10 Major Global Military and Defence Events of 2024
Thursday, January 09, 2025, 10:06 (GMT+7)
In 2024, the global landscape witnessed unprecedented complexity and unpredictability, marked by intensifying strategic competition among major powers and escalating military conflicts across various regions. These developments further destabilised an already volatile global security environment. To provide a comprehensive overview of the global security landscape, the National Defence Journal presents a roundup of the 10 most significant military and defence events
Review of the world political and military situation in 2023
Thursday, December 28, 2023, 10:53 (GMT+7)
The world political and military picture in 2023 is still mixed with light and dark colours, in which, strategic competition between major countries is still fierce, conflicts in regions continue to increase in intensity, scope and nature, etc. However, there are also many signs that the US and China are both showing efforts to control disagreements.
Wave of coups in Africa - causes and consequences
Friday, November 17, 2023, 08:11 (GMT+7)
The two overthrows in Niger and Gabon also continued a dangerous wave of coups in Africa with many serious consequences. First of all, mutinies have weakened democratic institutions on the continent. Many civilian governments, including many elected leaders, have been overthrown by military forces, leading to political and social unrest. Coups also erode people's trust in institutions leading to increased conflict and violence, especially between groups supporting and opposing the interim government. This further complicates the already weak security situation and deepens divisions in the society.
On the USAF’s modernisation strategy
Monday, October 23, 2023, 15:10 (GMT+7)
USAF has strong ambition to modernise its equipment, as it wants to become the world’s first air force to put the new-generation strategic bombers and the 6th-generation stealth fighter into combat. At the same time, USAF is also determined to develop UAVs operating in the formation of manned fighters. This could create an arms race between major countries as Russia and China have just begun to equip 5th generation fighter aircraft, and currently employing strategic bombers equivalent to the US’ B-1B aircraft.
Afghanistan with the risk of a civil war
Tuesday, February 28, 2023, 11:43 (GMT+7)
International community holds that, with current leadership and management capacity, the Taliban have seemingly not yet learnt many lessons from its first ruling period nearly three decades ago while the situation in Afghanistan today is very different from that time. There are many players that are challenging the rule of the Taliban and if the government formed by this armed group cannot synchronously solve the existing problems, from improving the economy, tackling international isolation to implementing a more open social policy, a civil war in this unstable country is inevitable.
A full-blown crisis in Libya
Friday, May 27, 2022, 08:02 (GMT+7)
After over 10 years of regime change, deep division, factions in the armed forces, police, the state institutions etc. have become an ingrained disease of this North African country. It might take ages for this economic potential country to heal the consequences of the “Arab Spring” and establish peace and stability.
The development trend of Unmanned Combat Aerial Vehicles
Friday, April 22, 2022, 15:15 (GMT+7)
In recent years, the world has witnessed a robust development of unmanned combat aerial vehicles (UCAVs). They have come under different types, multi-roles and been effectively exploited in military conflicts. This is a landmark development, changing the characteristics of war both in terms of military strategy, combat doctrine and combat operations
10 notable military-defence events of the world in 2021
Thursday, January 06, 2022, 10:19 (GMT+7)
In 2021, the world situation continued to witness both negative and positive developments. COVID-19 pandemic, strategic competition, trade war, conflicts, subversion, and disputes over sovereignty and territories were extremely intense and negatively impacted on the world’s economy and social life. The following are 10 notable military-defence events selected and introduced by National Defence Journal
Fragile peace and stability in Afghanistan after the withdrawal of U.S. and NATO troops
Friday, August 13, 2021, 14:47 (GMT+7)
After 20 years of the “global war on terror” in Afghanistan, the U.S. and NATO will have withdrawn all of their troops from this country by the 11th of September, 2021. However, the public is wondering whether the withdrawal will bring peace and stability to Afghanistan or not
Risk of widened Eurasian arc of instability
Wednesday, April 28, 2021, 07:55 (GMT+7)
Over the past few years, major powers have escalated competition for expanding influence in part of the Eurasia. Nevertheless, due to the rise of globalisation, strategic competition within a broad space spreading from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean becomes increasingly fierce, which leads to the formation of an arc of instability. In fact, this arc covers a wide geographical area and is divided into subregions, including the Middle East, South Asia, East Asia, Central Asia, East Europe, West Europe, Caucasus, and Arctic.