Advanced Military Technology Research Articles

Late modern war and the geos: The ecological ‘beforemaths’ of advanced military technologies

This article develops the idea that late modern war’s relationship with the geos (the ground and the life it sustains) is doubly destructive. While part of this is recognized in a recent focus on slow violence and ecological aftermaths, there is little consideration of the ‘beforemath’, or the sites of extraction that make advanced military technologies possible. Drawing attention to mining in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), the article connects military technologies to arms manufacturers and their use of extracted minerals (e.g. cobalt, tantalum, copper, uranium). Shared patterns of environmental and public health effects across parts of Iraq, Gaza and the DRC indicate the doubly destructive nature of late modern war’s relationship with the geos: toxic materials threaten life after war as the deposits of bombardment and before war as mineral commodities at the beginning of arms supply chains. The article explicates how a perspective from the beforemath radically refigures the ways we think about war and spatiality, temporality, and the range of bodies affected in ways that promise a fuller understanding of the violence distributed by practices of late modern war.

Facile and scalable preparation of gradient multilayer nanocomposite structure with preeminent microwave absorption and radar cross section reduction capability

The pressing need for the enhancement of stealth materials that are harmonious with state-of-the-art military equipment is critical, as it plays a pivotal role in bolstering the survivability and operational capabilities of advanced military technology. This research offers a straightforward approach for fabricating a gradient triple-layer absorber utilizing a Cu2O/h-BN nanocomposite and FeCoNi magnetic compounds, characterized by reduced thickness, designed for X-band wave spectrum attenuation purposes. The primary objective of this study is to examine the electromagnetic wave absorption characteristics of single-layer samples and subsequently develop a triple-layer gradient sample with distinct electromagnetic wave stealth features based on the findings. Optimal performance was observed in the gradient sample, where Cu2O/h-BN nanocomposite with 20 and 10 wt% was incorporated as a matching layer with thicknesses of 0.5 and 0.5 mm, respectively, and FeCoNi with 20 wt% was employed as an absorbing layer with a 0.4 mm thickness, surpassing the performance of the other samples. The optimal sample achieves a dissipation loss of −45.6 dB and a bandwidth of 2.9 GHz, all while maintaining a total thickness of just 1.4 mm. Facilitating multiple heterogeneous interfaces among layers, substances, and the synergistic interaction between constituent elements and layers’ thickness and arrangement enable this gradient configuration to demonstrate exceptional performance in radar stealth compatibility.

THE STATE OF PRODUCTION, APPLICATION AND SPECIFIC ISSUES OF REGULATORY AND METHODOLOGICAL SUPPORT OF UNMANNED AIRCRAFT TESTS

The experience of armed conflicts that do not cease on our planet confirms the increasing role of unmanned aerial vehicles in today's wars. The article analyzes the state and prospects of the unmanned aircraft vehicles production in the world, and highlights some problematic aspects regarding the provision of own unmanned aircraft vehicle (UAV) development and samples testing of Ukrainian and foreign UAV production in modern conditions. It is shown that the largest producers of military UAVs in the world during the last decade were the USA, Israel, the Republic of Turkey, China, and Iran. A significant part of the European NATO member states, having their own development of unmanned aircraft vehicles and sufficient capacity for their production, prefer the purchase and acceptance into service samples of UAV, mainly of American or Israeli production, which have proven themselves well during armed conflicts in the Middle East. Considering the urgent need of the Armed Forces of Ukraine for UAVs in 2014, Ukraine also followed the path of NATO countries and initially concluded contracts for the supply of foreign-made unmanned aerial vehicles. The beginning of the war with the russian federation also gave a significant impetus to the development of private defense companies in Ukraine. In 2014-2015, an entire industry of unmanned aircraft production was born, and Ukraine became the world's largest testing ground for advanced military technologies. Information about the UAVs used by the Ukrainian military is different, since the Armed Forces receive both officially accepted and adopted UAVs samples, as well as UAVs samples that are transferred by volunteer organizations and often do not have official records (especially those UAVs that are not originally intended for military use). The changes to the regulatory documents that govern the procedures for acceptance into service and acceptance of samples of weapons and military equipment are aimed at ensuring the urgent needs of the Armed Forces of Ukraine for these samples, but they create a number of problems. In the context of providing the Armed Forces with unmanned aircraft vehicles, this is an aggravation of the problems of regulatory and methodological support for the development and testing of UAV samples and the low level of readiness of UAV samples provided by their developers (manufacturers) for testing or proposed for operation under a simplified approval procedure. According to the authors, one of the ways to increase the defense capability of Ukraine is to increase the development and testing efficiency of weapons and military equipment that will be put into operation and armed in the Armed Forces of Ukraine. Therefore, it is necessary to stimulate the developers (manufacturers) of UAVs to strictly comply with the current regulatory documentation on the development of UAVs and to improve the quality of preparation of UAVs samples for testing; to study the experience of NATO countries, as well as in terms of requirements for the specialists training in the combat use of UAV; to promote the implementation of NATO standards in Ukraine in order to expand the opportunities for the participation of UAV in joint operations in NATO member countries and in Ukraine.

