bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Impactul tehnologiilor emergente și disruptive asupra domeniului militar
Authors: CERNAT Romică
Published: June 2023

Hypersonic missiles are a new category of weapons that have sparked intense debate among security experts. The hypersonic weapons, this combination of speed, accuracy, surprise, and maneuverability makes the defense against them more difficult than against standard ballistic or cruise missiles and therefore makes them more destabilizing. Capable of traveling over five times the speed of sound (Mach 5), and of performing evasive maneuvers mid-flight, they are considered practically impossible to intercept using conventional missile defense systems. Innovative nuclear and conventional weapon delivery systems are impressive and developing. These are grouped into three categories: intercontinental ballistic missiles, hypersonic delivery systems and new advanced strategic weapon delivery capabilities. These and other technological advances being made simultaneously may also impact arms control and strategic stability. Other characteristics of hypersonic systems, however, are potentially advantageous compared with ballistic missiles. Of particular interest are the ability to fly at low altitude, making detection by earth-based sensors difficult; the ability to maneuver during flight to avoid detection and interception; and the unpredictability of targets, since hypersonic vehicles do not follow a ballistic trajectory.
Multimedia – catalizator pentru redimensionarea sectorului social al securității naționale în vremea pandemiei cu Covid-19
Authors:   Universitatea Națională de Apărare Carol I, Bucureșt, BODONI Cristina
Published: June 2023

The isolation imposed by the pandemic has produced the “rediscovery” of Internet utilities, the only window to the real world. The first areas that took over were the most connected to the sciences of communication. The media has retreated, quickly adapting to traditional functions. (Tele)Communications and the media, the internet and social networks have become reference media in recent years, environments that cause problems at all levels, from the individual to the most relevant to the international and where very few can keep pace with these evolutions. When we say that there are few who keep up, we turn our attention to the effects of change on the national security sectors. However, the laws and systems of protection of events, dangers and risks are far from implementing the general module, and the existing ones are outdated due to the complex vortex of changes and evolution of technologies that people have entered, where there are no borders, national laws or simple rules. of conduct, universally accepted, given that in the virtual space, the state is almost non-existent
August 1944 la Constanța: cazul contraamiralului Horia Macellariu
Authors:   Academia Oamenilor de Știință din România, Constanța, CIORBEA Valentin , SICHIGEA Dan-Dragoș ,   Muzeul Național al Marinei Române, Constanța
Published: June 2023

This paper focuses on the role of the Romanian Royal Navy and of the personality of the most capable commander of its maritime forces during the campaign in the East, in the 23 August 1944 decisive moments – Rear Admiral Horia Macellariu. In the context of the country’s exit from the alliance with Germany and of the political-military changes, and under the impact of the proclamation issued by King Mihai I, in Constanța, the problem for the commanders of the Royal Navy was very sensitive: the detachment from the RomanianGerman mixed command. The situation was characterised by uncertainties, the ships of the Maritime Naval Force being interspersed with many more German ships, which had a superior artillery equipment. Rear Admiral Horia Macellariu, the Commander of the Navy and directly responsible for the fate of the crews, was also under the Commander of the 9th Infantry Division. His orders, from the General Staff and the Naval Staff, to disarm or force the German troops to withdraw Southward, in Bulgaria, required special tact and diplomacy. The excellent working relationship between Rear Admiral Macellariu and German Admiral Helmuth Brinkmann helped to avoid a bloody confrontation, which could prove disastrous for the port and the city of Constanța After the withdrawal of the Germans, appointed Superior Commander of the Dobruja territory, Rear Admiral Horia Macellariu had the ungrateful task of receiving the Soviet troops, whose generals and admirals considered the Romanian Armed Forces defeated and treated them as such. A series of pressures followed, doubled by insults and hostile attitude on the part of the Soviet occupant, culminating in the forcible takeover of Royal Navy ships on 5 September 1944.
Secolul digitalizării și implicațiile asupra mediului internațional de securitate. Confruntări digitale în spațiul cibernetic și în spațiul real
Authors:   Ministerul Apărării Naționale, MÂNDRAȘ Paul
Published: June 2023

"Starting with the end of the 20th century and the beginning of the 21st century, humanity is experiencing a new societal type, the information society. The emergence of computers, the Internet, digital information, artificial intelligence and digital devices with the ability to automatically process information, work autonomously, or even form networks with other devices, cyber and virtual space and so on have led to a technological explosion and the digitalization of societies. Under these circumstances, the digitalization and virtualization of many human activities and relationships in all societal domains constitutes a postmodern “game changer” of societies. Consequently, digitalization has major repercussions at the level of security and the international security environment. We are witnessing a transition from the nuclear century to the digital century, through the emergence of a new type of human confrontation, the digital confrontation. This new type of confrontation manifests itself both in virtual space, through what we so often hear as cyber war, and in real space, through digitalization of defence and the battlefield. Thus, if the security environment of the 20th century was characterized by globalization under the auspices of the nuclear threat, is it appropriate to consider that the 21st century will be characterized by de-globalization under the auspices of the digital threat?"
Caracteristici generale ale regiunii Kaliningrad
Authors:   Universitatea Națională de Apărare „Carol I”, GRIGORAȘ-STĂNESCU Șerban
Published: June 2023

