Search

Begin New Search Topic Security Journal Security and Defence Quarterly

61. Modern assumptions of the American ballistic missile defence system against the background of historical concepts and programmes

Author:
Aleksandra Murat-Bors
Publication Date:
12-2018
Content Type:
Journal Article
Journal:
Security and Defence Quarterly
Institution:
War Studies University
Abstract:
The issue of missile defence has been present in American policy for over 70 years and is constantly subject to research and the search for new technologies. Nowadays, the proliferation of nuclear weapons and ballistic missiles, as well as the growing threat from the so-called “rogue states” have caused the inevitable development of the missile defence strategy. On the basis of historical programmes and the results of contemporary research, the concept of a Ballistic Missile Defence System was created. The system is based on the principles of indivisibility of the security of the Alliance and NATO solidarity, fair sharing of risk and burdens as well as taking on reasonable challenges. One of the components of the system is the European Phase Adaptive Approach, which was designed to protect American allies and resources in the European region from the growing rocket threat. This paper analyses the genesis of ballistic missile defence and what its development tendencies are. The article contains a presentation of the essence of the US Ballistic Missile Defence System, as well as its history and suspended programmes. The concept of multilayered defence has been outlined, as have the technical details of the system’s components and its location and operational status.
Topic:
Security, NATO, Nuclear Weapons, Missile Defense, and Ballistic Missile
Political Geography:
North America and United States of America

62. Defence infrastructure - an attempt at identification

Author:
Piotr Krzykowski
Publication Date:
12-2018
Content Type:
Journal Article
Journal:
Security and Defence Quarterly
Institution:
War Studies University
Abstract:
Security and infrastructure are two closely related terms, which is why they are so often referred to at the same time. In today’s world, infrastructure is essential to ensure broadly understood security, and a lack of security will not fulfil its basic role. Today, identified threats and challenges to national security, and thus to the security of the state, evoke the need to participate in preparing all components of the defence system of the state. The management of state defence is a very complex process, requiring a properly prepared system to function reliably in times of peace, but also in times of crisis and war. Its role is to integrate individual elements of the defence system into a uniform and efficient whole. Effective defence activities and ensuring the security of its citizens and all its assets are the core activities of the state. The defence area of the state is now comprehensive in nature and is of interest to the entire apparatus of state power. The aim of the article is to present the role of the defence infrastructure in the life of the state, its relation to national security and an attempt to identify the defence infrastructure of the state, taking into account the key state infrastructure.
Topic:
Security, Defense Policy, and Infrastructure
Political Geography:
Global Focus

63. Security policy of the Baltic states and its determining factors

Author:
Sławomir Piotrowski
Publication Date:
12-2018
Content Type:
Journal Article
Journal:
Security and Defence Quarterly
Institution:
War Studies University
Abstract:
The history of the nations living in today’s Baltic States is marked by fighting against stronger neighbours: Russia, Poland, Sweden, Denmark and the German settlers in their territories. Unlike Lithuanians, Estonians and Latvians failed to create their own statehood before the 20 th century. The Lithuanians created their own state, a powerful one, which then became a part of an even wider state organism – the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth. As a result, the security policy of Lithuania was identical to that of the First Republic of Poland. Although there were tribes living within the area of current Estonia and Latvia for many centuries up to the outbreak of World War I, the lands of Latvia and Estonia had been changing owners and had been under the rule of almost all neighbouring countries. As a result of the positive outcome of the First World War, but also thanks to their efforts, the Baltic States regained independence in order to lose it after only 20 years, as a consequence of another war. After restoring independence with the collapse of the Soviet Union, the Baltic States realised that even acting together they were unable to defend themselves against a potential aggressor. As a result, they decided to follow in the footsteps of other countries of the former Eastern Bloc (e.g. Poland and Slovakia) and to integrate with Western European structures such as NATO and the EU. Following NATO inclusion, the security strategies of the Baltic States have been revised in line with the changes in their surrounding geopolitical environment.
Topic:
Security, History, Regional Politics, and Regional Security
Political Geography:
Europe and Baltic States

