Key Note Address by the Commander of the Army at the Inauguration Ceremony of Seminar 1/2014 held at OCDC
This promising seat of learning intends imparting much sought-after knowledge through this series of seminars organized under different themes that are not usually addressed in the curriculum. This is the third successive Seminar organised by the Officer Career Development Centre since the series began in 2012. The first Seminar centred on the theme “Challenges and Prospects of Development of security forces in the Post-Conflict Nation Building in the View of national security Priorities as Against Publicity.
Second seminar focused on the “Post conflict Role of the army in the north and East and maintenance of the Professional Image and dignity of the Army†During both Seminars, senior members of the Sri Lankan Armed Forces and eminent civilian scholars shared their experiences on the strategies and discussed their broader applicability, relevance and its prospects for the future.
This Seminar is organized under reflecting the theme “Evolution of war fighting and Adaptability of Armed forcesâ€.
History of war fighting dragged for thousands of years. With the development of mankind it took various forms and subsequently has been developed in to present day modern warfare. If we look at the development of warfare in the modern era, we could see three distinct generations. First two generations of warfare focused destruction of enemy by attrition, while the third generation warfare had concerned on manoeuvre. However, first generation war based on “Masses of Manpowerâ€, the second on Masses of Firepower. Manoeuvre warfare was predominant in third generation warfare. What these generations had in common is the fact each sought to defeat the enemy militarily.
Three generations have been passed and we are marching on fourth generation warfare with enormous changes ever since. We must try to determine the form and impact of the fourth generation of war. Based on the observed correlation between each generation of war and the society it grew from, it is logical to assume the fourth generation of war will also take its shape from society. To understand the potential shape of the fourth generation of war, we must look at the political, economic, and social changes in society as well as the changes in technology since the advent of the third generation of war.
The third generation of war developed when international relations were defined in terms of the European nation states that dominated them. In contrast, the fourth generation of war is coming of age during a period of exponential increase in the number and type of players on the international scene.
The common belief of next generation of warfare is going to be based on “knowledge†that will further tuned up by innovative technologies, not allow the opponent to react, leaving no opportunity of fighting the war other than accepting inevitable defeat in face of the enemy. My strong belief and advice for the members of this victorious Army in South Asian Region is to shape up the thoughts and concepts having visualizing of our future security implications and military role in protecting the nation.
The modern world is characterized by explosion of knowledge, information and rapid advancements in almost all facets of human life. Military art and science are no exception to this ever growing transformation and expansion. Non-Kinetic challenges to the states are more pronounced than Kinetic ones in today’s world. Whereas, the overall power potential of nations is still determined by conventional military yardsticks, it is the Non-Kinetics which is more seriously explored now a days by nations and societies to advance their interests. The mere idea that these facets are used as tools, speaks volumes about the grave nature of threat that the non-kinetic phenomenon poses to the state.
It is evident that, the tactical changes are occurred between the generations of modern war, but it is essential to understand the causes of these generational shifts in warfare. One major catalyst of change is the advancement of technology. As the hardware of war improves through technological development, so must the tactical, operational, and strategic usage adapt to its improved capabilities both to maximize our own capabilities and to counteract our enemy’s. While technological developments directly make a strong impact on evolution of warfare, it attributes to simplify the conflicting problems in quick time. The true drivers of generational change are political, social, and economical factors that pivoted the evolution of the first three generations of war.
Use of the electromagnetic (EM) spectrum has changed dramatically since it discovered in 1888. The EM spectrum is also an integral part of our military. This innovative Technology shapes warfare, not war. War is timeless and universal. It has afflicted virtually every state known to human history. Technology has been the primary source of military innovation throughout history. It drives changes in warfare more than any other factor. It drives changes in warfare more than any other factor. However much technology may change warfare, it never determines warfare neither how it will be conducted nor how it will turn out. Technology presides in warfare, but it does not rule. Thus designing a new perspective of net war focusing on public diplomacy measures, propaganda would create psychological effects on the society.
To understand the potential shape of the fourth generation of war, we must look at the political, economic, and social changes in a society as well as the evolution in technology. Yet, the question remains “What posture will this generation take?†Hence, the topics that has been decided under the theme for this seminar has a great validity in understanding the challenges and cross connection between security related affairs in adapting appropriate measures in the face of next generation of warfare. It is certain that during this seminar and the discussions we would shed light on all those areas.
The seminar of this nature would provide an opportunity to enhance knowledge. Hence, I encourage all of you to express your thoughts freely, as there is nothing like sharing experiences, So do participate in discussions, share your views, share your thoughts and make use of this opportunity to widen your horizon. Wish all of you all the very best and hope that the sessions that are going to unfold will be provoking & stimulating.