가치기반 접근을 통한 세계유산 수원화성의 유산가치 보존 연구

Suwon Hwaseong Fortress was inscribed on the World Heritage List in 1997 for its value as an 18th-century military fortification reflecting advanced military technology from the East and the West. However, Suwon citizens recognize Suwon Hwaseong Fortress as a fortress and a new city created by King Jeongjo. World Heritage OUV does not match the local value recognized by the region. The current World Heritage Program emphasizes multifaceted interpretations of values, as emphasizing only one Outstanding Universal Value would establish a false hierarchy in terms of conservation. Reflecting the changes in the World Heritage discourse, this study tried to review the heritage values, including the OUV and local values of Suwon Hwaseong Fortress, and find ways to protect both OUV and local values together in the protection and management system. To this end, a survey was conducted among stakeholders, and the value of heritage was categorized based on the results of the survey. To conserve the heritage value derived after the survey, this study suggests the use of the World Heritage OUV statement, the ‘statement of significance’ of the value-based approach, and ‘individual statements describing the importance of each component expressing value.

The Classical Book of the Abbasid Period as a Reference for Advanced Military Technology: A Thought Genealogy Study

The Classical Book of the Abbasid Period as a Reference for Advanced Military Technology: A Thought Genealogy Study

Climbing the Ladder: Explaining the Vertical Proliferation of Cruise Missiles

Why do some states possess more advanced military technologies than others? Our study explores the vertical proliferation of land-attack cruise missiles (LACMs), seeking to understand which demand- and supply-side factors best explain why some countries acquire more sophisticated LACMs. We theorize that states’ security environments, regime types, possession of related strategic technologies, and membership in the Missile Technology Control Regime (MTCR) influence the possession of more sophisticated cruise missiles. Our analysis employs a unique new global dataset with granular data on every LACM national militaries have deployed. We use this dataset to evaluate the proliferation of LACMs across the international system from 1991–2015. Using a selection model that first controls for the horizontal proliferation of LACMs, we find that insecurity, scientific and technical expertise from related technologies, the possession of highly authoritarian and highly democratic regimes, and MTCR membership all have positive effects on the sophistication of LACM-possessors’ arsenals.

Middle East Pre‐Existing Conditions: Regional Security after Covid‐19

This article analyzes the underlying human insecurities and changing geopolitical alliances in the Middle East during the past decade to assess the most likely short‐ and medium‐term impacts of Covid‐19 on the global security environment. In particular, it focuses on the “pre‐existing conditions” for instability in the Middle East, and the opportunity that the pandemic might have to exacerbate them. The region will likely face a growing regional‐security dilemma compounded by challenges that are now too familiar: the further entrenchment of political authoritarianism, violent sectarian conflicts, regional rivalries, and the radicalization and recruitment efforts by terrorist and extremist groups. While the pandemic has not led to a significant rise in terrorism and extremist violence, it has worsened fragility and accelerated economic decline. This has increased political instability, which, in turn, makes violence more likely. The civil wars in Syria and Yemen, continued threats from Salafi‐Jihadi extremism, massive displacement, sectarianism, and rising inequalities between the rich and the extremely poor are to blame for such fragility. Given the lack of economic resilience and the significant fragility of many Arab states, as well as the availability of advanced military technology in the region, the resulting political, socioeconomic, humanitarian, and security challenges could be devastating.

Drone-Cinema, Data Practices, and the Narrative of IHL

This article explores how advanced military technologies and data practices reshape and reassert a particular, Western-centric, narrative of International Humanitarian Law (IHL). Analysing the dissemination of this narrative through popular culture, with a focus on he 2015 British thriller Eye in the Sky, I explore how the representation of IHL data practices reaffirms a humanitarian narrative of IHL. As a popular culture product – and one that is embraced by senior IHL experts and professionals – Eye in the Sky reflects and participates in the ethical, legal, and political debates about advanced military technologies, and presents mundane data practices as a system of knowledge production through which IHL exercises its jurisdiction over facts, people, time, and space. In particular, the article analyses how Eye in the Sky’s representations of IHL’s data practices strengthen and reinforce a particular IHL narrative, which is consistent with Western countries’ narrative about their existing bureaucracies of killing. Based on Interdisciplinary analysis of socio-legal studies (SLS), Science and Technology Studies (STS), and culture and media literature, this article answers the following three questions: (i) who is given the power to speak IHL (and who is not)? (ii) to whom is IHL speaking? and (iii) how do data practices shape IHL’s jurisdiction? The article concludes that Eye in the Sky speaks international law through the voices of drone-owning nations, and is directed to their mass publics, legitimising data-centred violence. At the same time, it disguises normative choices as inevitable, and erases African decision-makers, communities, and perspectives.

