Security and Defence

China’s announced increase in its defense budget for 2017, only seven percent growth compared to double-digit increases over much of the last two decades, attests to the shifting landscape in Chinese defense strategy and force structure. It also reflects the domestic challenges the country faces.

That there is a need to rebuild the US Navy is disputed by few in the mainstream. Initially at least, readiness needs to be prioritised by beginning to clear the many years of deferred maintenance that have undermined the fleet. But in the longer run, building up both numbers and capabilities matter.

United States strategic bombing during the Korean War was a major factor in repeatedly checking communist advances. However, since the armistice, North Korea has assiduously incorporated rhetoric about the use of airpower in its anti-South Korean and anti-US propaganda.

The Western Balkans know that, in the long-term, they have more to gain from the West than the East – and the European Union’s continuous stalling leaves a void that needs to be filled. Stronger engagement with and on the part of NATO, regardless of how far it goes, will bring nothing but benefits to both sides and Europe as a whole.

In the years since the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan, pursuing Gray Zone activities has lost its luster in the US. However, examining assistance to the Mujahedeen in Afghanistan during the 1980s can provide lessons for Washington policymakers as they confront contemporary challenges.

Over the past fifty years, the United States has increasingly focused on missile defense to deter threats against its strategic interests and those of its partners. Unfortunately, the acquisition and planning emphasis on defensive systems has resulted in a loss of attention to offensive capabilities.

Following an extended period in which Norway could focus its military efforts in the Middle East and Asia, Oslo is now having to face threats closer to home. NATO also has a major role in the defence of Norway and the surrounding region, but serious questions remain over the progress it has made in meeting the challenges on its northern flank.

The Western Balkans have been receiving their fair share of attention from the international media lately. However, such alarmist talk often forgets that this is a region that is still recovering from recent bloodshed – and one that has more to lose than gain from its return.

With the inadequacy of the immediate defensive measures taken by NATO as a result of the Ukraine crisis now clear both in their own terms and in light of Russia's actions in Syria, the alliance has embarked on a build-up that is helping to close the defensive gap.

The effectiveness of South African mercenaries in the fight against Boko Haram has led to an increase in support for the use of Public Military Companies. But there is a need for appropriate regulation to ensure they do not become part of the problem.