"This article presents a brief but informative examination of the Kaliningrad region in order to find out the mysteries of a geographical territory that belongs to Northern Europe, but currently represents Russia’s only European trophy after winning the Second World War. The paper contains general elements, as well as data that may seem new, through which the geography and history of the region are analysed in the first part. After understanding the natural state and the secular heritage of this territory, we will portray the policies of the Russian Federation imposed on its exclave, determine whether Kaliningrad is an important commercial actor on the international stage and investigate the evolution of the population from an ethnic, cultural and religious point of view. All these elements described previously represent an essential body of knowledge in our attempt to ultimately determine the importance of the Kaliningrad Oblast as a first-line geopolitical bastion in the eternal East-West confrontation in Europe."
Configurații geopolitice ale istmului ponto-baltic în contextul agresiunii din Ucraina
Authors:   Școala Națională de Studii Politice și Administrative, STĂNICĂ Andreea-Amalia
Published: June 2023

"Starting the study from the theory of the Heartland, drawn up by Halford John Mackinder, according to which who rules Eastern Europe rules the world, we identify the geopolitical importance of the Ponto-Baltic isthmus. The region imaginarily bordered to the North by the Baltic Sea and to the South by the Black Sea has been a hotspot throughout history. Thus, the strategic importance of the Ponto-Baltic isthmus and the conflicting interests in the region are the current reasons for the confrontation between the Russian Federation and the West. The illegal aggression of the Russian state in Kyiv confirms the hypothesis that Moscow is the main threat to the security and territorial integrity of the states of the Ponto-Baltic region. In this respect, to become aware of the regional geopolitical realities, in the first part of the research both the geographical coordinates of the Ponto-Baltic isthmus and the historical coordinates stated at the national level will be outlined, in keeping with the writings of scholars such as Simion Mehedinți and Nicolae Iorga. Afterwards, the strategy of the Russian Federation in the region will be analysed, in relation to the permanent fuelling of conflicts on the territory of states that pursue their Euro-Atlantic vision. Romania’s role in the Ponto-Baltic region will also be identified, through its status of a regional pivot and a relevant actor in the process of consolidating NATO’s eastern flank. The research will be the result of the cross-use of quantitative and qualitative methodologies, for an in-depth approach to the subject under study."
Realizarea interoperabilității în mediul de lucru federalizat, în actualul context de securitate
Authors:   Statul Major al Apărării, Direcția comunicații și tehnologia informației, ILIE Doina
Published: June 2023

"Joint missions, exercises and deployments have shown that it is crucial to continuously coordinate processes, training, documents and technologies on a multinational basis. Interoperability on the battlefield, be it on land, in the air, in space, at sea and in the cyber and information space, can often be achieved only after many years of technical and procedural preparation. Time that is no longer available when establishing concrete mission networks, as the war in Ukraine is currently showing us. With Federated Mission Networking (FMN), a framework was created and established that allows a significant reduction in this lead time and at the same time a certain degree of national autonomy in the choice of individual communications and information technology solutions."
Operația Kerci-Eltigen în jurnalele de război ale marinei germane
Authors:   Muzeul Național al Marine Române, filiala Mangalia, SICHIGEA Dan-Dragoș
Published: June 2023

"Almost in parallel with the withdrawal of the Axis troops from the Taman area in the Caucasus, the Soviets prepared a bold landing action on the Kerch peninsula in Crimea. The landings, carried out in two areas, south and north of the city of Kerch, were aimed at supporting the offensive from the north of the Sea of Azov and capturing Crimea. The present study focuses on the naval actions that took place predominantly in the area of the southern bridgehead, where the Axis naval forces were able to block the supply of enemy troops."
Consideraţii privind evacuarea trupelor române participante la Campania din Bulgaria din vara anului 1913
Authors:   Universitatea Națională de Apărare „Carol I”, NICULAE Daniel Silviu
Published: June 2023

