Military Structures Research Articles

A novel corrugated steel plate-rubberized concrete composite slab: Properties and application opportunities

An innovative type of corrugated steel plate-rubberized concrete (CSPRC) composite slab is presented in this paper. This kind of composite slab can be applied to projects with energy consumption requirements in bridge deck slabs in potential rockfall regions, protective structures, defensive walls, military structures, and so on. Four specimens were executed to push out the test. Six full-scale CSPRC composite slab specimens were fabricated, two of which were dynamically tested and four of which were statically tested. The experimental results show that rubberized concrete inhibited the development of concrete cracks and improved the ductility of the specimens compared to normal concrete. The shank length of the stud shear connectors had a significant influence on the shear resistance. For this structure, the stud spacing had a higher requirement of 8.5 d than that of conventional composite beams. The longitudinal shear bearing capacity was not affected by incorporating rubber in the composite slab, and the failure loads and behaviors were similar to those of normal concrete. Additionally, the damping ratio and kinetic energy were improved. Based on the experimental and partial shear connection (PSC) methods, the calculation formulas for longitudinal shear strength were further revised and compared with current codes and test results to properly estimate the longitudinal shear capacity of the CSPRC composite slab.

Creation of a Provision order and local bodies for providing troops in the XVIII century .

The article describes the reasons for the creation of the department of centralized provision of troops, decisions taken at the stages of the formation of the Provision Order, local management bodies of the armed forces. From the very beginning, the organizational principles of the new department were also defined. This step was due to the need to centralize the supply of food to the army and navy, as well as the creation of a special management and control body for the activities of local food authorities. The article also tells about the work of the proviantmasters - the first administrators of the food department, about the activities of the Provision Commissions and their contribution to the development of the army supply system. During the formation of the Provision Order, many different decisions were made on this problem. As a result of the study, the processes that formed a new department for the Russian state were identified. The sources of the article are mainly archival materials of the Russian State Archive of Ancient Acts (RGADA), as well as literary sources. During the creation of the Provision Service, the main tasks that the department faced, including the military, were highlighted — the formation of a provision corps, the construction of military structures, the formation of food establishments, the provision of food for troops, the formation of food warehouses and the provision of soldiers' food.

Rejecting the military to serve the Nazis. Italian conscientious objectors in Gaeta’s jail from 1948 to 1972

ABSTRACT This article focuses on the Italian conscientious objectors imprisoned in the military jail of Gaeta from 1948 to 1972, who shared the prison with the two ex-Nazi officials Herbert Kappler and Walter Reder, responsible for the most pitiless massacres that occurred in Italy during WWII. The study is based on interviews with and diaries and memoirs by conscientious objectors who were in jail for rejecting the military and knew Kappler and Reder. While existing studies on the topic centre on legal and normative aspects of conscientious objection, this analysis concerns the personal experience of the objectors in jail and investigates the relationships between the prisoners and the two war criminals. The interviewees have revealed the many privileges reserved to Kappler and Reder, adding to what had already been reported by journalistic investigations and political parliamentary interrogations. They have also stated that many of them were pushed to become the orderlies of Kappler and Reder. They carried goods to the apartments of the two ex-Nazis, set the room for Kappler’s wedding and call them ‘Colonel’ and ‘Major, not to worsen their conditions in jail. In conclusion, the article demonstrates that in Gaeta in those years a paradoxical scenario existed: the objectors were deprived of their pacifist identities and inserted into a military structure governed by the military law; the two war criminals, conversely, were allowed to save their Nazi identity by wearing their uniforms, being called ‘Major’ and ‘Colonel’ and continuing to give orders. Symbolically, the official version saying that democratic Italy was constructed on the defeat of Fascism was thus totally upended.

