The challenges of the transformation of the Armed Forces to the

communication and information technologies in coalition operations

Lt. Col. Mario Stefanov Angelov, Ph. D.

6th NATO CIS Symposium, Sofia, October 18, 2006

RAKOVSKI DEFENSE AND STAFF COLLEGEDefence Advanced Research Institute

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Background: The facesof new generation of non-contact wars

• The paradigm of modern menaces

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INTRODUCTION

• NATO adaptation proved critical for its successful

development and for stability as well.

• The adaptation of NATO is associated not only with the

instruments that settle with, but also with its general

goals and the rules that determine the cooperation.

• The appearance of novel menaces after the end of the

Cold War stumped interceding general opinion about the

safety.

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GLOBAL MENACESGLOBAL MENACES

• The development of the weapons specifies in a

core degree the head characteristics of the

wars.

• Development in the advanced information

technologies - shows that not only tactical and

military strategic advantage should be

expected namely here, but appearance of

perfectly novel, non-contact expedients for

waging war.

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GLOBAL MENACESGLOBAL MENACES

The wars of the last generation will require:

• Unified weapons management system and the

armies;

• Unified high accurate defeating means with a

different range and base;

• Hard limiting and even ending the use of the

modern assets of active radar for intelligence and

rule of the forces and the means and their

development to novelties.

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GLOBAL MENACESGLOBAL MENACES

• An information confrontation in huge order; additional

increasing the role and the point of radio - electronic

struggle.

• Strong applied exploitation of the accomplishments in

sensors in combining of new methods of their use.

• Using new kinds of weapons with new physical

principles of behavior: geophysical methods with military

destination, psychotropic and genetic weapon, anti-

substance, extrasensory phenomena and others.

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COMMUNICATION AND INFORMATION SUPPORT

An information advantage over the adversary will be achieved through:

• Information superiority;• Supremacy at reconnaissance and striking

complexes and systems; • An opportunity for massive and continuous use in

high immediate weapon with variously basing;• Reliable information protection; • Continuous management of the forces and the

means with using automated information systems;

• Applying unknown new technologies.

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COMMUNICATION AND INFORMATION SUPPORT

A transformation alone is needed due to the following considerations:

• A new approach of construction and control of the armed forces is necessary in the conditions of information society chiefly;

• The asymmetrical threats necessitate search of new approaches in solving the conflicts;

• There is clearly expressed striving for gaining advantage on using the opportunities of the information technologies.

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COMMUNICATION AND INFORMATION SUPPORT

The threats of 21-century will follow not from regular armies of the different countries but of various kinds of terrorists, criminal, clientele and other organizations, whose participants unite in network structure. These organizations do not have clearly carried hierarchical submission and coordinate their actions through the global communications. Their distinguishing particularity is the one strategic goal and the lack of clear tactical planning. A special term surfaced to designate similar structures – Segmented Polycentric Ideologically Integrated Network. The role and the position of the armed forces are being rebelled in great degree of the conditions of such threats. A stress is being given frequently to holding unmilitary operations (Operation Other Than War).

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COMMUNICATION AND INFORMATION SUPPORT

"Information counteraction" or “the information war” will be expressed in conflict of the countries about excellence of the amount, the quality and the speed of obtaining, analysis and the use of information. Because the information battle is being differentiated as solitary fight action in future follows that it will mean well two countries: defensive and offensive.

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MILITARY TRANSFORMATION The military transformation of the coalition requests

to a great degree transfer of new engineering, technologies, doctrines and structures as well as revolution in the military deeds for conducting military operations.

The military transformation is active endless process that is being reflected on the soldiers, the technique and the technologies, so as well on the structures and the forces of conduct military operations.

In this wise NATO does not only monitor the transformations in the armed forces of the NATO - members, but it transforms itself as well.

As being mentioned already, NATO is not the single structure for security that needs change.

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MILITARY TRANSFORMATION

It is necessary that the NATO countries develop forces, able to open fast where it is necessary. From another country, the degree of insecurity needed to be reduced and the policy-making stability being strengthened. This double approach specified three parts of act:

• First item was building partnerships in the area of the security with goal the zone of stability in Europe is being extended;

• The second component is the volition of NATO to use force in regulation of crises and maintaining the stability - first on the Balkans and now in middle Asia as well;

• The third element is restructuring the armed forces, inhered by the Cold War.

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CONCLUSION In conclusion some important trends for

countries of coalition operations should be stressed:

• Aware, announced as well as documented need of a brand new conception of safety;

• Discovering the differences between the myths and the realities of the future conflicts and the roles of the armed forces of them.

• Acculturation, cognition and will policy to be made, adequate on the realities of the world and the put goals.

• Essential transformation of the armed forces.

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Thank you for your attention!Thank you for your attention!