"The purpose of this article is to highlight the aspects of the evacuation operations from Bulgaria, executed by the Romanian troops participating in the military campaign in the summer of 1913, a chapter of the national military history less researched. The article is based on the documents studied in the national archives. In the summer of 1913, in the face of an unstable Bulgaria, Serbia and Greece decided to conclude a defensive alliance, a process completed on 19 May/1 June 1913, which aimed to establish their own interests in Macedonia against the Bulgarian ones. Moreover, to the tensions between the former Balkan allies were added the armed incidents near the outposts of the three armies that had the mission of preserving the conquered positions. In this context, Romania’s position became a very important one, in relation to the obligations assumed by the treaties concluded at international level, which is why Romania had to make a decision regarding the participation in the ongoing war."
Algoritm în 7 pași pentru identificarea războiului hybrid – studiul de caz al Insulei Șerpilor din Marea Neagră –
Authors:   Universitatea Națională de Apărare „Carol I”, BUȚĂ Ionuț-Cosmin
Published: June 2023

"The hybrid approach, as a new way of promoting diplomatic, informational, military and economic interests, represents the most common threat used by state or non-state actors all over the world. The purpose of this article is to create a new analytical tool by studying the hybrid challenges in the Black Sea region related to the Snake Island situation. The two research questions which create the premises for building our analysis are: How can hybrid threats be identified and visualized? and How can the aggressor’s progress be evaluated related to hybrid challenges? In this respect, our analysis is based on Patrick J. Cullen and Erik Reichborn-Kjennerud Analytical Framework Model for visualizing hybrid warfare applied to the particular Snake Island situation in order to identify critical functions and vulnerabilities, synchronization of means and actions and desired effects of the hybrid warfare actor. Moreover, we have applied the Process Tracing method and the Measure of Performance (MOP) tool to identify means in order to establish which of them can create the most disastrous consequences to Romanian energy security and to evaluate the aggressor’s progress in obtaining the desired effect(s). The paper results in a seven-step algorithm to identify hybrid warfare by combining an Analytical Framework Model, the Process Tracing research methodology and the Measure of Performance military evaluation tool with the main purpose of creating a new tool useful for future analysts and researchers."
Modalități de identificare a vulnerabilităților în procesul de management al incidentelor de securitate a informațiilor
Authors:   Academia Forțelor Aeriene „Henri Coandă”, Brașov, CÂRSTEA Claudia
Published: June 2023

"The application of tools and methods to improve the effectiveness of the information security management system by detecting and neutralizing cyber attacks, monitoring and blocking DDoS attacks, Intrusion Detection Systems (IDS), Intrusion Prevention Systems (IPS), blocking TOR Exit Nodes, blocking Layer 7 Regular Expression attacks, web filtering, blocking malware attacks, ransomware, spammers and spam servers has become a sine-qua-non requirement in the management of information security incidents in order to minimize their impact on IT systems. The paper provides insight into the impact of integrating much-needed security requirements for information technology users in military systems. The collection of information was carried out on a statistical sample of 128 students from military academies in Romania, Bulgaria, Poland. The research methods are complemented by cross-sectional (questionnaire, survey, observation) and observational methods."
Abordări conceptuale, organizatorice și relaționale privind operațiile multi-domeniu
Authors:   Academia Forțelor Terestre „Nicolae Bălcescu”, Sibiu, MINCULETE Gheorghe
Published: June 2023

Military changes and transformations over the past decade have highlighted the rise of competitive manifestations of state actors with complex global claims to counter the normal economic and military conduct of the world’s greatest power. To this end, US military specialists have developed the concept of “Multi-Domain Operations (MDO)” to implement all the requirements of countering the complex competitive actions of US adversaries globally. This study provides a theoretical approach with applied impact, specific to the military operational sphere, containing information and reference data, revealed in a logical structural flow, centred on conceptual, organisational and relational elements specific to Multi-Domain Operations designed and implemented by the armed forces of the United States of America. The objective of the study is to highlight, from a theoretical point of view, with practical implications and a focus on modernity, the effectiveness and operational efficiency of the military organizations formed to act to implement the MDO concept. This objective has led to the scientific analysis and interpretation of a relevant approach aimed at highlighting the role and importance of MDO, as well as the organisational structures suitable for the implementation of the concept for the purpose of decisional and actional strengthening of joint (assembled) forces operational in areas/theatres of operations on national territory or in the area of national and/or NATO interest. In addition, this research will increase the number of specialised sources that can be used for future research in this field of interest.
Politicile Uniunii Europene pentru dezvoltarea capacităților de contracarare a amenințărilor hibride
Authors:   Ministerul Apărării Naționale, ȘTEFAN Marian
Published: June 2023

"Combating hybrid threats is one of the main dimensions of the European Union’s policies expressed in the recently developed document, called “A Strategic Compass for Security and Defence”, which guides the development of the Union’s capabilities in the field of international security. The new document entails combining the tools developed since 2016 to combat hybrid threats in an “EU Hybrid Toolbox”, which will also include new tools and modes of action. While the primary responsibility for countering hostile hybrid activity will continue to lie with member states, the EU aims to have a greater capacity to support and coordinate in order to prevent and respond adequately to new threats. The EU’s approach focuses on non-military aspects and on the development of military capabilities to respond to hybrid crises, an aspect that implies increasing the importance of cooperation with NATO in this field."
1946. „Criza strâmtorilor” reflectată în rapoartele informative ale secretarului biroului atașatului militar român în Republica Turcia
Authors:   Arhivele Militare Naționale Române, București, DRĂGHICI Lucian
Published: June 2023

