Lieutenant General Bruno Hofbauer, Chief of Planning and Deputy Chief of Staff of the Austrian Armed Forces, explains the lessons to be learned from current military disputes and conflicts. Austrian Armed Forces.
The book “Der Vater aller Dinge belehrt uns” (Volume 28 in the General Staff’s publication series) presented at the National Defense Academy earlier this week examines how today’s wars are changing the armed forces of tomorrow.
The introductory words at the presentation in the Sala Terrena of the National Defense Academy were spoken by Chief of Staff Rudolf Striedinger. In a panel discussion, the authors Colonel of the General Staff Service Markus Reisner, Lieutenant Colonel of the General Staff Service Christoph Göd, Lieutenant Colonel of the General Staff Service Pascal Riemer and the two IFK researchers Christoph Bilban and Walter Posch then spoke about current conflicts. This was followed by a presentation by Lieutenant General Bruno Hofbauer on the most important conclusions to be drawn from the current wars and conflicts for the further development of the Austrian Armed Forces.
Below is a list of the 10 most important derivations that Lieutenant General Bruno Hofbauer presented on site and explained in the book chapter “The Future of War”.
Derivation #1: Combining old and new technologies
There is no doubt that Russia’s war against Ukraine (-> current news from the Ukraine war) already provides many insights, Hofbauer introduces – but conclusions can also be drawn from the warfare in the Middle East (keyword: intervention by Iran) and the aggression of the Houthi rebels in the Red Sea.
The Lieutenant General: “We can very clearly see the rapid establishment of the combination of traditional military means with new technologies, which also enable a new type of military operations management.”
Hofbauer is referring here to hybrid warfare – a combination of regular and irregular political, economic, media, subversive, intelligence, cyber-technical and military forms of warfare.
Derivation #2: High technology in non-state hands
According to Hofbauer, high-tech defense technology, such as cruise missiles, will also be available to non-state actors in the future.
Proliferation is the technical term here: the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction and the necessary carrier technologies, the knowledge required for their production and the corresponding means of production.
Derivation #3: Mastery of contemporary processes
“Reconnaissance is a prerequisite for proper preparation for war and survival in battle,” says Hofbauer. In the current example of the war in Ukraine, the cooperation of friendly nations has proven to be “vital for survival”, especially in the first phase of the conflict.
A central sentence of this section: “Mastering contemporary military methods of warfare adapted to the enemy is of essential importance.”
“Reconnaissance is a prerequisite for proper preparation for war and survival in battle”
Generalleutnant Bruno Hofbauer
Derivation #4: Strategic and operational importance of time
After an initial shock, Ukraine recognized this value, “slowed down Russia’s advance and gained time to strengthen its defensive lines and mobilize Western aid”.
In this way, the advantages of the so-called “inner lines” could be utilized. According to Clausewitz (Vom Kriege), the defender thus enjoys the advantage of familiarity with the terrain and the possibility of falling out on several sides.
In this context, Hofbauer also recalls General Emil Spannocchi (1916-1992) – when he took over the leadership of the Staff College in 1963, he developed a defense concept of “space defense” (“high price of entry, passage and stay”).
Derivation #5: Having the right partners
Thanks to drones and AI, Ukraine was able to process information more quickly – and also make decisions more quickly.
It is also crucial to have the “right partners” on your side – such as the owners of satellite communication technologies. Elon Musk’s support for Ukraine was decisive in blocking the Russian opponent at the beginning of the war.
-> Apple Podcasts
-> Spotify
-> Podigee
-> Deezer
-> Youtube version
Derivation #6: Supporting the home front
It is particularly important to be able to mobilize the people’s will to resist in the event of cyber attacks – including attacks on infrastructure – as well as hostile propaganda and disinformation.
Derivation #7: Support through indirect firepower
“Indirect fire was used effectively against the concentration of enemy forces,” says Hofbauer about the war in Ukraine, where support from the higher echelons was not always available. “The ability to stand off and quickly change positions is a prerequisite for deployment.”
Keyword drones (-> To the Military News drone focus) on the modern battlefield: these are deployed in large numbers and in different ways in high-intensity combat. Applications range from reconnaissance (real-time image reconnaissance down to platoon level) to so-called “kamikaze drones” and long-range drones for attacks in deep space.
1,5 Milliarden Euro: Norwegen investiert in Artillerie & mehr
Derivation #8: Importance of (electronic) air defense
During the Gaza War, the Israeli armed forces managed to overcome the challenges of urban terrain by using a combined air defense system consisting of ground-based and airborne means. In this way, defensive positions could be destroyed.
In the Lieutenant General’s very concise words: “It is therefore clear that armed forces must be capable of effectively combating enemy combat aircraft and other threats from the air in order to enable combat on the ground at all.”
Derivation #9: Combat leadership in urban areas
According to Hofbauer, the war is shifting to urban centers and small towns. “The troops deployed must have the ability to switch quickly between defense and offense.”
Robots or unmanned ground vehicles equipped with anti-tank guided missiles or grenade launchers are also increasingly being used here.
“Armed forces must be capable of effectively combating enemy combat aircraft and other threats from the air in order to enable combat on the ground in the first place.”
Generalleutnant Bruno Hofbauer
Derivation #10: AI systems decide
According to Hofbauer, AI systems simulate different tactical and operational approaches thousands of times in the shortest possible time – and thus shorten the time between preparation and implementation. This also allows a much broader front line to be monitored.
It should also be noted that the costs of defending against swarms of drones currently significantly exceed those of the attacker.
Conclusion
According to Lieutenant General Bruno Hofbauer, “integration capability, adaptability, speed and resilience” will continue to play a central role in the war of the future.
In short: “Inter-force cooperation must be expanded, and the associated procedures must above all be practiced more intensively again.” Digitalization is an indispensable prerequisite for this.
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