的威胁程度进行排序来判断多批目标的相对威胁程度是作战辅助决策的一种重要方法。建立了辐射源脉冲重复频率、辐射源方位、辐射源脉冲宽度等辐射源威胁评判指标体系并提出各指标的优属度函数。利用模糊多属性决策理论建立了基于不完全偏好信息的对多批目标威胁大小进行综合排序的模糊综合评判模型。实例证明该模型可行、有效,且便于计算。该方法不仅适用于辐射源威胁综合排序,而且适用于其它多属性决策问题。