Read more about the article France Claims World’s First Ground to Space High-Speed Optical-Laser Link
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France Claims World’s First Ground to Space High-Speed Optical-Laser Link

In late 2023, the French Defence Innovation Agency (AID), through the French Armament Directorate, launched a new satellite named Keraunos with the aid of two novel French Space companies, Cailabs and Unseenlabs (AID, 2O24). The project, along with others like Toutatis and Yoda (Bosquillon, 2024), contribute to the French 2024-2030 Military Programming Law (AID, 2024). The mission is meant to test the potential of space Optical-Laser Infrared (OLI) communications between space and ground segments of communications networks. During the summer of 2024, these three entities performed a successful test (Ruitenberg, 2024). The test was followed by a joint announcement on September 10th, 2024, claiming the world’s first stable OLI high-speed communications “end-to-end” downlink between a low orbit nanosatellite and an optical ground station, which lasted for several minutes (AID, 2024). Despite the possibility of classified initiatives and recent breakthroughs by NASA (Powers, 2024), China (Xinhua, 2024), and others (Depond, 2024), this was the first commercial test of its sort (Bosquillon, 2024), marking a new age for space to ground optical-laser infrared (OLI) communications.

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21 October 2024
Read more about the article The EU’s Approach towards Countering Hybrid Threats: Conceptualization and Capacity Building
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The EU’s Approach towards Countering Hybrid Threats: Conceptualization and Capacity Building

In this paper, Marek Gallo examines the European Union’s approach to hybrid warfare, particularly following the Russian annexation of Crimea in 2014. It begins by defining hybrid warfare, exploring its historical context and contemporary implications for security. The analysis highlights the EU’s strategies, including the creation of institutions like the Hybrid Fusion Cell, and assesses their effectiveness. While recognising the dual role of the EU in utilising soft power alongside NATO's hard power, the paper also addresses the challenges posed by geopolitical ambiguities and the necessity of building trust among member states. Furthermore, it emphasises the importance of enhancing the EU's capabilities, as articulated in the Strategic Compass of 2022, and proposes recommendations for strengthening resilience against hybrid threats. The conclusion calls for a proactive stance in upholding international law and engaging civil society, reinforcing the EU's position as a key player in addressing hybrid warfare in a complex security environment.

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18 October 2024
Read more about the article The Legal Concept of Neutrality: The Case of the Ukrainian – Russian War
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The Legal Concept of Neutrality: The Case of the Ukrainian – Russian War

As countries like Finland and Sweden shift away from neutrality to join NATO, the war has prompted a reevaluation of neutrality's relevance within European security. Mostly known as a political concept, this article explores the legal principle of neutrality in the context of the Ukrainian-Russian war, where military aid from numerous states has sparked debate on the boundaries of neutrality in modern conflicts.  The narrow legal framework of neutrality highlights the ambivalence of the legal obligations of neutral states where abstention from supporting belligerents and help to a state defending against aggression coexist. Therefore, the rigidity of traditional neutrality law appears to be challenged by the ongoing war shifting towards more flexible interpretations in the face of collective security threats. Consequently, the need to adpat the legal doctrine in the rapidly changing landscape of international law and warfare underlines the obsolescence of the concept.

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17 October 2024
Read more about the article FACT – The importance of European cyber resilience in hybrid warfare
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FACT – The importance of European cyber resilience in hybrid warfare

This article studies the Federated Advanced Cyber Physical Test range (FACT), a new initiative launched by the European Defence Fund (EDF) in December 2023 to develop a next-generation European cyber test-bed capability. The dependence of military and civil-urban infrastructures on digital and IoT systems underscores the need for and importance of a European cyber range to test military equipment on its cyber resilience. The article addresses the cyber vulnerability of these infrastructures under the current context of hybrid warfare and foreign cyber potential. The FACT case study underlines how this initiative embodies a capability that has yet to be achieved in the current EU framework by creating a shared cyber range test-bed. The analysis of pertinent EU-based NATO-owned cyber infrastructure also emphasises the existing future potential for appropriation and integration into a new European cyber architecture.  Finally, the article stresses how FACT shows the potential and political willingness to change European cyber-resilience and interoperability in the long-term.  

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15 October 2024
Read more about the article Explosive Devices in Lebanon: an analysis of lawfulness in modern warfare 
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Explosive Devices in Lebanon: an analysis of lawfulness in modern warfare 

This article studies the events surrounding the explosive attacks in Lebanon on September 17th and 18th through the lens of IHL, uncovering significant concerns about Israel’s adherence to IHL regarding the lawful use of weapons. The lack of distinction between military objectives and civilian objects, coupled with the high number of civilian casualties, underscores the failure to comply with fundamental principles of IHL. This article explains how the implicit use of devices such as pagers, mobile phones, and laptops as explosive weapons hinders the ability to target combatants while minimising harm to civilians, making the use of this new method of warfare unlawful. This case exemplifies a broader and worrying trend of rising civilian harm in conflicts globally, as seen in Ukraine, the Middle East, and beyond. The analysis underscores the need for respect for the most basic principles of IHL, particularly distinction and caution, when developing and using new methods of warfare, and serves as a call for respect and accountability for the principles that aim to make conflicts more humane by safeguarding the lives of civilians.

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9 October 2024