64. The Balkans and non-military security threats – quality comparative analyses of resilience capabilities regarding hybrid threats

Author:
Miroslav Mitrovic
Publication Date:
12-2018
Content Type:
Journal Article
Journal:
Security and Defence Quarterly
Institution:
War Studies University
Abstract:
The contemporary security environment indicates non-conventional, asymmetric and hybrid security threats as potentially the most accurate threats to global and regional security. Conflict risks in the regional frame strongly depend on strategically aimed non-military, but hybrid acts. The great powers mostly attempt to achieve their own interests’ goals in fulfi llment of self-orientated strategic dominance. The Balkan region is a crossroads of strongly exposed interest spheres of regional as well as global powers. The article aims to determine areas of infl uence in the Balkan States that could become targets of predominantly non-military but hybrid infl uences. Multi-Value Quality Comparative Analyses (mvQCA) of state power, stability and resilience capacities were used in the research. The methodology used was based on the approach with multi-valued sets of variables and conditions. A theoretical framework was based on contemporary theories of state power and hybrid warfare concept. Used databases were brought together from generated open source databases of approved international academic or think-tank organisations. Based on a hypothesis regarding hybrid security threats, a theoretical framework of understanding of power and analysing a wide spectra of databases, the article aims to contribute a rational and objective understanding of two main indicators: the potential to become a target and the resilience capacities of countries in the face of hybrid security threats. Its findings indicate that most countries in the Balkan region are potentially under unarmed influences and have very low resilience capabilities against possible hybrid infl uences. The conclusions reached help to clarify that the Balkan States are vulnerable to hybrid security threats.
Topic:
Security, Conflict, Resilience, and Non-Traditional Threats
Political Geography:
Europe and Balkans

65. Unmanned Aerial Vehicles in the protection of the elements of a country’s critical infrastructure – selected directions of development

Author:
Radosław Bielawski, Witold Rządkowski, and Rafał Perz
Publication Date:
12-2018
Content Type:
Journal Article
Journal:
Security and Defence Quarterly
Institution:
War Studies University
Abstract:
This paper explores the directions for the application of unmanned aerial vehicles in the provision of security to vital elements of a country’s critical infrastructure. The analysis focuses on two paths of development: the first one refers to the transportation system, the latter is related to the gas supply network – the basic components of a country’s critical infrastructure. The first section of this paper will examine the current state of knowledge in the field, and is designed as a reference of terminology pertaining to unmanned aerial vehicles (definitions and classification). The section shall furthermore provide a basis for and a contribution to the developed conceptual-semantic framework for UAV research. The first direction of development is described in terms of the characteristics and assumptions of the system; this includes an overview of the specific requirements of the unmanned platform itself, as well as the elements of the system, such as a local monitoring centre and other components. Furthermore, this section provides the overview of the designated mobile application, whose development is expected to improve the efficiency of system operation, which is a conceptual novelty considering similar developments. The second direction concerns the development of an unmanned system of production, storage, and use of chemical and radioactive substances, including pipelines for hazardous substances. The programme that fits perfectly in the framework of the second considered branch of development is “Cricket” [Polish: “Świerszcz”] – a programme implemented in the periodic inspection of gas supply infrastructure. The description of the programme in question included specifying the technical and operational requirements for the fight devices as well as for the equipment.
Topic:
Security, Development, Infrastructure, Military, and Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV)
Political Geography:
Global Focus

66. Types of Security Education in Poland. Selected examples

Author:
Marlena Zadorożna
Publication Date:
12-2018
Content Type:
Journal Article
Journal:
Security and Defence Quarterly
Institution:
War Studies University
Abstract:
The purpose of the article is to examine selected examples of types of security education in Poland. At the beginning of the 20th century, national security was centered on military and political aspects, but recent decades have seen the successive shifting of the focus from the military-political plane of security to other areas. It seems that educational concepts adapt to emerging challenges. This thesis is confi rmed by the concept of global education, the idea of military classes, as well as the military training of pro-defensive organisations within the framework of the Passport Program. All of these educational concepts were covered in the study. One of the most important conclusions of the article will be to emphasise the correlation between the evolution of the understanding of security, the transformation of threats and changes in the field of educational concepts.
Topic:
Security, Defense Policy, Education, Training, and Military
Political Geography:
Europe and Poland