"The “Straits Question” has long been a factor of tension in the Black Sea area, because of Russia and later the Soviet Union’s desire to control the Bosporus and Dardanelles, mainly with the aim of turning the Black Sea into a “Russian lake”. After the end of the Second World War, in full ascension as a victorious country and in the tradition of Tsarist Russia, the Soviet Union tried to take control of the Straits through political and military pressure to the detriment of Türkiye, although the Soviet Union had signed the Montreux Convention in 1936, which established the predominant role of the Republic of Türkiye in the control of naval traffic in the Straits, especially in wartime. The atmosphere so heavy with tension from the autumn of 1946, when the outbreak of a war between the USSR and Türkiye seemed inevitable, is reflected in the intelligence reports prepared by the secretary of the Office of the Romanian military attaché to the Republic of Türkiye. The documents include the first defence measures taken by Türkiye at a political and military level, the effects of the “Straits Crisis” on the Turkish population and the beginning of the process of Türkiye’s rapprochement with the USA and the Great Britain, a process that ended with the accession of the Republic of Türkiye to NATO in 1952."
RUSSIA'S DISINFORMATION CAMPAIGN IN THE TIME OF COVID-19 PANDEMIC
Authors:   Faculty of Communication Sciences and International Relations, “Titu Maiorescu” University, Bucharest Senior Researcher, Conflict Prevention and Early Warning Center, Bucharest, SAULIUC Adriana
Published: June 2023

The complicated period the states are facing, caused by the onset of the SARS CoV-2 pandemic, has produced changes in the behaviour of some countries, while others have kept their preferences for old practices. The Russian Federation is among those that have identified in recent developments on the world stage the opportunity to exploit the vulnerabilities its targets face, the aim being to obtain strategic advantages. Thus, from the campaign entitled “From Russia with Love” to the disinformation campaign, the European Union is in Moscow’s attention, which through its actions tries to create instability within the EU and to discredit the organisation through actions meant to make it look like a failed project.
THE ROLE OF CYBERSPACE IN THE APPLICATION OF THE SMART POWER CONCEPT
Authors:   “Carol I” National Defence University, Bucharest, BOBRIC George-Daniel
Published: June 2023

The retrograde, puritanical and belligerent ideologies may seem anachronistic, related to the specificity of the 21st century. The need for understanding the reality augmented by the emergence of new forms of manifestation in international relations is materialised by transposing novelty elements into strategic models specific to the current century. A concrete example is the use, within specialised circles, of the concept of “smart power”, an intelligent combination of punitive actions with the ability of persuasion. This concept incorporates, in a unitary conception, aimed at identifying the optimal solution to ensure strategic success, the specific elements of soft and hard power. Another aspect of everyday reality is the significant use of cyberspace as a means of facilitating the process of fulfilling the goals in different areas of activity, respectively at different levels of society. In this regard, in this paper, the role of the cyber environment in achieving the specific objectives of implementing the strategic concept of “smart power” will be addressed.
TURKISH MOVIES IN FORMER OTTOMAN TERRITORIES: PROPAGANDA OR JUST AN EFFICIENT SOFT POWER IN TURKISH FOREIGN POLICY?
Authors:   Faculty of Security and Defense, “Carol I” National Defense University, Bucharest, MAȚOI Ecaterina , CONSTANTIN Diana-Monica ,   Student, Faculty of Security and Defense, “Carol I” National Defense University, Bucharest
Published: June 2023

The spread of propaganda by state or non-state actors through movies started almost a century ago. At the same time, the procedures used in movie production diversified and became more specialised, hence nowadays, a special product among the ones made for media channels attracts the eye of specialists in the field of influential communication: Turkish movie series focusing on former Ottoman Empire’s glorious past. Many such series have succeeded in conquering the audience from the Arab Peninsula and other parts of the world, particularly the series “Diriliș: Ertuğrul”. This movie series, expanding on the legend of 8th century Muslim Oghuz Turks from Anatolia fighting against Christian Byzantines, crusaders and Mongols, was banned in Arab countries such as Saudi Arabia and Egypt, but enjoys high popularity in other countries. Current research aims to analyse essential elements from the above-mentioned movie series that might significantly influence public opinions and sentiments of population from the Arab countries that banned it, in order to answer the question from title.
ADAPTATION OF MILITARY CAPABILITIES TO THE REQUIREMENTS OF THE OPERATIONAL ENVIRONMENT – CURRENT AFFAIRS AND PERSPECTIVES
Authors:   “Nicolae Bălcescu” Land Forces Academy, Sibiu, GRIGORAŞ Constantin
Published: June 2023