Рим – империя на интегрираните елити

One of the unique features of the Roman state-political model is the ability of Roman elites to integrate those of the conquered into their political, military, and social structures. This practice was unique for ancient societies and states, which, by conquering a territory, turn the conquered into a secondary social and economic factor that has no access to political and military power. The history of Rome is an example of how to build a powerful state through the constant gradual integration of conquered elites into institutions of power. The analysis of the policy pursued by the ruling Roman elite in relation to those conquered by the Romans shows that, over the centuries, they have followed the same political practice with varying intensity and some fluctuation. Roman history shows that, after a period of fierce military expansion and forcible subjugation, the Romans gradually shifted to a policy of integration, which in most cases was expressed in the gradual inclusion of local elites in the traditional Roman patron-client relations, and through them their involvement in Roman administrative and military institutions. After moving to live permanently in Rome, the most ambitious and intelligent representatives of these local elites gained access to Roman magistrates, and some of them even reached the highest Roman magistracies. In many cases, they even became one of the most influential politicians in ancient Rome during their time.

TECHNOLOGICAL METHODS OF CONSTRUCTION MILITARY ENGINEERING FACILITIES RUBAS FORTIFICATION VI C. (EAST CAUCASUS)

The article reviews building techniques, used for constructing a monumental fortification of the 6th century, erected in the river-valley of Rubas, near the village of Kommuna, Derbent region of the Republic of Dagestan. The site includes six objects different in layout and construction, connected with building junctions into a single object – a construction of arched type, Wall 1, Long wall 2, Stepped structure 6, Wall 3, Platform 5. Analysis of the excavation material shows that the technology of their building was due to the functional purpose of these objects. Moreover, each of the architectural structures was built with the use of unique building techniques, variety of masonry, as well as the sizes of stone blocks and plates. The aim of the research is to conduct the analysis of the technological methods of constructing multi-type military-engineering fortifications; to determine the links of technological methods with the object’s functional purposes; to determine the level of development of construction engineering and architecture in the Peri-Caspian region in the era of the Great Migration of Peoples and the significance of this site as a military-defensive construction. The research methodology includes a detailed analysis of technological methods for the construction of military engineering structures; carrying out the classification of methods for the construction of defensive objects and the system of laying stone structures; analysis of building materials used in the construction of structures. The analysis of the excavation materials of the Rubas fortification shows that, according to the technology of construction, this object is close to the Derbent defensive complex of the middle 6th century (large stone blocks; massiveness of structures; the use of “opus quadratum” masonry; the presence of a bonding lime mortar, etc.). According to the main indicators (monumentality and functional orientation), this structure belongs to a series of barriers in the Western Peri-Caspian, built by Persia with the financial assistance of Byzantium in the era of the Great Migration of Peoples, typologically and chronologically similar to Derbent.

Ciddavilerin Yoldaşı Olmak: On Sekizinci Yüzyılda Kahire Hac Kervanının Güvenliği ve Bunun Ekonomik Yönleri

The Ottoman sultans, who bore the title “Servant of the Two Holy Sanctuaries”, assumed many responsibilities related to Mecca and Medina and their pilgrimage affairs, including the security of pilgrims, pilgrimage routes, and of the Holy Cities themselves. During the Ottoman period, these security services were mainly provided both by soldiers located in Mecca and Medina, and by troops who were sent from the provinces of Damascus and Egypt. This study evaluates the role of the Ciddavi (Ar. Jiddawi) soldiers recruited from the seven corps of Egypt to escort the pilgrimage caravans under the command of the serdar-ı kitar (commander of the military force escorting pilgrims) of Egypt, returning to Cairo at the end of the pilgrimage season. In this context, the military structure and remit of the Ciddavi Unit will be examined by focusing on the imperial edicts in the mühimme-i Mısır registers. This study reveals that the Janissaries were the most powerful and influential military corps within the Ciddavi Unit and they used this power to benefit their commercial interests. The soldiers who went to Mecca and Jeddah from Cairo for pilgrimage services created commercial opportunities for the Janissary Corps, which had a great interest in the Red Sea trade. Janissary commanders and soldiers of the Ciddavi Unit, together with the Egyptian merchants and artisans under their protection, became inconspicuous, yet important, parts of the international trade conducted between the Red Sea and the Mediterranean.

