The Evolving Nature of War

The Evolution of War Winning World War IV The Importance of AdaptingOverview

Fluid nature of war – Evolving – Influenced by various forces Politically ideology Technology Geography Twenty-First Century Warfare – Different kind of enemy – Current focus on counterinsurgency Evolution of Warfare

World War I—The Chemists’ War World War II—The Physicists’ War Evolution of Warfare

World War III—The Information Researchers’ War World War IV—The Social Scientists’ War Evolution of Warfare

“Protecting people is the mission. The conflict will be won by persuading the population, not by destroying the enemy.” ~ General Stanley A. McChrystal, Former Commander Int’l. Security Assistance Force/US. Forces—Afghanistan Winning World War IV

The Air Force Mission – Fly, fight, and win, but… – Requires a broad skill set to accomplish Psycho-Cultural War – Twenty-first century conflict – Requires different skills – Challenges for leaders Winning World War IV

“As combat requirements evolve so must the Air Force's unique capabilities to engage the enemy. We have to be as skilled, as wise as, and even more capable than our adversaries.” ~ General Norton Schwartz Air Force Chief of Staff Importance of Adapting

Elements of Victory – Cultural awareness – Building alien armies and alliances Sometimes must be advisors not operators – The art of perception shaping Soft skill vs. hard skill Importance of Adapting

Elements of Victory (cont’d) – Inculcate knowledge/teach wisdom Empowerment of younger officers to make decisions Impact of these decisions – Tactical intelligence Precise info about enemy actions – Psychological & physiological tuning Importance of Adapting

Elements of Victory (cont’d) – Developing high-performing Airmen and units – Leadership & decision-making Intellectually ambidextrous Flexibility and adaptability – Intuitive command Not what to think but how to think Importance of Adapting

The Evolution of War Winning World War IV The Importance of AdaptingSummary

The Evolving Nature of War