The realities of the contemporary operational environment, which, given the nature of the actors, conditions and circumstances, manifest themselves in a well-defined space, directly and fundamentally influence decisions and the use of military capabilities. Identifying the key features of the operational environment, understanding and anticipating the evolutionary trends of these features are essential conditions for military planners to design successful military operations that respect the principle of sufficient use of military force. The continuous changes in the operational environment require a reaction both in terms of concept, but, especially, in terms of action, to adapt the military capabilities and, implicitly, the operational concepts to the new challenges. In this context, shortening the duration of the adaptation of strategies, doctrines, tactics, techniques and procedures used in military actions to the maximum becomes imperative and must be at the same time anticipatory, and employing scientific tools to achieve an appropriate correlation between the structure of forces and missions is an unequivocal necessity
THE IMPACT OF MULTI-DOMAIN OPERATION ON THE MILITARY STRATEGY
Authors:   “Carol I” National Defence University, Bucharest, CUCINSCHI Alexandru-Lucian
Published: June 2023

Currently, there are more and more discussions about multi-domain operation, as an advanced method of approaching military action, superior to the joint operation, and, last but not least, able to revolutionise the way the Armed Forces respond to the specifics of new threats to the security of states and alliances. As a result, in my opinion, it can be said that if the multi-domain operation continues to develop doctrinally and subsequently in practice, at the operational level, it will greatly influence how the strategic military level will be organised. Moreover, the fact that the multi-domain operation can offer new opportunities to address conflicts leads us to the idea that military strategies, national and allied, as programmatic documents, will be largely influenced by it. Given that, in my view, strategic goals can be met to the extent that operational and tactical capabilities allow it, this article will address issues related to how multi-domain operation can transform military strategy.
USING COST-EFFECTIVENESS ANALYSIS AS A HELPFUL TOOL IN THE PROCESS OF REDUCING COSTS IN DEFENSE PROGRAMMES
Authors:   “Carol I” National University of Defence, ȘINCA Felicia , PLEȘANU Toma ,   Nicolae Bălcescu” Land Forces Academy, Sibiu
Published: June 2023

“Cost-Effectiveness Analysis” is a method of economic analysis that evaluates the efficiency of indicators and highlights the results of a project. This analysis determines the most effective way to complete a project, being a helpful tool in the decision-making process in the initial phase of a procurement programme. Four years after signing the agreement on the allocation of a minimum of 2% of GDP for the budget of the Ministry of National Defence starting with 2017, we are again facing a critical moment in the recent history, that of the Covid-19 pandemic. In this context, the decline in the economic growth, as a result of the drastic measures imposed against the spread of the virus, will most likely lead to further budget cuts. Through this article, our aim is to present the concept of cost-effectiveness analysis, as a useful method in the decision-making process and one of the necessary tools for the efficient operation of the investment resources in defence procurement programs.
INNOVATION – END STATE OF HIGH-PERFORMANCE SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH IN A MILITARY UNIVERSITY –
Authors:   “Nicolae Bălcescu” Land Forces Academy, Sibiu, NICULESCU Brânduşa-Oana , DRAGOMIR Isabela-Anda ,   “Nicolae Bălcescu” Land Forces Academy, Sibiu
Published: June 2023

With the transition to military higher education, scientific research and innovation have become necessary prerequisites for building a successful academic environment. Amateurism has considerably diminished as a result of the training and improvement of the skills needed in this domain, whose value is increasingly recognised as a galvanising factor in achieving specific quality indicators for a modern military university. Against this background, we can argue that scientific research, scientific innovation, and military higher education intertwine in a much more active way than in previous years, with the ultimate aim of enhancing military science and practice. The emergence of new preoccupations for scientific research and innovation, as pillars supporting a modern military university, arise not only from the imperative of acknowledging this need, but also as a consequence of the identification of scientific knowledge among the solutions needed to provide the conditions specific to a future military university, able to respond to and master the wide array of challenges generated by the unknown in future military actions. The proposed approach draws attention to aspects related to the importance of knowledge, understanding, explanation, and argumentation of conceptual, structural, actional, and managerial clarifications of scientific research, scientific progress and innovation, as fundamentals of excellence in a modern military university. Thus, the postmodern military university will acquire the capacity to fulfil its specific missions only in an optimal framework, adequate for recognising scientific research and innovation as imperatives for the dynamics of change in society and in the military environment.
CULTURAL INFLUENCES AND INTERACTIONS WITHIN AERONAUTICAL ORGANISATIONAL SYSTEMS AS PREREQUISITES FOR OPERATIONAL PROCESSES
Authors:   90th Airlift Base, Air Force Staf, IORDACHE Valentin-Marian
Published: June 2023

