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Defence & Security Systems International Volume 2 2021


Editorial Editor Nicholas Kenny


nicholas.kenny@progressivemediainternational.com Sub-editor Nikki Peach Production manager Dave Stanford Group art director Henrik Williams Designer Martin Faulkner Head of content Jake Sharp


Commercial Client services executive Ruchita Marwaha Sales manager Andrew Hinton


andrewhinton@progressivemediainternational.com Managing director William Crocker


Defence & Security Systems International is published by Progressive Media International. Registered in England No. 06212740.


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ISSN 2042-6240 © 2021


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ight now, we’re in a rare breathing space, where tension builds with seeming inevitability before bursting into conflict. That’s not to say, of course, that 2021 has been a year of peace – the war in Yemen rages on, though international support has greatly dwindled. The Taliban and Isis-K battle for supremacy in Afghanistan, while armed forces clashed at a number of points along the border between Armenia and Azerbaijan. However, the main military players have largely stayed out of conflicts this past year, but clouds are gathering on the horizon, and there’s a real sense that a storm is coming. China has made little attempt at hiding its ambitions for reunification with Taiwan, with the latter nation’s defence minister, Chiu Kuo-cheng, warning in October 2021 that a “full-scale” invasion could be possible by 2025. Similarly, late 2021 has seen forces gather along the Russian side of the country’s border with Ukraine, causing some concern among Nato nations foreseeing the early mustering of an invasion attempt. Belarus, Russia’s proxy state, has caused a similar stir along its borders with Poland, Lithuania and Latvia through what the EU has described as an act of ‘hybrid warfare’, luring in migrants from the Middle East with the promise of easy access to the EU. As these conflicts continue, it seems inevitable that they will escalate within the next few years – all that remains to be seen is what form this takes.


In this issue, we explore a number of developments around these conflicts, as well as ongoing developments with military technologies. On page 39, we see how recent developments are affecting Eastern European nations’ relationships with Nato. Then, on page 27, we take a look at Nato’s Alliance Ground System and how it will enhance operations when it launches in 2024. Looking to the future, the ongoing development of drone swarms by the world’s militaries may well shape the face of 21st- century warfare – learn more on page 32. No matter what the years ahead hold, the one thing we can be sure of is that conflict will continue to exist, just as it always has.


Nicholas Kenny, editor


UK £58 EU €92 US $119 RoW $120 UK £93 EU €144 US $190 RoW $191


A storm is brewing R


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