Національно-релігійний склад населення Львівського повіту (1918– 1939)

National-religious relations in Eastern Galicia during the interwar period have long attracted the attention of researchers. The first works on the following problem appeared immediately after the first official census conducted by the Polish government in 1921.The authors of it questioned the veracity of its results. Despite certain politicization of national-religious relations, the military structures of interwar Poland were almost the only ones that tried to realistically assess the demographic situation and political sentiment in the region, as it was an important component of ensuring the army's combat capability and defense capabilities of the country. The article attempts to analyze the national and religious composition of the population in Lviv county and its evolution during the interwar period. The source base of the study was the officially published results of the Polish censuses of 1921 and 1931, the Austro-Hungarian censuses of 1880–1910, as well as statistical materials found in the Archive of New Acts in Warsaw and the Central Military Archive (Warsaw, Poland). The analysis of the sources allowed to trace the change of the population quantity in the majority of settlements of Lviv county by nationality and confessional affiliation, and also to characterize the preparation and conduct of both censuses, and Ukrainian attitude to them.

The Dimensions of Military Engineer Support in the Hybrid War

Abstract Hybrid warfare as a new form of politico-military aggression, brings to the fore a complex of conventional and unconventional civil and military actions and operations designed to attack all components of the aggressed state. An appropriate response to the challenges posed by this new type of conflict involves a comprehensive approach, integrating both civilian and military instruments. However, military structures retain a particularly important role in achieving the objectives of the campaign, they possess those capabilities relevant to stabilizing the security environment as well as post-conflict reconstruction. The military engineer support, an important component of any joint military operation, contributes, beyond the fulfillment of missions / tasks in the field, mobility, countermobility, survivability or general support of the assembled military force, to the return to normalcy of the affected society of a conflict. Viewed from this perspective, it can be said that the military engineer support acquires a multidimensional character, which mainly refers to the security, economic, social and educational dimensions.

BÜYÜK ALFRED DÖNEMİ ÜZERİNE BİR DEĞERLENDİRME

Alfred the Great is King of Wessex, reigning from 871 to 899. Alfred successfully defended his country against the the invasion and pilage attempt of Vikings and became the most powerful monarch in England until his death. Alfred is one of two British monarchs to hold the title of "Great". The other ruler with this title is Knud the Great, who Scandinavian origin. He was the first king to describe himself not only as the "King of the West Saxons" but als as the "King of the Anglo-Saxons" as a completly. Alfred the Great draws attention as one of the rare medieval figures whose popularity still continues today with his actions. Alfred's influence continued through the ages and was directly associated with British imperialism by some authors. Cultural and administrative developments during the reign of Alfred the Great attracted the attention of many authors. Alfred was famous as a merciful, gracious king who loved to learn, reorganized the legal system and military structure of his country with his reforms, and improved the quality of life of the people. Alfred made incentives for the dissemination of education in his country. However, he preferred English, not Latin, as the language of education in the country. The main purpose of our article is to provide a brief perspective on Alfred's life.

On the Development of the Scientific Base of Quantum Technologies

The purpose of the article is to study the development of research in the field of quantum technologies, based on a bibliometric analysis of publications indexed in databases from the Web of Science Core Collection from 1990 to 2020. The global output of publications, the productivity of individual countries and organizations, indicators of international scientific cooperation are considered. The characteristic features of world studies in the field are revealed: a high concentration in the group of leaders, a noticeable participation of corporations and military scientific structures, and growing international cooperation. Considerable attention is paid to the positions of Russia, which towards the end of the period returned to the top ten countries in terms of productivity. The Russian Academy of Sciences is the sixth among the world scientific organizations in the production of publications on quantum technologies for the entire period; Russian scientists actively cooperate with foreign scientists, including those from leading Western countries. The internal landscape is characterized by a significant predominance of the “Center”, where the country’s leading research institutes and universities are located, and the still small research contribution of the Russian commercial sector.

