“Respect” as a personal attribute in the British Army

This article describes the results of research into the social phenomenon of “respect” as framed by junior members of the British Army, as part of a wider study into the Values and Standards of the British Army. This research was interview based, using qualitative analysis software to detect, manage, and draw conclusions from the qualitative data recorded in those interviews. The data indicated that the primary situation in which “respect” was visualised by the participants was the unit context, and that it comprised a combination of three different strands: respect for rank or “hierarchical respect,” “professional respect” for a person's military competence, and “personal respect” for an individual's character, personal behaviour, and attributes. The overall respect that an individual is given arises from the combination of these three areas. “Respect” as a concept was, in the soldiers’ characterisation, something that had to be earned (except for the “given” represented by rank) and was not stable: a person's fund of respect could go up or down in social value. Respect was also linked to trust: the more respect a person had, the more they could be trusted. Although the unit context was the primary one for discussing their framing of the concept of respect, many of the participants reported a wider dimension in which every human being deserves a basic level of respect simply for being human, and this level could not be forfeited.     

White hull or white elephant? Soft power and the Chinese hospital ship,the Peace Ark

Although soft power is now seen as an indispensable foreign policy tool, its efficacy has rarely been put to a rigorous empirical test. Using data from HARMONIOUS MISSIONs 2010, 2011 and 2013, this article seeks to examine the degree to which the soft power engagement missions of the Chinese hospital ship, the Peace Ark, has advanced Chinese interests. Although any conclusions drawn must be considered preliminary, as so little time has passed between the ship's visits and the current analysis, this research indicates that these missions’ impact on advancing Chinese interests was at best limited. Although observations from a single set of cases are unlikely to settle the debate between soft power advocates and detractors, it is hoped that this research will serve as a catalyst to further empirically based research on this topic.     

Sexual and gender-based violence in the Democratic Republic of Congo

Commitment by the government of the Democratic Republic of Congo to addressing sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV) in the country is reflected in a number of international commitments and national strategies. This article traces the (slow) progress in addressing some of the most important issues relating to SGBV to which the government has committed itself. It argues that unless the underlying gender norms and unequal power relations that form the basis of gender violence, discrimination and inequality in Congolese society are addressed, SGBV will persist.     

Musket,Rank and File for Foot Guards,Lovell’s Pattern of 1838. Ne’er a Shot Fired in Anger?

The Pattern 1838 Musket was initially designed for the rank and file of the British army, it was instead issued to the elite Foot Guards. With arguably the lowest survival rate of any 19th Century British military firearm it is one of the rarest muskets to encounter today. This is its story …     

反导作战多传感器任务规划技术

多传感器任务规划技术是反导作战中的重要研究内容之一,即解决如何发挥多维传感器资源的互补优势,构建"传感器-目标-任务"序列,以实现整体执行效果最优。基于JDL信息融合模型深入剖析了反导作战多传感器任务规划体系结构及其信息交互。在此基础上,结合反导作战特点,从应用和理论研究两个方面分别对多传感器任务规划技术进行了叙述。     

某型坦克炮常规弹药高原环境下打击效能试验

根据某型坦克炮所配备的制式常规弹药在高原的适应性试验情况,分析了该型坦克炮作战使用的主要弹种穿甲弹和杀伤爆破弹在高海拔条件下的外弹道状态,将平原地区与高原地区的测试数据进行了对比计算,对该型坦克炮配备的穿甲弹和杀伤爆破弹在高海拔条件下的打击效能加以分析和评估,为其在高原环境下作战和使用的打击效能提供参考依据。     

基于网络结构的武器装备体系能力分析

现代战争以及从"平台为中心"转向以"网络为中心",强调的是通过各类武器平台通过相互之间的协作配合而形成作战网络来实现体系能力。从宏观和微观两个角度分析了武器装备体系能力的实现机理,构建了武器装备体系的作战网络结构模型,给出了作战网络结构模型中的节点类型和关系类型,提出了能力环的概念,从作战网络结构的角度对武器装备体系的整体能力进行了分析,并给出了具体算例。     

维修性试验验前信息融合方法

针对小子样维修性试验因数据异总体而导致验前信息融合精度低的问题,提出了基于信息可用度的验前信息折合模型,解决了因数据异总体无法融合的问题;利用随机加权法对验前分布参数进行了拟合,准确地表述了验前分布;提出了基于支持度的融合权值确定方法,提高了各验前分布融合权值分配的合理性;最后,通过某装备维修性试验验前信息融合实例,表明了该方法具有一定的工程应用价值。     

无源雷达截获概率建模与窗口变量影响仿真

在截获概率概念和截获条件的基础上,综合时域、空域、频域等窗口函数构建截获概率模型,分别建立截获过程的4个窗口函数子模型,研究截获概率与窗口函数变量的影响关系。以SPS-48雷达为辐射源,仿真分析各窗口函数变量对截获概率的影响程度,讨论分区策略下无源雷达参数优化对截获概率的影响并总结截获概率提高方法,为无源雷达设计、研制、试验以及使用提供技术支撑。