Soviet Espionage in France between the Wars

After the Bolsheviks consolidated their newly won power, they looked toward the Western democracies to achieve additional victories. Under cover of diplomatic recognition, trade agreements, and local communist parties, Soviets sent numerous clandestine agents abroad to pursue national security objectives, including theft of military and industrial secrets on a large scale. France, Britain, and the United States were the main targets in which, organizationally, Soviet intelligence used a consistent pattern. As an existential threat, France was the first priority until displaced by the fear of German rearmament. France represented a rich resource for advanced military and industrial technology that the Soviets needed to transform Russia’s infrastructure. In 1935, France and Russia signed a mutual defense pact that effectively ended Soviet espionage in France.

한국의 방위산업 발전을 위한 부품국산화 필요에 관한 연구

In 2020, Korea's defense budget exceeded 50 trillion won. The cost of improving defense capability in 2020 also exceeded 16 trillion won. The proportion of defense capability improvement expenses in 2020 was 33.3%, the highest after 25.8% when the Defense Acquisition Program Administration opened in 2006. Outwardly, the defense industry in Korea is growing significantly but it is in a situation that it has not been able to escape from importing parts from abroad, and its internal quality is weak. Currently domestically produced chemicals, guided weapons, and communication electronic equipment have a relatively good domestic technology base. However, in the fields of ships, aviation, and optics which require advanced military technology most of the core parts rely on foreign imports. In the case of weapons that are assembled and manufactured by purchasing parts overseas problems arise when the price of parts increases or is discontinued while operating the weapon system. In addition a total of 13 projects including 425 projects were unable to introduce overseas parts and their promotion was suspended or delayed. In the case of the K55A1 Self-Propelled Artillery, the delivery of parts became difficult and the situation was forced to be delayed. How much is the domestic defense industry's dependence on overseas parts? What needs to be improved in order for the Korean defense industry to change substantially? This study was started to answer this question.

Korea’s and Vietnam’s Encounter and Reaction towards Western Ideas in the Flux of Western Intervention: Focusing on Selective Factors from the Seventeenth to mid- Nineteenth Century

This paper is a comparative research on how Vietnam and Korea struggled to accommodate and interact with Western ideas in the advent of Western intervention in the East Asian region, based on the closely related cultural and historical background between the two East Asian countries. The author specifically focuses on the rise of Western ideas, i.e. Catholicism in the two countries within the dominant impacts of Confucian Sino-centric perception adopted by Confucian scholars and rulers for centuries. The research indicated significant resemblance in the pattern of Korea and Vietnam's reception and reaction toward the influences and challenges inflicted by the West, which was predominantly driven by the Sino-centric world view. In this light, both countries struggled through consistent social and political unrest and finally commenced to close the gates to the outside world in an attempt to protect the ruling powers. Vietnamese rulers, however, were by far less conservative and aggressive against the presence of the West in their domains due to their dependence upon Western advanced military technology, particularly during the internal conflicts between the Trinh and Nguyen factions. However, after the unification under the reign of Nguyen family, despite previous contacts with the West, Vietnam gradually become a fervent Confucian state. Meanwhile, in the same period of the Western provocation in East Asia, Korea was a full-fledged and unified kingdom under the rule of Yi family, Choson was more alerted about the rise of new ideas brought in by the West; thus, their reaction toward Western ideas were more brutal and merciless in order to protect the kingdom's correct ideology. Conclusively, no matter how Vietnamese and Korean scholars and rulers were fascinated by Western advancement in technology, owing to their commitment to the Sino-centric worldview they were reluctant to regard Western ideas in positive ways; thus, gradually failed to adapt themselves to the road to modernization which historically contributed to the decline of the nations in the following periods.

