We live in an era of implausible deniability and ambiguous warfare

[davidbfpo]

General Nick Carter is the current CDS (roughly CJCS) and the post-holder makes an annual Xmas speech @ RUSI:https://rusi.org/event/annual-chief-...mas-party-2018

Via a Twitter recommendation I found this commentary, which says he did actually say something substantive near the start:

Regional powers, perceiving challenges that are clearer to them than perhaps are own are to us, continue every day to innovate to advance their own policy goals. This innovation, energised by a keen clarity of purpose, is being refined and given a competitive edge by constant activity and engagement.
The obvious response to this dynamism and the risk of being left-behind is as argued by General Carter in his speech – to “recreate the innovation and ingenuity seen in wartime”. We must do this, he argues, “if we are to succeed in this environment”.
(Later) The key strategic response is simple: it is to be as adaptive, to be as innovative – to out-compete. A culture that is receptive to innovation, that resources experimentation, and has in-place all the enabling factors General Carter lists, goes some way to achieving this.

Link:https://missivesfromwales.wordpress....s-rusi-speech/

[flagg]

General Nick Carter is the current CDS (roughly CJCS) and the post-holder makes an annual Xmas speech @ RUSI:https://rusi.org/event/annual-chief-...mas-party-2018

Via a Twitter recommendation I found this commentary, which says he did actually say something substantive near the start:
Link:https://missivesfromwales.wordpress....s-rusi-speech/

We just covered this last week when we were guests on the USAF l.Lab podcast:

https://www.548isr.com/podcast/2018/...e-adf-and-nzdf

Out-adapt and out-innovate should be added to our lexicon beside out-maneuver.

I stuffed up the 617 “dambuster” squadron #, calling it 688.

My partner and I discuss at length the tolerance for innovation risk in conflict compared to a camp environment and what we’re doing about it.

[davidbfpo]

Spotted that today that the UK House of Commons Select Committee on Defence has embarked on this inquiry.
Link to initial announcement:https://www.parliament.uk/business/c...-launch-17-19/

As they explain:

This inquiry will examine the danger posed by hybrid threats to the UK and how the UK Government is preparing its response.

Two written submissions by UK academics are available (I know both authors) via:https://www.parliament.uk/business/c...threats-17-19/

[davidbfpo]

John Raine, an ex-UK diplomat now @ IISS, adds this commentary; it is sub-titled:

Much has been made of hybrid or 'grey zone' conflict between states in recent years. However, as John Raine argues, the ever widening list of actions viewed as belligerent only increases the likelihood of escalation.

Link:https://www.iiss.org/blogs/analysis/...the-grey-zone?