Read more about the article Defence and Security Outsourcing within the Common Security and Defence Policy
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Defence and Security Outsourcing within the Common Security and Defence Policy

The controversial involvement of the Wagner Group in Ukraine and Russia’s domestic politics has recently shed light on Private Military and Security Companies (PMSCs). Before that, the American PMSC Blackwater, now Academi, also drew public attention for misconduct during its involvement in Iraq (Singer, 2007). While outsourcing defence and security tasks to private actors by public authorities dates back centuries, PMSCs are a strictly post-Cold War trend (Singer, 2003).

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5 October 2023
Read more about the article The Imperative of Joint Procurement in Europe: Defragmenting our Defence Industry
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The Imperative of Joint Procurement in Europe: Defragmenting our Defence Industry

The 2023 ‘Future Shocks’ report of the European Parliamentary Research Service points out the drastic changes to the European security landscape following the Russian invasion of Ukraine and the return of war on European soil (EPRS, 2023). Europe faces a multi-faceted conventional and non-conventional threat that requires short-, medium-, and long-term action from European policymakers (Anghel, 2023). The European defence architecture ought to be transformed deeply to face the new geostrategic urgency (Anghel, 2023). The key lies in greater and more collaborative investments. It is both economically and strategically untenable to operate in silos when it comes to defence. Billions are lost every year and defence capabilities remain insufficient, outdated, and lack interoperability. Should Europeans have any hope of holding a leading role in the geopolitical environment of today, it is imperative to increase collaborative efforts across the EU.

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5 October 2023
Read more about the article Financing the Defence Industry – A Comparison of the Investment Climate in the European Union, United States and China
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Financing the Defence Industry – A Comparison of the Investment Climate in the European Union, United States and China

The global military expenditure rose by 3.7 per cent in real terms in 2022 to a record high of $2.24 trillion (Tian et al., 2023). The United States, China and the European Union (as the aggregated national expenditures of its member countries) make up the three largest (see first chart). Given the rising demand, governments and the defence industry are increasing their investments. Evaluating the strengths and weaknesses of each market will be essential in determining the necessary steps forward.

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3 October 2023
Read more about the article From New Generation Warfare to Lost Generation Warfare: Training Deficiencies of the Russian Battalion Tactical Groups
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From New Generation Warfare to Lost Generation Warfare: Training Deficiencies of the Russian Battalion Tactical Groups

Since the Russian invasion of Crimea, Western military analysts had difficulty defining Russia’s art of war. The scholarly descriptions ranged from ‘fourth-generation warfare’ to ‘non-linear warfare’ and ‘hybrid warfare’ (Czekaj & Howeverd, 2019, p. 179). However, prominent Russian scholars, such as Slipchenko, Major General Vladimirov and General Gareev offered an alternative concept to distance themselves from the Western rational framework.

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28 September 2023
Read more about the article EU Missions in Somalia: Successes, Challenges and Future Prospects
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EU Missions in Somalia: Successes, Challenges and Future Prospects

Since the overthrow of dictator Siad Barre in 1991, Somalia has been widely considered a failed state. For over three decades, the country has been afflicted by violent conflict, clan rivalries, corruption, piracy, terrorism and humanitarian disasters. These issues have had significant implications for regional and global security and stability, prompting numerous international interventions. While there have been notable successes, Somalia continues to face substantial challenges towards lasting peace, security, and socio-economic development. 

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27 September 2023