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?

Thank you

Contact details:

Kristina.soukupova@i3cas.com