67. Students’ opinions about the subject of Security Education in upper secondary schools

Author:
Barbara Drapikowska
Publication Date:
12-2018
Content Type:
Journal Article
Journal:
Security and Defence Quarterly
Institution:
War Studies University
Abstract:
The article is empirical and constitutes a qualitative analysis of students’ attitudes towards the implementation of the subject of Security Education in upper secondary schools to which they attended. The research attention was focused on the form of conducting classes, issues raised on the subject, assessment of their usefulness and proposals for improvements presented by students. The self-assessment of self-attitude towards the subject and level involved in the acquisition of the core curriculum was also presented.
Topic:
Security, Education, Students, Qualitative Research, and Teaching
Political Geography:
Global Focus

68. National defence training of public administration personnel in Poland

Author:
Bogdan Grenda and Andrzej Soboń
Publication Date:
12-2018
Content Type:
Journal Article
Journal:
Security and Defence Quarterly
Institution:
War Studies University
Abstract:
National defence training of public administration personnel can be broadly defined as a set of activities undertaken at all levels of public administration, aimed at preparing staff to perform official duties concerned with state defence. This paper opens with the presentation of essential areas of national defence training. The subsequent section provides an overview of implementations of national defence training at various levels of public administration and at Higher Universities. The final part of this analysis describes the assumptions of a new didactic framework of courses in defence for public administration and national authorities at the Faculty of National Security of War Studies University in Warsaw.
Topic:
Security, Defense Policy, Training, Personnel, and Administration
Political Geography:
Europe and Poland

69. Strengthening defence research as part of higher military education for future security challenges

Author:
Nebojsa Nikolic
Publication Date:
12-2018
Content Type:
Journal Article
Journal:
Security and Defence Quarterly
Institution:
War Studies University
Abstract:
This paper evaluates the potential for defence research to contribute to the long-term development of higher military education. Motivation for the paper emerged from recent organisational changes at the Ministry of Defence by which the Strategic Research Institute (SRI), joined the University of Defence (UoD). Both institutions, SRI and UoD, are obligated and dedicated towards respecting and implementing national strategies, laws and norms related to scientific research and education as well as towards fulfi llment of prescribed accreditation standards for academic education and scientific research. The main idea here is to evaluate a scientific research approach conducted by the SRI, through the lens of the guiding principles for development of academic studies which are declared in the national strategy for education development. A few of the questions we tried to answer were: how relevant are the research topics?; who needs research results?; how should the research process be conducted?; and what about the quality of research results? Development of scientific research connections, higher education and practical needs of the military organisation are very important for all three domains, particularly for future security challenges. Military research organisations, along with the higher education component, have to be capable of perceiving future security challenges, conducting scientific research and offering some proposals based on scientific methodology. However, in the selection of the research topics, they have to respect the views, needs and priorities of other organisational entities which are part of the military organisation.
Topic:
Security, Defense Policy, Education, Reform, and Military
Political Geography:
Global Focus

70. The subjective dimension of Security Education

Author:
Krzysztof Drabik
Publication Date:
12-2018
Content Type:
Journal Article
Journal:
Security and Defence Quarterly
Institution:
War Studies University
Abstract:
Subjectivity in education is not a new issue. It defines the position and role of participants in educational processes (teacher, students). However, education combined with problems of security may raise some doubts in interpretation. It is about identifying the subjects of security. If you adopt the premise that a set of security subjects is not restricted to man and social groups, then security education should also consider other subjects. Moreover, the hazard society, as a product of the postmodern era involves the need for scientific research and public discussion about man as the subject in the process of education and social relations in general.
Topic:
Security, Education, Research, and Subjectivity
Political Geography:
Global Focus