Defense Transformation and the Asia Pacific Implications for Regional Militaries. Asia-Pacific Center for Security Studies Volume 3, Number 7, October 2004

Abstract

Defense transformation is an ambiguous but nevertheless bounded term. Generally, it is much more than the mere modernization of a country's armed forces; rather, it is seen as a discontinuous or disruptive change in the character and conduct of warfare occurring when new technologies are combined with innovative operational and organizational concepts. Currently, defense transformation is driven and enabled primarily by advances in information technologies (IT) and network-centric warfare. Key characteristics of a modern transformed force include: new command, control, communications, computing, intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (C4ISR), networked with weapons and platforms; shared situational awareness; more accurate and standoff engagement; agility, speed, rapid deployability, and flexibility; and greater jointness and interoperability. Militaries and governments throughout the Asia-Pacific region have begun to consider the promise and requirements of defense transformation, including transformational concepts. Most of these typically entail the acquisition, development, and integration of new C4ISR systems and precision-guided weapons. Australia has termed its transformational concept the Knowledge Edge; Japan the Information-based Revolution in Military Affairs (Info-RMA); and Singapore the Integrated Knowledge-based Command and Control (IKC2). Interoperability with U.S. forces has been a key driver of current Asia-Pacific thinking about defense transformation. This enhanced interoperability is especially crucial for regional allies as the United States continues to transform its armed forces-it would permit these countries' militaries to tap into any progress the United States makes in transformational warfare.

Open PDF

Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Oct 01, 2004
Accession Number
AD1032659

Entities

People

  • Richard A. Bitzinger

Organizations

  • Asia-Pacific Center for Security Studies

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • C4I
  • Counter WMD
  • Cyber
  • Electronic Warfare
  • Energy and Power Technologies
  • Sensors
  • Space

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Acquisition
  • Command And Control
  • Command And Control Systems
  • Control Systems
  • Governments
  • Guided Weapons
  • Information Processing
  • Information Systems
  • Information Warfare
  • Intelligence Collection
  • Military Forces (Foreign)
  • Military Operations
  • Military Organizations
  • Precision-Guided Munitions
  • Security
  • Unmanned Systems
  • Warfare

Readers

  • Cybersecurity.
  • East Asian Political and Security Studies within the Soviet Union
  • Maritime Combat Support and Expeditionary Logistics.

Technology Areas

  • Fully Networked C3
  • Fully Networked C3 - Command and Control