Sharing Vulcan’s Secrets: State Transfer of Advanced Military Technology

Why do states choose to share advanced military technology with other states? Scholars agree military technology is a key component of a state’s power. Understanding what leads states to share technology has implications for key foreign policy issues. The United States seeks to maintain its dominant military position through continued technological innovation but also supports its friends though arms sales. Some future weapons (particularly computer-based weapons) may be more difficult to “black box” to protect advanced components. As a result, selling advanced weapons is becoming more likely to require sharing technology. Additionally, some have advocated sharing U.S. technology with rising powers, like India, to enable them to better balance China. First-rank technological powers’ decisions to share advanced military technology (i.e. transfer the knowledge required to produce systems or components) is a function of the sharing state’s perceptions of (1) the present benefit it gains from the recipient possessing the technology, (2) the recipient’s potential to be future threat, and (3) the discount rate of the technology. The paper evaluates the theory using in-depth process of British technology sharing with Japan after the First World War.

О выгодоприобретателях научно-технического прогресса

Рассматриваются и сопоставляются движущие силы научно-технического прогресса в СССР и России. Показано, как конкуренция за достижение военного и экономического лидерства в мире определяла необходимость создания в СССР передовых военных и гражданских технологий. Приводятся научно-технические достижения СССР по ряду ключевых отраслей и прослеживается взаимосвязь с образовательными технологиями. Отмечаются существенные отличительные особенности российского коммерческого бизнеса по сравнению с принципами социалистического производства, пагубное влияние этих особенностей на развитие научно-технического прогресса в России. The study considers and compares the research and development drivers in the USSR and modern Russia. It is shown that the competition for the global military and economic leadership shaped the need to develop advanced military and civil technologies in the USSR. The paper lists the USSR technology achievements in a number of key industries, and the educational technologies behind them. We identified significant differences between the Russian business practices and the socialist ones, and the negative impact of such differences on the research and technology advancement in Russia.

The changing role of allied conventional precision-strike capabilities in nuclear decision making

Multiple non-nuclear-armed states in alliances with nuclear-armed states are in the process of acquiring long-range, conventionally armed precision-strike weapons, some of which have potential to contribute to attacks on enemy nuclear forces. This change in the distribution of advanced military technologies has the unintended consequence of giving these non-nuclear-armed states an active role in strategic stability. We provide a theoretical framework for understanding the newly emerging pathways to nuclear use that result. We also investigate perceptions of the role of precision-strike capabilities in six non-nuclear-armed states at various stages in the process of developing these capabilities.

ГРЯДЕТ ЛИ ГОНКА БЕЗ ПРАВИЛ? (Ядерное сдерживание в отсутствие контроля над вооружениями)

By the end of the second decade of the 21st century, due to domestic and international developments, Russia and the West entered a state of tensions and a new cycle of the arms race – unprecedented since the worst times of the Cold War. Both sides got into this phase of relationship under the new world order, with advanced military technologies and under the rule of a new generation of political leaders. The turning point of these dangerous trends came with the decision of the United States to withdraw from the INF Treaty and high probability of the expiration of the New START without its extension or substitution by a follow-on treaty after 2021. Hence, the U.S. and Russia are on the verge of a new large-scale and uncontrolled nuclear arms race, which will be aggravated by the rivalry in offensive and defensive conventional strategic and medium range systems, as well as space weapons and means of cyber warfare. In combination with the development and deployment of short-flight-time ballistic and hypersonic systems as well as introduction of low-yield strategic and tactical nuclear arms for “limited” and “tailored” nuclear attacks this would drastically lower nuclear use threshold and increase incentives for preventive or preemptive nuclear strikes. In addition, the arms race will be multilateral, involving, beside the U.S. and Russia, China and many other nations. This would undercut the norms and regimes of nuclear non-proliferation, security and safety of nuclear materials, technologies and sites, which sooner or later would provide international terrorism with the access to nuclear weapons – with all the ensuing consequences. This article is dedicated to the above dangers and still remaining possibilities of averting them. In particular, if the two sides agreed on the new intrusive verification procedures, the INF Treaty still could be saved. Likewise, extension of the New START might stabilize strategic relations for another five years after its expiration in 2021. During those years or, still better, during two years remaining till 2021, a follow-on treaty could be negotiated to reduce strategic arms ceilings and envelop advanced destabilizing nuclear and conventional weapons.

