Doctrine
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Manoeuvre Is Dead – But It Can Be Revived: Overcoming Stalemates By Gaining Competitive Advantage
Abstract: Technological innovations such as ubiquitous drones have led to a stalemate in the current war in Ukraine. Western observers who see the war of attrition as a disadvantage ask whether it can be transformed into a war of manoeuvre. We argue that this is only possible if the West succeeds in exploiting competitive advantage… Read More
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The Relevance Of Positional Warfare In The Manoeuvrist Approach
Abstract: Manoeuvre warfare, while still valuable, is insufficient on its own to address the complexities of contemporary and future conflicts. The war in Ukraine, characterised by static front lines and attritional tactics, highlights its limitations. Military strategies must evolve to integrate both manoeuvre and positional warfare. A flexible, hybrid approach, combining elements of manoeuvre, positional,… Read More
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Manoeuvre Warfare: A Self-Inflicted Lack Of Common Understanding
Abstract: There is a lack of common understanding of the NATO doctrinal concepts of manoeuvre warfare and the manoeuvrist approach among practitioners and students. One reason is that after 30 years of stability and counterterrorism operations, NATO is now facing a perceived return to peer-to-peer conflict without fully considering the changes in context. Another is… Read More
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Manoeuvre Is Dead – Long Live The Manoeuvrist Approach!
Abstract: The current Russian campaign in Ukraine suggests that due to the ongoing Attrition Warfare, the Manoeuvrist Approach is becoming obsolete. Against this backdrop, the role of the operational level in accordance with military doctrine in terms of the general approach towards warfare is being examined. There is a focus on the linkage of these… Read More
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The Development Of Russia’s Hybrid War Doctrine
Abstract: The Russo-Ukrainian war has shown that the Russian Hybrid War Doctrine, in its real essence, is not about military technology at all – it is a collection of covert special operations. This war is regional in terms of territory but not in terms of its influence on global geopolitics and the development of hybrid… Read More
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Clausewitzian Theory Of War In The Age Of Cognitive Warfare
Abstract: We can reconceptualise warfare by contrasting Clausewitz with the modern practice of cognitive warfare, as evidenced by Ukraine’s defence methodologies. The strategic orchestration of ‘infopolitik’ and the sophisticated use of social media can shape narratives and public perception. This article revisits Clausewitz’s tenet of war as a political instrument and juxtaposes it with contemporary… Read More
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There Is No Need For A Cognitive Domain
Abstract: Cognitive Warfare is gaining ground in the strategic and operational debate. Accordingly, there are various calls for the introduction of a cognitive domain. The partitioning of warfare into operational domains within the framework of Multi-Domain Operations (MDO) effectively reduces the complexity of military decision models as long as the majority of dependencies occur within… Read More
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Deception In The 21st Century
Abstract: In the hybrid-digitalised conflicts of the 21st century, military deception is more relevant than ever. The invasion of Ukraine in February 2022 has shown the world how resolutely the battle for the narrative in the information space is being fought. Modern technologies offer new possibilities for deceiving the enemy and the public. Commanders and… Read More
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A Primer On The Functional Trinity Of The Information Environment
Abstract: Modern war is a complex endeavour. Operations have effects on several domains simultaneously and are not limited to the operational domains of land, air, sea, cyber and space. The information environment, with its three dimensions (informational, physical and cognitive), is a conceptual link between the MPECI instruments of power and the classic operational domains.… Read More
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Major Pete Ellis’s Amphibious Operational Theory And The Marine Corps
Abstract: Major Pete Ellis shaped the United States Marine Corps with his mentor, General John Archer Lejeune. Marine Commandant Lejeune utilised Ellis’s works to define the future of the Marine Corps. Ellis also influenced the United States Navy and the United States Army with his amphibious operational theory. Like the 1940s, the United States military… Read More
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