REFORM OF THE COMMAND STRUCTURES OF THE MILITARY ENGINEERING BRANCH IN THE PERIOD 1989-2021


 Following the events of 1989 a radical change of the Romanian political regime took place, a change that had as main effect the democratization of the Romanian society, with special implications of a political, economic, social and implicit military nature. From a military point of view, the Romanian Army underwent extensive transformations that took place in several successive stages. These consisted of starting the process of modernizing the military body on all levels: doctrinal and organizational changes in command and force structures, the concepts of training and their use in operations, and starting the process of replacing certain categories of equipment and some categories of weapons systems with newer and more efficient ones. All these transformations also affected the military engineering branch, in terms of the organization and attributions of the engineer command structures, as well as the structure of engineer forces, on the line of organization, endowment, training. In the following lines we will make a brief review of the transformations to which the Romanian Army was subjected, and implicitly, the military engineering command structures, in the period after 1989.

An Ecclesiological Reflection on the Role of Chaplains in 32 Battalion (1977-1993)

From 1966 to 1989, the South African Defence Force (SADF) was involved in a low-intensity war in Namibia, the so-called ‘Border War’. To secure sufficient manpower to defend themselves against internal and external threats from liberation movements, often supported by the Soviet Union, the National Party introduced increasingly comprehensive systems of conscription for white males. In the main, though there was opposition from English-speaking churches, the war and conscription was supported by the mainstream Afrikaans churches in South Africa. As such, they supported a comprehensive Chaplain’s Service that reached all corners of the SADF. However, the SADF also made use of units that were not primarily made up of white South Africans. Once such unit was 32 Battalion, constituted from soldiers that used to belong to the National Front for the Liberation of Angola. When they joined the SADF, the soldiers brought their families with them, necessitating the SADF to care, physically and spiritually, for both soldiers and civilians. This article examines the role that chaplains played in a unit that fell on the periphery of the SADF’s commitment; though they were almost continuously involved in fighting for the SADF, to a large extent they fell outside of the normal military structures. Drawing extensively on primary sources, often recently declassified, the study provides an ecclesiological perspective on the influence of chaplains and religion on the men and women associated with 32 Battalion and contributes to the larger discourse about the relationship between religion and the military. Extant primary and secondary sources have been consulted including interviews with relevant anonymised respondents.

China’s military strategy for a ‘new era’: Some change, more continuity, and tantalizing hints

ABSTRACT In 2019, China’s Central Military Commission adopted a new strategy for the People’s Liberation Army, titled the ‘military strategic guidelines for the new era.’ This was consistent with the past but framed by Xi’s political consolidation, growing threats from the United States and Taiwan, and a new military structure. This article documents the strategy and asks what would drive a more fundamental adjustment. It concludes that the strategy reflected a determination to focus the PLA on the necessary and the achievable, but a new direction could be influenced by changes in the strategic landscape, rapid modernization, or new operational concepts.

Methodological Approach to Substantiating the Volume of Academic Hours for the Educational Process in Higher Military Educational Institutions Using the Weibull-Gnedenko Nonlinear Mathematical Model

High requirements for professional training of Defence Specialists were and remain the main guarantee of successful functioning of any military structure. Continuous improvement of the educational process in higher military educational institutions is the basis for its transformation to the conditions of the current situation in the world. In the paper, the authors offer an option to determine the number of classroom hours. This project describes approaches to creating a new, modern system of classroom hours, which ensures the continuity of improving the level of professional competence of higher military educational institutions using the nonlinear mathematical model of Weibull-Gnedenko. Organisational and methodological problems were analysed. Because of the analysis of methodological literature, the points of view of teachers and methodologists are compared on the modern methodological work, and a mathematical model was used that established the relationship between the training level of students and the number of academic hours. The proposed model divides the educational process into initial and main periods. The learning process strengthens in the main period. There is a slowdown at the beginning and end.

