Are the Challenges that Military Commanders Face in the Contemporary Operating Environment More Complex than ever Before?

Are the challenges that military commanders face in the contemporary operating environment more complex than ever before?

The earliest date battle accounted was the Battle of Kadesh in 1274 BC involving approximately 5,000 to 6,000 chariots between Ramesses II of the Empire of Egypt and Muwatalli II of the Hittite Empire. The Battle of Kadesh took place at Kadesh City on the Orontes River, what is now adjacent to the modern-day village of Tell al-Nabi Mando of western Syria. This is the first ever in history of mankind that subtle elements of warfare and strategies are known.

Since the Battle of Kadesh, history has seen the numerous changes in major conflicts. The evolving of space and time, education, social and political strata have driven the changes of conflict and warfare. Throughout the years after the Battle of Kadesh, military strategies and warfare, operating environment and the causes of war have been evolved. From the Legions of the Roman Empire to the Airborne Infantry of World War II, the tangible threat of the Soviet Union and recently War in Afghanistan, Iraq War, War in Somalia and Gaza War have imposed the difficulties, amorphous, changing and ill-defined threats and challenges of the situation.

Current operating environment is no longer tangible. Many defence and military organizations have conducted studies to address the emerging threat that exist in the new contemporary environment. Brunei Strategic Plan 2004 has underlined to take holistic approach in order to mitigate the complexity and the uncertainty of current and future threats. The strategic plan outlines the importance of integration and interoperability among government stakeholders to address emerging threats. This demonstrate Brunei D...

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...ing First In The Contemporary Operational Environment. A Monograph. 2012. p 5

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