The Evolving Nature of War

• The Evolution of War

• Winning World War IV

• The Importance of Adapting

Overview

• Fluid nature of war– Evolving– Influenced by various forces• Politically ideology• Technology• Geography

• Twenty-First Century Warfare– Different kind of enemy– Current focus on counterinsurgency

Evolution of Warfare

• World War I—The Chemists’ War

• World War II—The Physicists’ War

Evolution of Warfare

• World War III—The Information Researchers’ War

• World War IV—The Social Scientists’ War

Evolution of Warfare

“Protecting people is the mission. The conflict will be won by persuading the population, not by destroying the enemy.” ~ General Stanley A. McChrystal,

Former Commander Int’l.

Security Assistance Force/US.

Forces—Afghanistan

Winning World War IV

• The Air Force Mission– Fly, fight, and win, but…– Requires a broad skill

set to accomplish

• Psycho-Cultural War– Twenty-first century conflict– Requires different skills– Challenges for leaders

Winning World War IV

“As combat requirements evolve so must the Air Force's unique capabilities to engage the enemy. We have to be as skilled, as wise as, and even more capable than our adversaries.” ~ General Norton Schwartz

Air Force Chief of Staff

Importance of Adapting

• Elements of Victory– Cultural awareness– Building alien armies and alliances• Sometimes must be advisors not operators

– The art of perception shaping• Soft skill vs. hard skill

Importance of Adapting

• Elements of Victory (cont’d)– Inculcate knowledge/teach wisdom• Empowerment of younger

officers to make decisions• Impact of these decisions

– Tactical intelligence• Precise info about enemy

actions– Psychological & physiological tuning

Importance of Adapting

• Elements of Victory (cont’d)– Developing high-performing Airmen and units– Leadership & decision-making• Intellectually ambidextrous• Flexibility and adaptability

– Intuitive command• Not what to think but how to

think

Importance of Adapting

• The Evolution of War

• Winning World War IV

• The Importance of Adapting

Summary

The Evolving Nature of War