Bringing Military Conduct out of the Shadow of Law: Towards a Holistic Understanding of Rules of Engagement

In this article, I outline a holistic approach to the military concept of “Rules of Engagement” (ROE), which complements the legal aspects of ROE with considerations of operational and political requirements for the use of military force. Drawing upon two illustrative cases from the US military experience with the use of ROE, I demonstrate that ROE for any particular military operation should be formulated to balance optimally, if not harmonize fully, the legal, operational and political concerns related to the use of force. In this task, political decision-makers and military practitioners alike are confronted with unavoidable and real-life dilemmas. How these dilemmas are handled has significant implications for how legal requirements concerning accountability and concerns for civilian lives in military combat can be preserved through ROE.     

The fateful phoenix: the revival of Al-Qa’ida in Iraq

Although the Islamic State in Iraq and al-Sham (ISIS) is seen as a novel manifestation of Islamic extremism, it is in fact the latest, albeit perhaps the most effective, of a long line of revivalist movements in the Islamic and the Arab worlds. Its motivations – hisba and jihad – differ little from its predecessors and its ambitions – to create a state organised in accordance with the precepts of the Islamic caliphate – reflect a long-standing Islamic ambition. It differs, of course, in terms of the sophistication of its political and military strategies, which mirror the contemporary complexities of the world in which it operates, but its objectives recall long-standing Islamic ideals, even if articulated in radically brutal and extremist ways. More importantly, perhaps, ISIS or Da’ish, to give it its Arabic sobriquet, reflects the enormous degree of resentment inside the Middle East at the ways in which Western powers have intervened in regional affairs over recent years, particularly their support for regimes and economic systems there that have betrayed, in the popular imaginary, the essential principles of social justice that lie at the root of Islamic vision of ideal social order. Indeed, in many respects, its analysis of the world in which it operates and of the objectives it seeks differ little in essence from those any other resistance and rejectionist movement, whether religious or sectarian. More specifically, it has been the sectarian conflict that resulted from the reversal of political order in Iraq as a result of the 2003 American-led invasion that has driven the success of the movement in capturing widespread Sunni support. Whether it can manage the complexities of the administration of a state remains open to question.     

Merely ‘Docile Self-Deception’? German Experiences with Nuclear Consultation in NATO

ABSTRACT

Recent nuclear-weapons-related consultation in NATO within the framework of the Defence and Deterrence Posture Review sheds light on historical experiences with nuclear consultation in NATO. In the early years of the Nuclear Planning Group (NPG), which became the main forum for multilateral nuclear consultation in the alliance, developing a nuclear weapons first use doctrine was of particular importance. This process led to the adoption of the Provisional Political Guidelines (PPGs) on the threat to initiate the use of nuclear weapons. With a focus on West Germany as the primary addressee of the NPG, it will be postulated that nuclear consultation functioned and may still be seen as an essential tool to manage the credibility of US extended nuclear deterrence in the framework of NATO.     

一种高速实时数据采集处理系统设计

针对目前高速数据采集中的实时性和同步性问题,提出了一种高速实时数据采集处理设计方案。根据上述方案进行了系统的硬件和软件设计,该系统以FPGA器件作为下位机控制核心,设计了时钟同步、数据采集、数据处理、数据缓存、数据通讯等功能模块;整个系统采用ARM微处理器作为上位机控制核心,基于嵌入式Linux 2.6内核进行软件编程,负责向FPGA发送设置参数和控制指令,同时对数据前端采样和处理数据进行存储、显示、统计等。经测试验证,该方案具有高速率、高精度、同步测量、实时处理、体积小、功耗低等优点。     

基于反步法的高超声速飞行器终端滑模控制

为了使高超声速飞行器在再入过程中完成姿态控制,在反步法的基础上将模糊自适应和终端滑模控制相结合设计控制器。对于姿态角动态,使用反步法和模糊自适应设计虚拟控制律;而对于角速率动态,利用终端滑模方法设计控制器,能够有效提高系统鲁棒性。稳定性分析说明所提方法可以保证系统状态的一致渐进有界性。     

一类带时滞的非线性兰彻斯特战斗模型的分析

基于非线性兰彻斯特方程的一般形式和现代战争的特点,考虑到时间因素在现代战争中的巨大作用,建立并讨论了一类带时滞的非线性兰彻斯特战斗模型。通过定性分析,得到了模型的平衡点及其稳定性,证明了原模型解的存在唯一性,并给出了解的存在区域。战例分析结果表明该模型能用来描述现代战争。因此,该模型对研究现代战争的战斗进程、武器发展规划、现代军事练兵等都具有一定的参考价值。     

基于参数自适应CS模型的机动目标跟踪算法

为提高对机动目标的跟踪精度,提出一种基于参数自适应当前统计(CS)模型的跟踪算法。即利用加速度增量与位移的关系,自适应调整加速度方差,根据量测残差的统计距离判别目标机动特性,并调整模型的机动频率和滤波器增益系数,提高算法模型与目标机动模式的匹配程度。仿真结果表明,基于参数自适应CS模型跟踪算法能够较好地改善对强机动目标的跟踪性能。     

基于粒子滤波的目标跟踪抗野值算法

运用粒子滤波对目标位置进行跟踪时,测量数据的异常突变点、目标的机动转弯、粒子数量的制约和重要性密度函数的优劣都会导致估计误差较大的野值出现,这将严重影响雷达对目标的跟踪精度。现有的野值剔除方法在目标发生机动时,都存在误剔率较高的问题。针对这个问题,采用莱特准则与机动门限准则相结合的方法,提出了不确定观测点的概念,设计了一种适用于机动目标的抗野值粒子滤波算法。仿真结果表明,该方法能较好地检测和更新野值,降低跟踪误差,提高跟踪精度。     

基于案例推理的指挥实体任务规划高维解空间适应性问题研究?

利用案例推理对指挥实体任务规划过程中决策问题求解方法的修正过程是该方法推理过程中最困难的阶段,尤其当决策问题解空间是多维的情况下。讨论了指挥实体任务规划过程中高维决策空间的修正问题,并提出了可行的解决方法。首先,利用自组织匹配法清晰展现问题空间与决策空间的映射过程,然后,利用反向传播神经网络分析匹配结果间的相关性问题,最后,选取一个简化的军事剧情对该方法的合理性进行验证。     

无人机自主控制应用需求及研究发展分析

随着无人机装备的快速普及,自主控制技术越来越成为提高无人机系统生存能力、适应能力和任务完成能力的重要因素。通过对无人机实战场景和使用需求的分析,提出近期对自主控制技术应用的重要需求是提高无人机感知能力和对故障及飞行状态的适应性。分析了当前自主控制技术在外部态势、内部态势和适应性飞行控制方面的研究和应用现状。最后,根据对应用需求的分析和当前相关技术的发展应用情况的考察,提出了无人机适应性自主控制的技术框架。