ABSTRACT
The privatization of warfare has gained considerable momentum with important consequences for contemporary and future wars since the 1990s. Military and security contracting has become commonplace in many Western democracies and multilateral operations led by NATO, the United Nations, and the European Union. New actors, clients, technologies, and services, such as automated weapon systems and cyber security, simultaneously contribute to further industry expansion. Globalization and digitalization are providing new opportunities for private actors motivated by ideological as well as commercial reasons to become involved in national and international conflicts. This chapter examines these trends and their respective consequences in four sections. The first section discusses how private military and security companies (PMSCs) act as force multipliers in international military operations, transforming the way in which democracies and international organizations fight war. The second section examines the motivations of failed, failing, and autocratic states that turn to mercenaries and combat PMSCs for assistance. The third looks at newly emerging markets and actors, including the operation of drones and hacker groups. Finally, the chapter discusses the implications of these developments for the practice and theory of warfare.
