Revolution in Military Affairs Theory Lecture (Bachelors degree)
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Transcript of Revolution in Military Affairs Theory Lecture (Bachelors degree)
Revolution in
Military Affairs
Kristina Soukupova, BA, MA, PhDKAP/MB
November, PlzenWinter 2012 Session
Content
Introduction
Historical Roots of RMA Theory
RMA Theory
Problems with RMA
Conclusion
RevolutionA fundamental and rapid change in the ways we do, see, organise and understand things
Military Affairs
Everything that involves military personnel. Mainly preparation, planning, sourcing and the conduct
of WAR.
Introduction
•Revolution in Military Affairs
DEEPLY CONTESTED CONCEPT
• Military Revolution
• Military Technical Revolution
Introduction
Historical Roots of RMA
Focus on Imperial and Swedish Armies (1560-1660)Believed that their successes lie in:
•Organizational changes (more junior officers)•Tactical changes (linear tactics, not tercio)•Doctrinal changes (superior drill, professionalization = TAXES)•Technological advancements (3 lb canon)
These changes had political and administrative consequences, which led to creation of a
modern state
Military RevolutionCoined by Michael Roberts in 1955
Agreed with Roberts in principle, but moved technology determined Military Revolution to 1450-1800:
•Gun powder (Artillery revolution) •Trace Italliene (Star fort)
Historical Roots of RMA
Military RevolutionGeoffrey Parker
Trace Italienne
Historical Roots of RMA
Military Revolution
1)Infantry Revolution 14th century (weapons and tactics to defeat
cavalry)
2)Artillery Revolution 15th cent. (Gun Powder & successful siege
warfare)
3)Fortification Revolution 16th cent. (Tres Italienne)
4)Fire Weapon Revolution 1580-1630
5)+ Military Revolution: Increase of European Armies 1650 – 1715
(Uniforms, rank, organization)
6)French Revolution
7)Industrial War
8)Nuclear Revolution
Military RevolutionSPunctuated Equilibrium Evolution
Historical Roots of RMA
Clifford Rogers (1993)
Defeat of cavalry attacks by: archers, obstacles (holes), pikes, disciplined formations.
Military RevolutionSInfantry Revolution
Historical Roots of RMA
Military RevolutionSPunctuated Equilibrium Evolution 1300-1800
Historical Roots of RMA
Not 1 revolution,
but several!
time
rapidly changing enviroment
stable environment
evo
luti
on
Historical Roots of RMA
Based on Marxist-Leninist Red Army Doctrine
Originally studied impact of WWI on interwar military
techniques
1970s
•Focus on balance of military power shift
• space surveillance and long range missiles
Historical Roots of RMA
Military Technical RevolutionDeveloped by the Soviets 1960s
1980s
- Marshal Nicolai Ogarkov, Chief of the Soviet General Staff
- Revolutionary synthesis of new technologies = new way of waging war
- lack of resources to realize it
- Soviet research neglected by the West
Historical Roots of RMA
Military Technical Revolution
RMA
Andrew W. Marshall, Head of the US Department of Defence Office of Net Assessment and Strategic Planning
• Picked up MTR and rebranded as RMA1990s = the Golden Age of RMA debate
Revolution In Military Affairs
RMA is the basis for current US military transformation
RMA
•Last war of the Industrial Age OR the first was of Information Age
•WHY?
•Swift victory of the US due to the use of: new technologies
stealthprecision weaponsadvanced sensors,C4I (Command, Control, Communications, Computers,
Intelligence)real time space systems
Key event – Gulf War I.1991
RMA
Original Definition of RMA• the application of new technologies
• a significant number of military systems
• combines with innovative operational concepts and organizational adaptation
• fundamentally alters the character and conduct of conflict
• produces a dramatic increase in military effectiveness
RMA
General assumption – we have entered INFORMATION AGE
RMA
The definition subject to changes as conflicts of the 1990s unfolded
• New type of conflict where technology supremacy did NOT guarantee victory
Now we have 4 main streams of RMA theory:1. Social Wave2. Radical Transformation3. Revolution in Revolution4. Continuity and Evolution
RMA
RMA
Control of information is both the means and the reason for war.
Social Wave• Broad social and cultural changes and how they
efect the military
• How people create wealth corresponds to how they fight their wars
• 3 types of civilization: Agrarian
Indrustial
Information (now)
Revolution in RevolutionWilliam Murray
• Military Revolutions are made up of smaller RMAs and/or MTRs
• MR – broader social and cultural change, beyond control
• RMA – result of strategists’ innovation, intentional
• MTR – driven by technological advances
RMARadical Transformation
• New technologies determine the way we fight wars
Continuity and Evolution
• Innovation and transformation is continuous process intended to deal with chaotic nature of war
• Accept there is a change, but disagree that the change is radical
RMA
• RMA is determined by our understanding of WAR (what causes war?, what is involved? Etc)
• Definition of REVOLUTIONWhat IS radical change? How radical it needs to be? How fast does it need to be?
• What matters for RMA more: people or technology?
• ‘Revolution for the better’ – must be proven by victory, but war is too complex
• MR/RMA involves radical change in the history of warfare, but lack consensus on how and when these changes take place and what causes them.
Problems with RMA
Why is RMA important?
Discussion
•It helps us understand strategic history
• Spurs research into innovation
• Helps us shape future policy and understand how change comes about
• Helps us understand military affairs in context
Conclusion
1) RMA is relatively new and evolving theory
2) There is no agreement what it is, but we know
that RMA involves change, technology and
military and affects/is affected by societies
3) RMA is basis for current military transformations
around the world.
Do we fight our wars in a revolutionary way now?
Revolution or Evolution?