ABSTRACT
In May 1992, a draft of Russia’s new military doctrine was published in Military Thought, the main theoretical journal of the Russian Armed Forces. Despite much discussion about the ascendance of civilians, the military has reasserted its dominance over the development of this doctrine.
The essence of the new doctrine lies in current Russian views on the nature and requirements of future war. An examination of Russian military writings reveals both the visionary nature of these views and their unbroken continuity with Soviet military art. As in the Soviet period, the new political leadership has not sought to impede the development of those technologies perceived to be at the heart of future military capabilities: advanced conventional munitions (ACMs), directed-energy weapons, and space-based systems.
This paper will analyze the military-technical aspects of Russia’s new military doctrine by documenting Russian views on the technologies, operational concepts, and R&D requirements for future war. Because Russian doctrine constitutes a logical elaboration of Soviet views, the paper will first trace its roots in the Soviet period. For both periods, Operation “Desert Storm” serves as the paradigm of future war in strategy, operational art, and tactics.
