HCSS Centre for Strategic Studies

Defence Transformation

The militaries of many Western countries have in recent years initiated a transformation from static in-place forces aimed at defending national territory to expeditionary forces deployable around the world for varying missions in complex security environments and dealing with diverse actors and adversaries. Technological advancements yield the potential for the precise and effective use of weaponry causing limited losses and collateral damage. Strategic mobility and deployable, flexible and adaptable forces and capabilities are key requirements for the more effective use of the military instrument. We need ‘made-to-measure’ products albeit at ‘ready-to-wear’ prices. At this moment we witness a second wave of transformation. Concepts such as Effects Based Approach to Operations and Comprehensive Approach have tremendous influence on the development of doctrine and operational concepts. The understanding that stabilisation and reconstruction operations have organisational implications for the structure of the armed forces is gaining strength. Conflict management and prevention entails much more than simply the use of arms. Military power must be embedded in a broad approach to security.

Programme focus:

• Transformation within the armed forces and its subsequent consequences for the planning processes within NATO and the EU
• Matching defence capability requirements to the strategic reorientation of militaries
• Translating national level of ambition, risk assessment and organisational dynamics to investment and procurement policies
• Complementing the concept of network enabled capabilities and operations with joint, combined and interagency doctrine development
• Contributing to ‘Defence as a learning organisation’, in particular feedback exercises and lessons-learned

The Defence Transformation Programme is led by Msc Stephan De Spiegeleire.

MSc. Stephan De Spiegeleire

Stephan De Spiegeleire is working primarily in the areas of network-centrism, NATO and European defence transformation, and European Homeland Security. He has worked for the RAND corporation for nearly ten years (five years in the US and almost five years in the Netherlands), interrupted by stints at the Stiftung Wissenschaft und Politik (Germany) and the Western European Union’s Institute for Security Studies (France). Starting out as a Soviet specialist, Stephan has branched out into a several fields concerning international security policy, all related to international security and defence. Stephan is currently working towards a Ph.D at the Political Science Department of the University of California (US). He also teaches at Webster University in Leiden.

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Stephan De Spiegeleire

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