Defence Forces Review 2019 1 Defence Forces Review 2019 ISSN 1649-7066 Published for the Military Authorities by the Public Relations Section at the Chief of Staff’s Branch, and printed at the Defence Forces Printing Press, Infirmary Road, Dublin 7. © Copyright in accordance with Section 56 of the Copyright Act, 1963, Section 7 of the University of Limerick Act, 1989 and Section 6 of the Dublin University Act, 1989. 2 Launch of the Defence Forces Review In conjunction with an Academic Seminar University College Dublin, Dublin 05th December 2019 3 Defence Forces Review 2019 Preface “The secret of change is to focus all your energy, not in fighting the old, but on building the new.” Socrates It is a privilege for me as Officer in Charge Defence Forces Public Relations Branch to launch the Defence Forces Review for 2019. The purpose of the Defence Forces Review is to provide a forum in which contributors can present their research and facilitate discussion on a wide range of defence-related matters for the benefit of the wider Defence Community. I believe that this issue of the Review will achieve all of these goals, and will, in turn stimulate widespread discussion amongst readers. Building on recent publications, this year’s review primarily focusses on a specific theme, in the case of this year’s review the theme is: ‘The 22nd Century Military Force: Technology, Innovation and Future Force Concepts.’ The articles reflect, among other things, the changing character of warfare, the exponential changes in technology and the likely effects these will have on militaries and the manner in which military operations might be conducted in the future operating environment. The Editor of the Defence Forces Review for 2019 is Lieutenant Commander Paul Hegarty. Despite a very heavy schedule as an Instructor in the Command and Staff School he assumed this editorial burden with energy and commitment, displaying a commendable level of academic ambition for this project. For this year’s edition, he has assembled a diverse group of contributors, working in academic collaboration with the University College Dublin (UCD) School of Politics and International Relations (SPIRe), and the UCD Clinton Institute. A special word of gratitude to his fellow editors, Professor Ben Tonra (SPIRe, UCD) and Dr. Eugenio Lilli (Clinton Institute, UCD), for their expert insights and invaluable contributions in making this collaborative effort a success. Again, many thanks to all our contributors without whose commitment and generosity the production and publication of this year’s review would not be possible. Further copies of the Review are available from the Defence Forces Public Relations Branch at [email protected] or online at http://www.military.ie/info-centre/publications/defence- forces-review. J. Whittaker Lieutenant Colonel Officer in Charge Public Relations Branch 4 Defence Forces Review 2019 Editor's Notes The illiterate of the 21st century will not be those who cannot read and write, but those who cannot learn, unlearn, and relearn. Alvin Toffler The multiplicity of, and the threats deriving from technological based systems continues to rise as the dawn of the fourth industrial revolution breaks on the horizon. Modern society is undergoing a technological revolution that is fundamentally altering the way we live, work and relate to one another. While it remains uncertain how this will exactly unfold, it is evident, that the response required to manage it must be integrated and comprehensive, and will involve all elements of society, including the military. The future will be characterised by a fusion of technologies that are blurring the lines between the physical, digital and biological spheres. Technology continues to advance at a rate not foreseen by those who have used it historically in a military context, and while the fundamental nature of warfare may not be changing; its character certainly is, as changes in thinking and technology evolve. How do we comprehend, contextualise, and conceptualise the changes wrought by emerging technologies, which are converging and being applied in completely unforeseen ways? History is littered with inflection points, such as the infamous ‘horse and tank’ moment, and the future military organisation will have to understand and learn to manage the power of information, in data processing, Artificial Intelligence, robotics, bio-science, materials and autonomy, to name but a few. While it is acknowledged that the starting point for future strategy must account for the world as it is because of the way it is, the Defence Forces must be prepared to evolve and adapt as threats develop. Military organisations, similar to the society they represent, must learn how to manage and prepare for this (un)certainty and ensure that their structures, equipment and doctrine evolve to meet both current and future potential threats. Fundamental to achieving this objective is the need for military organisations to innovate and to work collaboratively with external