Start Archive: News & Articles

Archive: News & Articles


Platforms for naval minehunting and mine disposal: Differing solutions to a common requirement

Technological developments in the field of naval mine countermeasures (MCM) are revolutionising a traditionally dangerous, difficult and time-consuming process. Advances in areas such as networking, autonomy and wider aspects of artificial intelligence are speeding the detection, identification, classification and disposal of mines. Significantly, they also offer the prospect of ‘taking the ship out of the […]

Portugal’s comprehensive equipment modernisation

The Portuguese Military Programming Law 2023–2034 – approved in July 2023 – seeks to provide a comprehensive boost to the modernisation of the country’s depleted armed forces by acquiring new equipment worth EUR 5.57 billion. This amount, the largest ever, foresees the acquisition of land, naval, air, cyber security, space capabilities, as well as emerging […]

Coastal defence

Coastal zones face a broad array of airborne and seaborne threats. Since defence against airborne threats is not unique to coastal zones, this article will focus on the seaborne category. The seaborne category includes a range of threats including: reconnaissance and direct attack missions by manned and unmanned vessels; stealth missions to conduct underwater sabotage, […]



Trouble in the spectrum

An innovative, new system employing artificial intelligence (AI) could help enhance the resilience of US Army tactical networks on the battlefield against aggressive electronic warfare. “Shoot, move, communicate” was the mantra of the US Army’s tactical doctrine in the 1980s. Seen as the three basic tasks a solider must achieve to not only survive, but […]

Growing some backbone

The United Kingdom’s Ministry of Defence (MoD) is forging ahead with an important overhaul of its strategic high-frequency communications. To some, it may seem an insignificant milestone, but on 9 July 2023, the UK’s Defence High Frequency Communications Service (DHFCS) celebrated its 21st birthday. The DHFCS provides a nationwide and international high frequency (HF) strategic […]

Brace for autonomy

In 2023 the UK’s House of Lords established a committee to investigate the use of artificial intelligence (AI) in weapon systems. It is valuable and important to have these inquiries, however, the resultant report has failed to properly take account of the current state of AI in weapon systems, and how it might change in […]



Farewell to Falconer?

The US Air Force (USAF) is continuing to modernise its Falconer command and control (C2) architecture, but does the system have a long-term future as the Pentagon embraces new warfighting doctrines? In August 2022, the USAF awarded a USD 319 million contract to SAIC, for sustainment and modernisation of the AN/USQ-163 Falconer C2 system, which […]

Desert fighters: Gulf air forces consolidate their combat capability

Dominated by fighter types produced by Western manufacturers, the air forces of the Gulf region remain a viable market for future fighter sales. While some Gulf states – effectively Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates – have made significant moves in recent years to indigenise defence production, in the aerospace sector these efforts have […]

Combat supply operations

Military commanders have always been concerned about supplying their forces on the ground. Determining stock levels, providing, distributing, and replenishing constitute the supply function. This article focuses on combat supply operations in a NATO environment from a French perspective. Supplying armies in the field has always been a concern for military leaders – supplies include […]



The metals war has just begun

On 9 August 2022, the Biden administration signed the CHIPS and Science Act into law. The act was intended to boost semiconductor manufacturing in the US, decreasing its reliance on foreign suppliers. Since then, the global competition for semiconductor production and the supply of rare earth metals has only heated up. During President Xi Jin […]

Towed artillery and dismounted mortar use in Ukraine

Artillery of all kinds plays one of the most devastating and important roles in modern battle and while armoured, self-propelled (SP) platforms are increasingly being procured, towed guns, together with tubes of dismounted infantry mortars, continue to play a critical part in current conflicts. This article shares thoughts on towed artillery and mortar systems primarily […]

Russia’s defence in depth and Soviet doctrine

The task of building and breaching battlefield obstacles has come sharply back into the spotlight following Ukraine’s difficulties breaking through Russian lines during their summer 2023 counter-offensive. It therefore bears examining Russia’s approach to defensive fighting, as well as the particular difficulties faced by Ukraine in overcoming the many obstacles in their path. Russia’s defences […]



Self-propelled mortar and ammunition overview

Self-propelled (SP) mortars remain crucial in providing support to fast-paced operations by mounted, mechanised and armoured forces. In addition to tracked and 8×8 wheeled armoured vehicles, mobile mortars are increasingly being mounted on 4×4 vehicles. While mortars come in various calibres, vehicle-mounted mortars usually range from 81 mm (medium) to 120 mm (heavy), although a […]

Manoeuvre formations’ air and missile defence

In the decades following the end of the Cold War, most US investment in integrated air and missile defence (IAMD) had been on large, non-mobile systems. Manoeuvre formation IAMD was reduced and units removed from the order of battle. Other NATO members made similar decisions. Elsewhere, countries that continued to field new ground-based air defence […]

The path ahead for tube and rocket artillery

The ongoing conflict in Ukraine has very clearly demonstrated the continued importance of artillery – both tube and rocket – on the modern battlefield. It has also supplied real world data on what artillery can achieve today and what it needs to achieve to meet the conditions expected in the conflicts of tomorrow. Developers of […]



Modern artillery fire control equipment is a requirement for all armed forces

The ongoing Russia–Ukraine war has shown that artillery – traditionally known as the ‘king of the battlefield’ – remains a key element of any country’s armed forces. This runs contrary to the previous assessment in many countries that modern guided munitions and aviation would mostly replace artillery. It has also become clear that modern digital […]

Gap crossing: the challenges of water obstacles in Europe

The European continent is criss-crossed by a large number of waterways that make large-scale ground military manoeuvres difficult. This article examines the extent of the challenges that water obstacles present and why gap crossings are relevant in the case of the War in Ukraine. It discusses the risks inherent in performing a water-crossing operation and […]

The greatest test for Ukraine

The capture of Avdiivka on 17 February 2024 marked a tactical and symbolic victory for Russia. Yet far more significant than the capture of the town itself was that the offensive heralded the deeply troubling trend of the return of Russian air power. As this column warned back in ESD’s January edition (see ‘Breaking the […]



Beachheads and amphibious armour

Establishing a beachhead is the defining component of an amphibious assault. Fail, and the following forces may have to find an alternate landing site or fight their way onto shore. Succeed and it is possible to achieve surprise at scale, which has been identified as an important component of military success.[1] The impact a successful […]

Portable power storage for the dismounted soldier

The dismounted soldier today relies on an increasingly diverse array of personal equipment, electronic devices and sensors, most of which require a constant power supply for effective operation. That means already over-burdened warfighters must carry enough stored power to perform their mission. Electric power and dismounted power budgets are crucial for the future of warfare […]

Smooth Sailing? The Strategic Relevance of (Un)contested Control of the Black Sea

As the war in Ukraine enters its third year, access to the Black Sea for both sides has remained deeply strategically relevant. As the battle for control continues, neither side can afford to surrender control of this vital area.  A stalemate and renewed sense of urgency As Russia’s ongoing invasion of Ukraine seems to become […]




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