1 option
Into the void : special operations forces after the war on terror / James D. Kiras and Martijn Kitzen (eds).
- Format:
- Book
- Language:
- English
- Subjects (All):
- Special forces (Military science).
- World politics--21st century.
- World politics.
- National security.
- Physical Description:
- 1 online resource (xxi, 394 pages) : illustrations
- Place of Publication:
- London : Hurst & Company, 2024.
- Summary:
- "The moment in the sun for special operations sometimes appears to have passed, seemingly eclipsed by preparations for potential conflict under the guise of “great power” competition, combined with failure in Afghanistan. Yet the war in Ukraine serves as a reminder that special operations play an even greater role today―before, during, and presumably after conflict. The challenge remains dealing with current irregular and hybrid threats, at the same time as preparing for an uncertain future, as threats and technologies evolve at a dizzying pace.Focusing too much on the future of conventional warfare creates a void in national security discussions related to special operations. This book seeks to fill that gap, drawing on the expertise of scholars and practitioners in the field, from the Indo-Pacific, Europe and the United States, to answer what, if anything, special operations can or should seek to do, and how. The contributors explore such topics as proxies, non-state special forces, capabilities, innovation and transformation, artificial intelligence, and special operations in space and cyberspace. These chapters are united by their analysis that special operations will have future strategic and operational value, for allies and adversaries alike, provided that difficult choices are made in the present"-- Oxford Academic.
- Contents:
- Great power competition, proxy war and special operations forces / Troels Burchall Henningsen
- Nato’s special operations forces strategic utility for strategic competition / Matthias Schwarzbauer and Joost Tuinman
- Maskirovka and the grey zone : The utility of the grey zone concept after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine / Christopher Marsh
- The rise of China and the consequences for special operations / David Kilcullen
- The enduring requirement for counterterrorism / Thomas R. Searle
- The strategic utility of special operations forces from a non-state perspective / Ian Rice and Craig Whiteside
- From counterterrorism to great power competition : The shifting utility and roles of special operations forces / Bas Brust and Martijn Kitzen
- Special operations as an integrating function : Merging capabilities for cross-domain synergy / Ben Gans and others
- Special operations in Europe : Modern resistance in the High North / Ulrica Pettersson
- Special operations developments in the Pacific : Back to the future? / Andrew Maher
- Reanimating the tactical level : Military assistance from the ground up / Pierre Jean Dehaene
- The future of innovation in special operations forces : Challenges and opportunities / Leo Blanken
- Making chameleons : Techno-shaped, software-defined special operations assemblages / Peter Bovet Emanuel
- Special operations in galaxies and metaverses : Reality or fantasy? / James D. Kiras
- A glance into the future : Storytelling for special operations / Matthias Schwarzbauer and Joost Tuinman,
- Notes:
- Includes bibliographical references and index.
- Online resource; title from digital title page (Oxford Academic, viewed January 16, 2026).
- Other Format:
- Print version: Into the void
- ISBN:
- 9780197800553
- 0197800556
- 9780197796160
- 0197796168
- 9780197796177
- 0197796176
- 9780197793930
- 0197793932
- OCLC:
- 1518005285
- Publisher Number:
- CIPO000166268
- Access Restriction:
- Restricted for use by site license
The Penn Libraries is committed to describing library materials using current, accurate, and responsible language. If you discover outdated or inaccurate language, please fill out this feedback form to report it and suggest alternative language.