From September 1 to 2, the Institute for Higher Military Leadership at the National Defense Academy held a training course for general staff officers. This is part of an advanced training concept aimed at harmonizing the current knowledge of the Austrian Armed Forces’ highest ranking officers.
The aim of this year’s training course was to discuss the role of the military in the overall state network against the backdrop of the Covid-19 crisis, with the aim of raising awareness of the essential tasks of the Austrian Armed Forces as an instrument of power of the state alongside the economy, diplomacy, civilian life and information. The main aim was to identify strengths and weaknesses at a strategic military level and to work out the unique selling point of the military in comparison to other institutions.
High-ranking speakers from the Austrian Armed Forces in the areas of planning and operational command, as well as from the Austrian Federal Economic Chamber, were able to provide a comprehensive overall impression of the greatest challenge facing the nation as a whole in recent decades. In addition, a contemporary witness from the phase of drawing up the National Defense Plan (the conceptual design of comprehensive national defense) and a speaker on the future of national planning (Future Operations Platform) at the level of the Federal Chancellery could be won. This mix of expertise formed the basis for a lively discussion in small groups with the aim of optimizing military strategic considerations for the future as a contribution to overall national crisis management. Key messages from the participants’ discussions confirmed the compelling need for a holistic, strategic level that has to make long-term decisions in coordination with all of a state’s available resources. Crises can – and could! – be foreseen to some extent, which makes it easier to manage them by taking appropriate precautions. This is where the reference to the past can be made again. In the 1980s, comprehensive national defense (spiritual, civil, military and economic national defense) was a conceptual basis for increasing overall national resilience. In particular, precautions from the areas of civil and economic national defense can mitigate the effects of crises, as well as the current one in some areas. Covid-19 has also shown that the Austrian Armed Forces can make a wide range of contributions as a “strategic reserve” for the state, because it is self-sufficient in many areas (ability to lead when civilian networks fail, logistical resilience over longer periods of time, but also in terms of personnel by drawing on the militia system, etc.). However, this characteristic requires the provision and maintenance of resources outside of crises and is therefore naturally not economical in the sense of a company. However, it is precisely this autonomy that must be maintained in order to react flexibly to unforeseeable events and to maintain its status as an essential “strategic reserve for action”.
Another point of discussion was the core competencies of the Austrian Armed Forces. This was triggered by the wide range of assistance provided during the crisis and the current media discussion. If one could superficially deduce from the current crisis that assistance is a main task of the Austrian Armed Forces, it becomes clear on closer inspection that although this is necessary, self-justification based on subsidiary tasks is not enough. The economic analysis of Covid-19 alone confirms this. In a globalized world, trade relations based on imports and exports are needed to guarantee an economic recovery. Sales markets play a decisive role in boosting the economy again. For Europe in particular, Africa is playing an increasingly important role alongside numerous examples in the Balkans (especially Austrian economic interests). Security is a prerequisite for economic relations, as this is the only way to secure resources and gain sales markets. The military, as the ultimate means of implementing state interests, can guarantee this security through its unique selling point, the use of combined arms across all branches of the armed forces, by defending against external threats, but also through peace-building or peace-keeping missions outside its borders. The current global situation, which is rather volatile not only due to Covid-19 but also due to migration, global power shifts or terrorism and much more, shows this necessity, which will continue to exist in the future. In conclusion, the discussion about the current pandemic showed the indispensable importance of overall, long-term strategic thinking, synchronizing all of the state’s instruments of power and making the best possible use of its unique selling points and core competencies. The task of the military strategy level is to advise politicians on the best possible use of the military.