In the society we live in culture tends to become an abstraction, but the elements created in a social and organisational context that derive from culture are extremely important. If we do not understand how to manage these elements, which are in a complex and dynamic system, such as in the aeronautical system, then we will become their victim. Cultures have an impressive ability to create cohesion, performance and identity. They provide rules that allow diversity, regardless of its nature, to coexist. All organisations have a culture, and that of an aeronautical organisation must achieve maximum efficiency in risk conditions. Knowing the influences of each subculture helps reduce risks, costs, and improves the organisation’s efficiency and air safety. This paper aims to present the main cultures, and the link between them, within an aeronautical system and, at the same time, to help raise awareness of the importance of understanding the cultural elements in order to improve efficiency during operational processes.
POLISH SPECIAL FORCES IN THE NATIONAL SECURITY SYSTEM OF THE REPUBLIC OF POLAND: THE LEGAL ASPECTS
Authors:   Law Department of the Polish Armed Forces War Studies University, NOWAK Zbigniew
Published: June 2023

The changing nature of global and national security threats have made Special Forces the fundament of many states’ armed forces. This article focuses on the Polish Special Forces, their roles and functions, both independently and in cooperation with other armed services of the Republic of Poland. After outlining the Polish national security system, the analysis proceeds with a discussion of the modalities of the Special Forces functioning in the times of peace, crisis and war. The article concludes with suggestions regarding legislative changes which would contribute to further development of the Polish Special Forces.
RESTRICTIONS OF THE FUNDAMENTAL HUMAN RIGHTS AND FREEDOMS DURING THE STATE OF EMERGENCY GENERATED BY THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC
Authors:   Naval Forces Staff / Naval Logistic Base, PREDA DAVIDOIU Mădălina
Published: June 2023

During the state of emergency declared for limiting the spread of the COVID-19 virus, the central and local governmental authorities imposed a series of restrictions on fundamental human rights and freedoms, of essentially temporary nature and, where appropriate, tailored to meet the expected or actual severity level of the epidemic, aimed at eliminating the risk factors and minimising the effects on the population. National and international public policies focused on threats to public health, these threats being seen as a global human security issue for which governmental authorities intervened through firm and prompt measures that took into account the public interest, even by affecting fundamental rights and freedoms at the individual level. The purpose of this article is to identify the legal framework at the national level regarding the adoption of restrictions in exceptional circumstances, the restrictive measures that were put in place during the emergency period declared in the context of the coronavirus pandemic while highlighting the role of the armed forces in implementing and monitoring compliance with these restrictions.
THE MILITARY INSTRUMENT OF POWER IN THE 21ST CENTURY – THE FUNDAMENTALS OF THE MILITARY STRATEGY OF THE STATES IN THE WIDER BLACK SEA REGION –
Authors:   9th Mechanised Brigade “Mărășești”, Constanța, NICULAE Marian
Published: June 2023

A nation’s power to impose its will and to achieve its national objectives emanates from its instruments of national power. Today, the instruments of national power include diplomacy, information, military, and economy, collectively identified by the acronym DIME. A nation does not necessarily have to be superior in each element of the DIME to achieve its national goals and interests. However, it has to be adept in managing each element of national power synergistically in order to achieve its desired results. The military element of national power represents the military might of a nation. Referred to as a “hard power” due to its kinetic nature, the military component of DIME might appear to be a measure of last resort. This is not always the case, however, as the credible threat of hard power alone in combination with other elements of DIME (sometimes known as “smart power”) can often allow a nation to achieve its interests. The armed conflict in Ukraine and the illegal annexation of Crimea, the changes in the relations between major global and regional actors, the persistence of frozen conflicts in the Republic of Moldova and Georgia and the difficult path of state consolidation and economic development in some of the Black Sea states – all require a much greater attention of the international community to the region, which changes almost everything about using the instruments of power and of course the strategy regarding the Black Sea region.
COMPETITION FOR THE LEADERSHIP OF THE GREAT GENERAL STAFF DURING THE BALKAN CRISIS AND THE NEUTRALITY PERIOD (1912-1916)
Authors:   President of the Romanian Military History Commission, OTU Petre
Published: June 2023

The study analyses the competition for the position of Chief of the General Staff during the Balkan crisis (1912-1913) and during Romania’s neutrality (1914-1916). The position was very important and enjoyed an increased prestige, because it created the conditions for standing out on the battlefield and, implicitly, for winning military glory. Therefore, the number of competitors was quite high. However, the major decision-maker regarding the appointment of the Chief of the General Staff, which, during the war, was transformed into the General Headquarters, was the political factor, namely the ruling party and the king, who was “the head of the armed power”. The solution chosen at the beginning of the world conflict, which worked even after Romania entered the war, with General Vasile Zottu as Chief and General Dumitru Iliescu as Deputy Chief, actually leading the Romanian armed forces operations, was inefficient. The right person to lead the General Headquarters, namely General Constantin Prezan, was found only at the beginning of December 1916.
LEGISLATIVE MEASURES TAKEN DURING THE RULE OF ALEXANDRU IOAN I REGARDING THE ORGANISATION OF THE ROMANIAN MILITARY SYSTEM – CASE STUDY: PERMANENT ARMY AND TERRITORIAL ARMY –
Authors:   “Regele Ferdinand I” National Military Museum, RÎȘNOVEANU Ion
Published: June 2023