PROBLEMS OF FINANCING OF THE USSR MISSILE PRODUCTION BRANCH ON THE EVE OF THE CARIBBEAN CRISIS

Introduction. The article is devoted to the problems of financing of the USSR of rocket production branch on the eve of the Caribbean Crisis. At the present stage it is necessary to consider possible negative consequences of development of defensive technologies not to repeat past mistakes and to avoid social and economic crises. Materials and Methods. To study the problem the author of the article uses the published declassified documents and for introduced for scientific use the first time. The methodological basis of this study is the theory of modernization, because it has essential informative and cognitive explanatory potential when studying history of Russia of the middle of the 20th century. The analysis of a problem on the basis of declassified data and theories has allowed to introduce the new facts into scientific circulation and to draw a number of valid conclusions. Results. In the late 1950th – the beginning of the 1960th bases of nuclear missile forces have been created in the Soviet Union. Existence of the advanced military technologies became one of the reasons of world recognition of the Soviet Union in the status of the great power. Strengthening of military power and arms race have led to financial and social problems. First of all, process has involved serious costs for development of military-industrial production and creation of the serving equipment. The financial costs were increased because of this situation. On the eve of the Caribbean Crisis the Soviet army has bought rocketry for 6 billion rubles. It is necessary to increase these costs approximately twice as for production of rocketry required to build new production capacities and starting objects. Discussion and Conclusions. In fact, the absence of private investors and producers forced at first to spend funds for creation of the production capacities making ballistic missiles, and then for purchasing of the products made by them. In this case the defect of the Soviet economic system at which the state has been forced to pay for missiles twice appeared. All costs were carried out at the expense of the state and society. The high cost of implementation of the Soviet rocket project has led to sharp deterioration in a social and economic situation in the country. For minimization of negative consequences it was necessary to reform the system of planning and management of rocket production, to organize the competition between the design organizations and also to refuse production of many samples of rocketry to concentrate financial reserves on creation of the most perspective systems. Nevertheless, valuable considerable expenses and efforts in the country the board which has allowed to strengthen defense capability of the Soviet Union has been created nuclear missile. During the Caribbean Crisis the governance of the USA has realized impossibility of a victory over the USSR in nuclear war. It has forced them to refuse aggressive foreign policy concerning the Soviet block that has led to discharge of international tension.

Determinants of Military Robotics Proliferation

The aim of the article is to define and quantify the determinants influencing the proliferation of robotic technology into the armament of the national armies and their use in combat operations. At the same time, the article focuses on identifying those countries which will deploy and use these advanced military technologies. Based on the literary research and its analysis, four categories of factors have been identified as the ones having influence on the military robotics proliferation. From the results of the classification model, it is clear that 78 analysed countries were classified on the basis of defined determinants into three groups with different assumptions of proliferation of military robotics. Based on the result of the cluster analysis, it is evident that military robotics proliferation was mainly affected by economic determinants in cluster 1, by security and political determinants in cluster 2 and by political and economic determinants in cluster 3.

Review of Unmanned Aerial System (UAS) applications in the built environment: Towards automated building inspection procedures using drones

Abstract Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS – a.k.a. drones) have evolved over the past decade as both advanced military technology and off-the-shelf consumer devices. There is a gradual shift towards public use of drones, which presents opportunities for effective remote procedures that can disrupt a variety of built environment disciplines. UAS equipment with remote sensing gear present an opportunity for analysis and inspection of existing building stocks, where architects, engineers, building energy auditors as well as owners can document building performance, visualize heat transfer using infrared imaging and create digital models using 3D photogrammetry. This paper presents a comprehensive review of various literature that addresses this topic, followed by the identification of a standard procedures for operating a UAS for energy audit missions. The presented framework is then tested on the Syracuse University campus site based on the literature review to showcase: 1) pre-flight inspection procedure parameters and methodologies; 2) during-flight visually identified areas of thermal anomalies using a UAS equipped with Infrared (IR) cameras and; 3) 3D CAD modeling developed through data gathered using UAS. A discussion of the findings suggests refining procedure accuracy through further empirical experimentation, as well as study replication, as a step towards standardizing the automation of building envelope inspection.

The role of rare earth prices for consumer prices: an ignored factor?

ABSTRACTThe article explores the role of a new determinant that accounts for driving consumer prices, i.e. rare earth prices. Rare earths are used for many advanced manufacturing and military technologies. Performing a number of panel methodological approaches, panel cointegration findings support the initial insight of the authors and illustrate a positive effect on consumer prices across all rare earths.

Cold Steel, Weak Flesh: Mechanism, Masculinity and the Anxieties of Late Victorian Empire

This article considers the reception and representation of advanced military technology in late nineteenth- and early twentieth-century Britain. It argues that technologies such as the breech-loading rifle and the machine gun existed in an ambiguous relationship with contemporary ideas about martial masculinities and in many cases served to fuel anxieties about the physical prowess of the British soldier. In turn, these anxieties encouraged a preoccupation in both military and popular domains with that most visceral of weapons, the bayonet, an obsession which was to have profound consequences for British military thinking at the dawn of the First World War.