On 17 February, Russian forces finally captured Avdiivka - once a city of 30,000 people - just ten kilometres from Donetsk. 110th Mechanised Brigade had defended the ruins for the last two years without relief. The end came when Russian forces infiltrated the south of the city using a concealed passage offered by a man-sized water pipe feeding Done…

Precision: A History of American Warfare by James Patton Rogers is published by Manchester University Press."Precision" is an intellectual history of America's pursuit of the titular objective - how to target adversaries, their militaries, and their infrastructure with pinpoint accuracy while, reducing harm to civilians and non-combatants. Author J…

'The Russian man is glad to see death, including his own - it reminds him of the end of everything that exists. He contemplates the ruins and fragments with pleasure…'This author has watched thirty YouTube videos of Russian soldiers committing suicide. This has been possible thanks to the revolution that has taken place on the battlefield with the …

Over the past two decades, enhancing human performance capabilities for those operating in extremis contexts (i.e., Armed Forces, Emergency Services, and First Responders) has gained considerable traction in policy-making and scientific circles.To operationalise this concept, the term Human Performance Optimisation (HPO) first emerged within the US…

"I don't want to get any messages saying, 'I am holding my position.' We are not holding a Goddamned thing. Let the Germans do that. We are advancing constantly and we are not interested in holding onto anything, except the enemy's balls. We are going to twist his balls and kick the living shit out of him all of the time."The debt owed to those who…

Despite economic headwinds, China will still overtake the US in terms of real GDPHow can power be measured between states?Key challenges in applying the power as resources approachChina manipulates and likely exaggerates publicly released data on its economy and currencyNet vs. Gross MetricsWhile Chinese real GDP is a source of power, it is counter…

What is the military recruitment dilemma?Military recruitment is problematic. And a key issue is that people who get paid good money can't solve it. So after six months of analysing YouTube, Facebook, Linkedin, X, Instagram, and yes, even TikTok comments - perhaps I can. The military recruitment ideas below are not meant to be taken in isolation, a…

~ Sun TzuSoldiers on the Spectrumcommon autism mythsNeuroinclusivity Analogy 1: The Enigma MachineNeuroinclusivity Analogy 2: RugbyGovernmental ReviewsIn ClosingPor Mavs (WR Associate Editor)

In light of a number of somewhat braying articles in the mainstream media suggesting excessive 'wokeism' is rife within the military, it seemed an opportune moment to investigate many of the claims of Defence surrounding the topic of Diversity and Inclusion.By and large, there are now two common uses of the term 'diversity':The first, more traditio…

With defence in an unheralded period of uncertainty it is always pleasant to find some firm ground. To that end the notion that the use of simulation in military training will increase dramatically over the next 5 years will not cause much disagreement.Against a training burden that has never been so intensive the MoD is faced with equipment costs …

At the end of January 2024 a Russian company from 33rd Motor Rifle Regiment 1 set off to attack in the area of Novomikhailovka, South-West of Donetsk City. The company comprised three T-72s leading one BMP-1 and seven MT-LBs (catastrophic attrition means the Russian Army now uses the MT-LB utility tracked vehicle as an APC). After leaving a hard-to…

In an era of drones, loitering munitions, precision strikes, and manoeuvre warfare; discussing fortification seems almost quaint. Surely the revolution in military affairs and its successors have rendered bunkers and fixed positions irrelevant. If the future battlefield is transparent and the kill chain is as swift as proponents anticipate, staying…

NATO's Kosovo Force (KFOR) must prepare to protect the integrity of elections in Kosovo. This activity should be framed as a human security task.Introduction: The need for support in KosovoAs international pressure mounts on Kosovo to hold elections in the country's Serbian majority North, democratic values are at the forefront of international dis…

Over the last few weeks a series of speeches have described the Russian threat to peace in Europe. On 10 January, Sweden's Civil Defence Minister Carl-Oskar Bohlin asserted that 'there could be war in Sweden'. This warning was reinforced by the Swedish military commander-in-chief, Gen Micael Byden, suggested that Swedes should mentally prepare for …

On 26 February, Russian forces west of Avdiivka destroyed the first M1A1 Abrams tank of the war. Like the loss of the first Challenger 2 near Robotyne last September the event has provoked widespread commentary. This article seeks to establish the facts and draw lessons. Even after two years of war, no NATO army has seriously addressed the threat t…

As the famous quote from Sun Tzu's Art of War goes, "rapidity is the essence of war" (兵之情主速), and while the original context behind this adage was more tactical in nature, advocating the use of rapid manoeuvres to dislocate the enemy, it is also reflective of one of the most desired outcomes in war - a swift and decisive victory.In the same militar…

IntroductionThe future is uncertain. Yet, we still attempt to plan for an uncertain future. Since 2001, the Ministry of Defence's (MoD) Global Strategic Trends programme has sought to 'identify the key drivers of change that will shape and reshape our world'. Global Strategic Trends is supported by the Future Operating Environment publication, whic…

As the UK enters the third decade of the 21st century, it is confronted by a strategic system in flux. This is particularly highlighted by the resurgence of great power rivalry, the renewed Russian threat to regional and international security, the shifting global balance of power from the Euro-Atlantic to the Indo-Pacific, the rise of China as a g…