In the current, highly unpredictable context, in which the great powers want to preserve their economic, political, cultural and military influences, and the regional powers seek to receive an as comfortable as possible place at the table of the powerful ones, there is still a dilemma for which military strategies do not have a definitive answer: territorial troops versus professional forces. The two concepts are found, in specific forms, in the Romanian military terminology, as well as in the legislation approved in order to modernise the Romanian military body ever since the time of Prince Alexandru Ioan I (Alexandru Ioan Cuza). In the first years of the establishment of the modern Romanian Army, the political factors, but especially the military ones, with decision-making power, enacted the organisation of the Romanian armed power, introducing modern doctrinal concepts, starting, however, from the traditional military doctrine, according to which the national territory of the country is defended by the entire people. Thus, during the reign of Alexandru Ioan I, the main components of the Romanian Army were the permanent army, with its reserve forces, the territorial army, as well as the militias, which included, without being paid special importance, the city guard and the crowds.
THE CHARACTERISTICS OF THE ROMANIAN INFANTRY DEFENCE ACCORDING TO THE LATEST INSTRUCTIONS USED DURING THE SECOND WORLD WAR
Authors:   “Ştefan cel Mare” University of Suceava, HALIP Ionel
Published: June 2023

This article discusses the characteristics of the Romanian infantry defence during the last part of the Second World War according to the instructions received from the General Staff or various Higher Commands. It presents aspects relating to the role of the defence that regained its specific mission to hold its position to the last man or bullet. This article presents the tactical rules of an infantry division in a position of resistance, the arrangement of the battalions, the role of the heavy artillery units and the course of action when the enemy started the attack. At the same time, it also lists the differences between the instructions and directives relating to defence, given under the German influence between 1941- 1943 and the last ones during the war. Furthermore, it also defines the concept of fire plan with all the necessary firings to be delivered against an enemy, with the assessment of the role of the cooperation between the aviation and the artillery once the preparatory firing is started or its use against tanks.
THE VISUAL CONSTRUCTION OF THE RESPONSIBILITY TO PROTECT ON THE ROMANIAN ARMED FORCES SOCIAL MEDIA SITES
Authors:   Department of International Relations and Contemporary History, Faculty of History and Philosophy, Babeș-Bolyai University, Cluj-Napoca, NOVĂCESCU Elena
Published: June 2023

The recent evolution of social media networks has brought to the attention of researchers in the field of security studies new resources and methods for understanding international dynamics, as well as new media actors such as the military forces. Today, the Romanian Armed Forces have their own official Facebook pages through which they produce and promote media content, mainly visual, which reaches a significant number of individuals. Thus, the visual representations that are disseminated in the online environment and, especially on the military social networks, become important sources of knowledge and interpretation of reality, true spaces in which policies are born. The main purpose of this paper is to explore how the “responsibility to protect”* is visually constructed in the photos published by the Romanian Armed Forces on own Facebook pages. To accomplish this objective, photographs illustrating interactions between Romanian soldiers and Afghan children during the Resolute Support Mission were collected. The method used for the analysis of these photographs is visual social semiotics, a recent approach in the study of security issues, which brings to light the meanings hidden in the various modes of representation.
CONCEPTUAL APPROACHES ON INFORMATION WARFARE AND SOME OF ITS COMPONENTS
Authors:   graduate of the civil master’s degree in International Relations and Intelligence Studies from the “Mihai Viteazul” National Intelligence Academy in Bucharest, BADIU Teodor
Published: June 2023

In the case of information warfare, it no longer exists a demarcation line between the state of pace or the state of war, this type of war being used by the state and non-state actors because of its effectiveness and the difficulty of being traced and repelled. In addition, it is known that the Russian Federation used information activities against Western and Eastern European countries. To see the specificity of information operations, we must define the concepts and components that underlie information warfare and the perspective Russian military thinkers have on information activities. Even if the paper does not describe in detail all the components of the information warfare, it is important for us to clarify the role of information operations and its components as part of information warfare, as well as the terms that are often used in the public and academic area, such as disinformation, manipulation, propaganda, fake news etc. To better understand the Russian information activity, the paper provides some specific examples from Poland, the Czech Republic and Slovakia.
THE BLACK SEA REGION – GEOGRAPHICAL, GEOPOLITICAL, GEOSTRATEGIC AND GEOECONOMIC IDENTITY –
Authors:   “Carol I” National Defence University, Bucharest, POPESCU Alba Iulia Catrinel
Published: June 2023