partners, such as business and academia, in learning and discussing potential solutions. This year’s edition of the Defence Forces Review is published in academic collaboration with the University College Dublin (UCD) School of Politics and International Relations (SPIRe), and the UCD Clinton Institute. It reflects on the current structure and associated capabilities of the Irish Defence Forces, while simultaneously inviting comprehensive critical analysis with a view to contributing to the current discourse so that we can learn about how to best prepare for the future operating domain, and its associated challenges. This edition presents contemporary assessments on selected topics in an attempt to add to the current debate, and proposes solutions and a discourse that the Defence Forces can draw and learn from. The papers cover topics that demonstrate a wealth of knowledge both internal to the Defence Forces and in wider academia, both national and international, that in turn will promote further debate on these pertinent and current issues. In 2019, the Defence Forces delivered its first Joint Command and Staff Course (JCSC), which marks a paradigm shift in how the Defence Forces trains and prepares its future senior leaders on its flagship course. The abstracts from this course, as part of the MA in Leadership, 5 Defence Forces Review 2019 Management and Defence Studies (LMDS) program are included in the Review. To view any of these listed, please contact the Defence Forces Library at; [email protected]. The review concludes with short biographical details of the authors who kindly contributed to this year’s edition. The Editorial team would like to thank the contributors for their enthusiasm and willingness to prepare papers for submission, thereby participating to the discourse on what a 22nd Century Defence Forces could resemble and what challenges it may face. We are also indebted to the Defence Forces Printing Press (DFPP), in particular, Lt (NS) Colm Fox, and Pte Shane Curran, for their time, patience and professionalism in delivering a high quality finished product. Editorial Team Lt Cdr Paul Hegarty Prof Ben Tonra Dr. Eugenio Lilli Command &Staff School SPIRe, UCD Clinton Institute, UCD 6 Defence Forces Review 2019 Editor's Biographical Statement Lt Cdr Paul Hegarty joined the Defence Forces in 2000 as a member of the 40th Naval Cadet Class and currently works as an instructor in the Command and Staff School. He has held several sea-going appointments, and has served in a variety of command, staff and training appointments. He has completed the Royal Navy International Long Navigation Course at HMS Collingwood, holds a BSc in Nautical Science (CIT), a Masters in Project Management (UL) and an H-Dip in Geographical Information Systems (UCC). He is a graduate of the UK Joint Services Command and Staff College and attended the Advanced Command and Staff Course in 2018 and completed an MA in Defence Studies from King’s College London. He has submitted research to the Royal Irish Academy for publishing in the upcoming edition of Irish Studies in International Affairs and has lectured on Maritime Security at the Whitaker Institute in NUIG. His PhD research focuses on Change Management in military organisations and he will complete his doctoral studies in early 2020. Dr Eugenio Lilli is Lecturer and Coordinator of the Master Program in American Politics and Foreign Policy, at University College Dublin, Ireland. Eugenio’s primary area of research is the foreign policy of the United States of America. His current work focuses on US cyber security policy. He is especially interested in how advancements in Information and Communications Technology (ICT) have affected US national security in the areas of defense, homeland security, and foreign policy. Eugenio’s publications also cover issues of US foreign policy toward the Middle East, democracy promotion, and international terrorism. Previously, Eugenio lectured at King’s College London (2015-16), at the Joint Services Command and Staff College, part of the UK Defence Academy (2011-13), and at John Cabot University in Rome (2016). He was also Honorary Visiting Research Fellow at City University London (2015- 16). Eugenio holds a PhD from King’s College London, War Studies Department. 7 Defence Forces Review 2019 Ben Tonra is Full Professor of International Relations at the UCD School of Politics and International Relations. At UCD he teaches, researches and publishes in European foreign, security and defence policy, Irish foreign, security and defence policy and International Relations theory. Outside the university Ben has served as chair of the Royal Irish Academy's Standing Committee on International Affairs and is a co-leader of a research programme in EU security and defence at the Institute of International and European Affairs (IIEA), Dublin. Professor Tonra is a graduate of the University of Limerick (BA and MA) and completed his doctoral studies at the University of Dublin (Trinity College) in 1996.