Today I and Dr Niklas Nilsson received a Research Initiation grant (F20-0119) from the RJ Foundation for developing an International Network in War Studies for Research on Land Operations and Tactics.

Abstract:
International politics has become ever more volatile over the last decade, increasing the risk of large-scale military violence. Yet the precise character of future wars will depend on a range of factors that relate to adversaries, allies, technology, geographical scope and multiple domains of warfare. Few would question the fact that land forces will continue to be important in the foreseeable future. However, given that the battlefield is in a state of transformation, so is the mission, purpose and utilisation of land forces. Indeed, serious questions are being asked about the future conduct of land warfare in the face of major, complex challenges and security threats.

The proposed research initiation will zero in on the evolving role of land forces, focusing particularly on the changes that have taken place in the art of commanding and executing combat and on the role of rapid technological innovation and information dissemination in shaping warfare. Furthermore, it is pertinent to revisit the established military theory and thinking (some of it neglected in recent years) with lessons learned from contemporary land warfare.

The initiative will bring together world-leading international researchers on land warfare from across Europe, the US, and beyond. The project will centre around two workshops and exchanges of visiting researchers, exploring a number of key issues from a thematic and an empirical perspective.