One of the most competitive subareas in Eurasia is the Black Sea Region. For the last century, this region has undergone spectacular upheavals in its geopolitical status, which have resulted in changes in terms of borders, wars and frozen conflicts, land fragmentations, multiplication of regional and extraregional players. Which are the geographical, geopolitical, geostrategic and geoeconomic features that cause the regional geopolitical dynamics? Why is the Black Sea Region still included in the category of fault line areas, a statute that makes it prone to an increased geopolitical competition, instability, insecurity and regional conflict? These are some of the questions that generate a particular interest in this study and which will be answered by going through the information presented below.
Strengthening and Developing the Capacity to Analyse Information and Transform Romania’s Security Paradigm in the Context of Asymmetric Challenges in the Black Sea Region
Authors:   University of Naples “Federico II”, DONE Cătălin-Gabriel ,   Junior Researcher and Expert in Nordic Security and Cooperation within Experts for Security and Global Affairs, Bucureșt
Published: June 2023

Developing the national intelligence system and strengthening the response capacity in conflict and crises is both a theoretical branch and a strategy within the framework offered by the International Relations studies. As the scope of regional threats continues to grow, Romania and the actors in the region need to develop programmes to strengthen the national security assessment system and the capabilities to gather intelligence to discourage and counteract elements of security destabilisation. Because of the changes in the regional security environment, the intelligence system is in high demand, requiring a new cultural design and pragmatic capabilities. Thus, the purpose of this article is to briefly assess the national elements of information analysis in a regional context and to propose, against the background of the current security environment, a model of transformative paradigm for strengthening the capacity to respond to threats.
Cognitive Warfare in 21st Century Great Power Competition. Framing of Military Activity in the Black Sea
Authors:   Centre for Strategic Studies, National University of Political Science and Public Administration, CHIRIAC Olga R.
Published: June 2023

The Pivot to Asia first signaled and then the December 2017 US National Security Strategy ushered in the era of renewed great power competition, a global strategic environment in which great powers compete for influence and in which the leveraging of new and disruptive technologies, globalization, climate change and a global pandemic have added to the complexity and fluidity of strategic imperatives of nation states and alliances. The nature of war has remained the same, nevertheless, the character has evolved, perspectives on what constitutes war in its entire spectrum have taken on different meaning for different actors. One particularly complex dimension of great power conflict is cognitive warfare in all its manifestations. The article is looking to analyze the way the framing effect, a cognitive bias, has been leveraged as a means of perpetrating cognitive warfare in the Black Sea by reframing historical events of the last century in order to influence both individual and group beliefs and behaviors to favor or legitimize tactical as well as strategic objectives in great power competition.
NATO and EU Contributions to Consolidating Security and Defence in the Euro-Atlantic Area
Authors:   “Carol I” National Defence University, Bucureșt, EPARU Alexandru
Published: June 2023

Today’s world presents a contradictory picture that, along with economically prosperous areas, characterised by stability and integration trends, also includes poor, unstable regions, on the verge of disintegration. International threats and vulnerabilities have not disappeared, they have not diminished, they have changed. Instability has spread, and the danger of war has been replaced by a multitude of risk factors, the importance of which varies from situation to situation. Therefore, situations generate tensions that will become explosive and will inevitably lead to a whole range of domestic and international crises, crises that, as a rule, have ethnic, religious, territorial or economic roots. The multitude of actors involved in the process of ensuring security and defence in the Euro-Atlantic area makes it difficult to coordinate and streamline the initiatives launched for each area. Hence the need for each “security actor” to try to develop comprehensive strategies to address defence consolidation.
The Professionalisation and Performance of the Armed Forces. Key Elements in Facing Changing Global Trends
Authors:   General “Andrei Popovici” 91st Air Force Logistics Base, București, IONAȘCU HULUBA Alina-Elena , PLEȘANU Toma ,   “Nicolae Bălcescu” Academy of Land Forces, Sibiu
Published: June 2023

The changing trends in military organisations have accelerated in recent decades against the background of societal changes, changes in the security environment and the rapid development of technology. These phenomena impose new requirements on armies in terms of effective human resources management and a key role is assigned to the provision of a high quality professionalisation process ensuring the performance of the armed forces and thus the ability of the military to fulfil its missions. By exploring literature, this paper starts with a conceptual background of the field that outlines the framework for transforming the training process from the perspective of interrelated key elements. In addition, the paper highlights challenging trends that have an impact on military organisations, emphasising the exploration of the way in which professionalisation is transformed so that military personnel can respond to challenging contexts, thus contributing to the performance of the armed forces. Finally, we propose some guidelines for future scientific approaches on this subject