THE CONCEPT OF MULTI-DOMAIN OPERATIONS AND ITS MULTINATIONAL UNDERSTANDING

The international competition on emerging technologies rises a new and very dangerous threat for global and regional security because of the easy access to the procurament of very high-tech and sensitive defence material. The race for who will control some domains from the future operating environment is between the United States, Russia and China, but several other state and non-state actors have reconsidered their high-tech strategies, already. It is about India, Iran, Japan, Israel and the European Union as a whole, as well as transnational terrorist and organised crime organisations or multinational companies. At the same time, the last technological developments have created a huge discrepancy in the Revolution in Military Affairs (RMA), especially because of letting far behind doctrines and the organisation of military structures for combat. This anacronism is evolving with the intent of gradually replacing regular fighters and current formations in the modern battlefield with robots/androids and joint human-machines teams. As a result, it has become imperative to develop new concepts/strategies for future conflicts that brings together all elemnts of advanced technologies and coordinates their joint acions on any potential adversary, in order to achieve a total and quick victory. This material will analyse the US Army’s concept of Multidimensional Operatios and how it is understood at the Allied level.

Conceptual approaches to developing military medical doctrine

The paper focuses on the main conceptual points of the Military Medical Doctrine of Ukraine. There are discussed the approaches to reforming the Ukraine Armed Forces medical support system, which key tasks are to upgrade the military medical structure.

Nachtigall in the battle for Lviv Ledge. Structure, tasks, actions

Thea article discusses the Nachtigall unit, its command structure, and functional characteristics in the advancing Wehrmacht. It also covers Nachtigall’s purpose and tasks during the battles for Lviv. The unit is studied in the context of the German military structure as of 1941.

Висвітлення бойових дій Другої Світової війни на території України у збірнику «Русский архив: Великая Отечественная»

Висвітлення бойових дій Другої Світової війни на території України у збірнику «Русский архив: Великая Отечественная»

Siły Zbrojne PRL w strukturach wojskowych Układu Warszawskiego

The article presents the scope of the Polish People’s Republic participation in the military structures of the Warsaw Pact. The first part concerns the participation of Polish officers in command bodies, such as the United Command and Staff of the United Armed Forces, and in military advisory bodies. The second part presents the composition of Polish contingents assigned to the United Armed Forces of the Warsaw Pact. These contingents were composed of operational units from all four branches of the military, i.e. the army, air force, air defense orce and navy.

Робкие попытки модернизации: период "предреформ" (1797-1806 гг.) в истории Пруссии

The article suggests considering the period of 1797-1806 in the Prussian history as epoch of “pre-reforms”. The term “pre-reforms” was coined by the German social historian Otto Hintze (1861-1940). Over the past 20 or 30 years, the historical research in the field of the Prussian history has been collecting empirical evidence confirming the fact that between 1797 and 1806 the Prussian government was attempting to carry out practical reforms with the purpose to modernize the political, social, economic and military structures of the Prussian kingdom. These reforms were attempted mostly on the provincial level rather than on the national one, which points to the regionalism as the major feature of the Prussian state system. The modernization process in Prussia affected first the provinces and then the center. The politics of “pre-reforms” was initiated by the King Frederick William III himself as well as by his advisors who sought to realize in Prussia the idea of a “revolution from above” in contrast to the French “revolution from below”. The actively propagated image of Frederick William III as “bourgeois king” also pursued this aim. Due to the lack of political will as well as time the modernization potential of the Prussian higher bureaucracy was not realized to the full extent, the “pre-reforms”, however, laid the grounds for the more radical reforms of Heinrich Friedrich vom und zum Stein and Karl August von Hardenberg (1807-1812). Applying the term “pre-reforms” to 1797-1806 allows us to consider this period not as the time of crisis and decline, but as a part of a long modernization process of the Prussian state from Frederick II's “enlightened absolutism” to the Stein-Hardenberg reforms (mid-1750s - early 19th century).