About 4G WAR
Defense Dept. photo by Sgt. Pete Thibodeau, USMC
4G WAR: At the intersection of defense, irregular warfare, energy security, homeland security and soft power.
Why 4GWar? Whatever the controversy over the concept of 4GW (Fourth Generation Warfare), I think it provides a good vehicle for discussing all the topics of defense acquisition, counter insurgency, counter terrorism and homeland security that I have been reporting on for the last seven years.
Proponents of 4GW maintain that warfare has evolved with political, social, and economic structures since the 17th Century. From the set piece battles of the Napoleonic Wars (First Generation Warfare or 1GW) to the blitzkrieg and aerial bombing campaigns of World War II (3GW), warfare has changed tactics as well as technology. In the post-Cold War world, the focus has shifted to asymmetric warfare, also known as unconventional war or irregular warfare. Groups with no hope of going toe-to-toe with professional armies are using unorthodox means such as roadside bombs and suicide attacks to achieve their goals. Most conflicts today are not between conventional armies but national governments and rebels, insurgents or guerillas. The battlefield is everywhere now: New York office towers, London subways, hotels and train stations in Bombay.
Responsibility for combatting these new threats won’t be confined to the U.S. military. The State Department, Homeland Security Department, intelligence community, law enforcement and foreign allies will all have a role to play.
The stakes are high and the challenges are many. It’s worth considering, as one 4GW advocate, Marine Corps Col. Thomas Hammes notes in his book “The Sling and The Stone,” that despite their status as superpowers, both the U.S. (in Vietnam) and USSR (Afghanistan) have lost 4GW conflicts
–John M. Doyle 4gwar.wordpress.com
CITED BY OTHERS
Norway’s Exercise Cold Response near Arctic Circle: in BALKAN MAGAZIN (Serbian)
Raven tactical UAV gets miniaturized sensor package: in Defense Systems
Combat controller awarded Air Force Cross for valor: in Smithsonian Air & Space’s Daily Planet
Marines in Exercise African Lion: in Aviation Week’s ARES
About the editor
John M. Doyle is a Washington area defense and homeland security writer. He blogs about unconventional warfare and where it crosses paths with terrorism, technology, energy security and climate change, international development and disaster relief at 4GWAR.wordpress.com He can be reached at 4gwarblog@gmail.com
To see some samples of his work for print publications and other websites, please visit the IN PRINT page
1.
Guy Thomas | January 28, 2010 at 11:20 am
Clearly warfare has changed, but too many do not yet realize that fact. An enemy is atttacking with minor force could have a huge impact, if they hit the right targets. Not sure I want to elobarate on this link.
2.
John Doyle | February 6, 2010 at 9:49 pm
Guy –
Thanks for your comment. Hope you will be a frequent visitor and commenter.
3.
Nick Ottens | April 5, 2010 at 12:15 pm
Dear John,
Sorry to use the comments form here but I couldn’t find an e-mailaddress anywhere. Would you mind dropping me a message please? Thanks,
–Nick
4.
Lynn Cooper | April 5, 2010 at 5:52 pm
very interesting. Do you think traditional combat scenarious are now obsolete or just one of a growing number of situations that the military must maintain readiness for?
lynnc
5.
John Doyle | April 10, 2010 at 12:22 pm
Hi Lynn –
I think it’s probably Door No. 2. in the short term (next 5-10 years).
But one of the things the Pentagon and Defense Secretary Gates are wrestling with is: How to arm, equip and train to fight “small wars” with asymmetrical opponents while planning ahead for some bigger conflict in the future with a “near peer” like China or a re-emergent Russia (or some new foe like Iran).
The former requires lots of highly-trained, specially-skilled ground troops (like Marine Expeditionary Units and the Army’s 82nd Airborne and 10th Mountain divisions) along with Special Operations forces like the Green Berets, Navy SEALs and their air and naval support units.
It will also require more coordination with and spending by the State Dept. and other civilian agencies (Agriculture, Energy, Commerce) and the intelligence community.
The technology needed includes unmanned vehicles (air, sea and land), submarines, helicopters, satellites, sensors and bomb detection devices.
The latter will still require expensive, high tech weapons and intelligence gathering systems that take years to develop and test.
Congress will also be part of the mix, trying to figure out where the money needs to be spent and when to spend it. (Just Google Future Combat Systems, F-22 Raptor, Littoral Combat Ship or ground-based mid-course missile defense to get an idea of the enormity of the cost and strategic planning.)
Both kinds of warfare will require new cyber intelligence and communications technology as well as transport ships and aircraft.
6.
Johnny | January 18, 2011 at 11:25 pm
By far the best book on 4GW is “Homeland Siege” by H. John Poole, a retired Marine officer who led many training schools. He’s written many excellent books on guerilla warfare tactics but Homeland Siege apply’s the most to the United States. Definitely worth checking out.
7.
John Doyle | January 19, 2011 at 11:08 pm
Thanks Johnny. Sounds like a must read.
8.
Guy Thomas | January 22, 2012 at 2:23 pm
Agree! Thanks for putting the book in view.
Guy
9.
Laura Barney | December 23, 2011 at 12:49 am
Hello, I’d like to know if I could use the pictures of the Fort Leonard Rapelling Wall. I’d like to use them to make a card.
10.
Rachel McAlpine | January 20, 2012 at 9:16 pm
May we use Senior Airman Staci Millar’s photo through night vision lenses in an online training course for web writers please? I don’t know how else to track copyright for this, apart from approaching you. It’s an amazing photo!
11.
John M. Doyle | January 22, 2012 at 2:49 pm
Hi Staci –
That’s a U.S. Defense Department photo. They allow the public to use their photos as long as they are not altered or used for commercial use (like in a calendar or to sell a product). You can check their guidelines at the link below (just to make sure).
http://www.defenseimagery.mil/default/products/dodimagery.html
BTW, they really appreciate it if you give crfedit to the photographer (in this instance: Senior Airman Staci Miller)
12.
Meriem | April 10, 2012 at 3:28 pm
heyyy….could you provide me with the name of the asian man,because I know a man on fb , he had posted this pic long time ago pretending that he is the asian man
13.
John M. Doyle | April 10, 2012 at 6:20 pm
Sorry. Don’t know the name of the Afghan boy. It’s a Defense Dept. photo taken in Helmand Province, Afghanistan in 2009.
14.
Meriem | April 12, 2012 at 1:58 pm
ahaa thanks anyway