Do we need military science? – Editorial
Lately we have been seeing an avalanche of military and military-political analysis of what will happen in the coming period in the war in Ukraine. Journalistic-level analyses, also carried out with the help of military experts, trying to “intuit” Putin and General Gherasimov’s plan.
The general public needs this information and analysis. Sometimes, not to say quite often, the military expert is put in the position of expounding theories, options for future courses of action or intuiting Russia’s sometimes spectacular moves. But military mechanisms are not based on individuals, but on systems.
Leaving aside the fact that from a military point of view, a correct analysis is based on a complex and integrated mechanism applied by a wide spectrum of specialists in various military and civilian fields, we can say with certainty that a military leader, like General Gherasimov, does not do exactly what he wants and has to stay within the limits of political decision.
Everything has its origin – political decision. The political objective set at the national level. And that is not set by the military! If it is wrong, it is impossible to achieve, it can be useless or lead to catastrophe.
The importance of studying “Military Science and Intelligence” in the doctoral system is all the more important and relevant to the actual thinking of combat actions.
As long as there is peace, the state is not threatened and the population has the feeling that it is protected. However, this state is not permanently possible and is considered by many theorists to be a transitory state.
Theoretically speaking, military science refers to the study of techniques, tactics, strategies and theories related to the conduct of war and military operations, including aspects such as the planning and conduct of operations, the use of modern weapons and technology, military intelligence and logistics. Military science may also include the study of the history of war as a phenomenon and case analysis of past military operations to learn lessons and improve current practices. Those who do not learn from their own mistakes and those of others are doomed to repeat them.
Military strategy and tactics include planning, conducting military operations, as well as assessing the risks and identifying the benefits of various military actions.
Military technology includes the weapons, equipment, vehicles and communications systems used by armed forces.
Military logistics deals with the planning, provision and management of resources required for a military operation, such as food, fuel, ammunition, medicines and field equipment.
Military intelligence deals with the collection, analysis, correlation and interpretation of information about the enemy and the territory to help make strategic decisions.
Military history examines past events and periods that have had an impact on warfare and military policy.
These are just some of the areas studied by military science, which is a broad field that can also include topics such as military geography, military psychology, military ethics, international humanitarian law, etc.
As a component element, Military Art refers to the application of military techniques, tactics and strategies in a creative and effective way to achieve military objectives. It includes elements such as planning and conducting military operations, using modern weapons and technology, military intelligence and logistics in a way that maximises the chances of success and minimises casualties. Military art is based on an in-depth understanding of military techniques, tactics and strategies, as well as the factors that influence the success, or failure, of a military operation, such as geography, climate, resources, morale and the psychology of the forces. Military art is considered essential to understanding and conducting military operations effectively and is also an important component of military officer training.
What is the correlation between military science and the politics of a state?
There is a close link between military science and state policy. A state’s policy can have a direct impact on military strategy and tactics, as well as on the resources allocated to defence. Military science can help develop realistic and effective military options that can be adapted to a state’s policies and objectives.
A state’s policy can determine the objectives and goals of its armed forces, such as protecting its borders or participating in international operations. Military science can help develop strategies and tactics that can achieve these goals and provide information about the resources needed to achieve them.
A state’s policy can also have an impact on the resources allocated to defence, such as the budget for the armed forces and the allocation of personnel, weapons and equipment. Military science can help maximise the effectiveness of these resources and provide information on how well equipped and prepared the armed forces, both active and reserve, are to meet the objectives set.
In general, a state’s policy and military science are interdependent, as a state’s policy can have a major impact on military operations and the resources allocated to defence, and military science can help develop military options that can be tailored to a state’s policies and objectives.
What is the link between military science and a state’s maritime policy?
A state’s maritime policy refers to how a state deals with issues related to the sea, such as navigation, trade, maritime security and resource exploitation. Military science plays an important role in achieving this policy by providing military options and planning operations to protect a state’s maritime interests.
Military science can help plan and conduct operations to defend a state’s maritime territory, such as protecting maritime and river borders, monitoring maritime traffic and combating specific threats and risks. It can also help plan operations to explore and exploit maritime resources, such as fishing, oil and gas extraction or seabed mining.
Military science can also provide information about threats to maritime security and offer solutions to counter them, such as preventing and combating maritime terrorism, or managing maritime crises. It can also help plan and conduct maritime rescue and disaster response operations.
In general, military science plays an important role in the implementation of a state’s maritime policy by providing military options and planning operations to protect a state’s maritime interests, as well as providing information about threats to maritime security and solutions to counter them.
In times of conflict, as well as in peacetime, the aim is to identify the optimal structure of a possible military scenario, and to inform the process of designing and implementing military scenarios and how to use them in the military action planning process, based on analytical and comparative conceptual mechanisms.
In conclusion, the theoretical and applied study of military science is a continually adaptive process, and the lack of concern in this area can only lead to the impossibility of achieving national objectives and the avalanche amplification of state risks and threats.
The war in Ukraine clearly shows us that Romania needs to develop scientific research in the field of military science through institutional concerns and private initiatives.
Maritime Security Forum
22 January 2023