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Most of today’s land warfare theories tend to emphasize the importance of depth in both offensive and defensive maneuvers. The common idea is to avoid the enemies’ frontline troops striking deep in their territory against support units. There is not much written about the absence of depth in the tactical perspective. This study aims to identify which parts of Biddle´s modern system causes resource-effective victories in land-battle where tactical depth is limited. The study aims to test the theory in the scope of small tactical depth, in specific islands is examined. The study is conducted as a comparative case study of the battle of Saipan during WWII and the Falklands war, where both the offensive (The U.S.A and U.K) and defensive (Japan and Argentina) actions are examined. The cases fit the least similar design and are combined with the congruence method to identify causal relations. The study conducts a qualitative text analysis where the findings are later compared and discussed. The study finds that the principle small unit independent maneuver most strongly contributes to a resource-efficient victory as an attacker. The values for the dependent and independent variables within the cases do not correlate with the theory, thereby the study struggles to find overall congruence between the theory and the cases. The study suggests further studies regarding the phenomenon, both theory- and case-oriented.   

Israel employs a counterinsurgency strategy known as mowing the grass, characterized by repeated strikes to degrade insurgent capabilities. Israel´s strategy remains the same, but the tactics used in urban counterinsurgency operations have changed.  By comparing operations from 2002 and 2023 using reports and news articles combined with a theory of strike, move and protection. This study aims to describes the tactical development in Israeli tactics and methods during counterinsurgency operations in urban terrain in the city of Jenin. 

The findings describe a change in Israeli tactics and methods. There is a reduction in the use of armored vehicles and a decreased use of heavy mechanized destruction. Furthermore, the empirical material suggests a reduction in the tactical exploitation of non-combatants. Traditional methods have been scaled back with an increased use of loitering munitions and precision strikes. However, the study suggests methods used to enable mobility for ground troops remain crucial for mission success. Lastly, there are indications of an increased use of non-lethal tactics. 

This study examines Finnish military success in the Battle of Suomussalmi during the winter war 1939-1940, where a numerically and materially inferior force defeated a significantly stronger opponent. Previous research has mostly explained this outcome through isolated factors such as Soviet organizational weaknesses, environmental conditions and Finnish tactics, particularly the motti tactics. However, these explanations often lack a theoretical framework for understanding how success was achieved at the tactical level.

The purpose of this study is to analyze Finnish success at Suomussalmi through Stepehen Biddle´s theory  the modern system, which emphasizes how forces fight rather than the resources they possess. The study applies a qualitative theory-consuming case study design, using indicators to assess the extent to which Finnish forces employed the modern system.

The result of the study shows that Finnish success at Suomussalmi can be more coherently understood through Biddle´s theory. By employing cover and concealment, dispersed units, small units, suppressive fire and combined arms, Finnish forces were able to offset Soviet numerical and material superiority. The study therefore shows that Biddle´s theory provides a more comprehensive explanation of the battle, as it captures how these factors were translated into effective battlefield performance.

”Deterrence is concerned with influencing the choices that another party will make, and doing it by influencing his expectations of how we will behave”

- Thomas C. Schelling (1960)  

This quote captures the essence of deterrence. While modern warfare has become more complex and now includes elements beyond conventional methods, it has in the past decade, reshaped the traditional understanding of who or what should be deterred. Previous research has shown that states use deterrence as a method to counter and respond to cyberattacks. Although cyber deterrence is perceived as a complex and controversial concept, it has the potential to contribute to improved stability in cyberspace. 

Since joining Nato in 2023, Finland is expected to adapt to and integrate NATO´s strategic concept at the national level. This results in a changing security environment and a shift in strategic direction. This study therefore, aims to examine how Finland uses cyber deterrence in its cyber strategy before and after joining Nato, in order to increase the understanding of how small states use cyber deterrence in a changing security environment. The study's research question is: How does Finland use cyber deterrence in its cyber strategy before and after NATO membership?

To answer the research question, this study will use a theory-consuming descriptive approach, and the empirical material will be analysed through qualitative text analysis. The theoretical framework consists of cyber deterrence by denial and punishment, which are two of the most prominent strategies of cyber deterrence in previous research. 

The results of this study show that Finland’s cyber strategy prior to NATO membership has primarily relied on cyber deterrence through denial, with elements of cyber deterrence by punishment. After Finland´s NATO accession, the analysis shows that the country continues to predominantly use cyber deterrence through denial, but with a clearer presence of cyber deterrence through punishment than before.

This shows that the cyber deterrence capabilities of small states do not necessarily have to be merely defensive and preventive due to their often inferior position relative to great powers, but can also include more active elements for deterrence purposes. Given the current global security situation, continued research in this area is important to strengthen global cybersecurity.

This study examens logistics in two battles in sub artic climates. By comparing the battles ofSuomussalmi 1939 and Stalingrad 1942 this study answers the question: What are the differencesin the logistics in the battles of Suomussalmi and Stalingrad? The purpose of this study is tocontribute to research and studies about logistics in different battles especially in winter climes. Andthis study will help officers learn what to do in future battles. To analyze these battles Moshe Kresstheory about Operational logistics will be used. The findings of the study were that in Suomussalmithe Soviet Union had low flexibility an overreliance on road-bound supply lines, limited adaptabilityto terrain and climate, resulting in severe operational failures. In contrast at Stalingrad the Sovietlogistics demonstrated a higher degree of adaptability and smart use of the Volga River to supplytheir units without being destroyed by the Germans. They also improved prioritization of resources,and the ability to sustain operations despite heavy enemy pressure.

The study concludes that effective logistics is not solely dependent on resource availability but onthe ability to adapt, prioritize and maintain continuity under changing conditions. These findingcontribute to a deeper understanding of logistics as a decisive factor in military operations. 

This study examines how continuity and change are expressed in the Swedish naval debate during the country’s transition to NATO membership (2020–2025). Using Elizabeth Kier theory of organizational culture, the study analyzes how values, attitudes, and underlying assumptions shape doctrinal development. A qualitative thematic analysis of articles from Tidskrift i Sjöväsendet identifies three key themes: forces resisting change, forces driving change, and processes of reinterpretation and gradual adaptation. The findings show that while NATO integration and a deteriorating security environment promote a shift toward collective defense and expanded operational roles, strong elements of continuity persist through professional identity, national doctrine, and material constraints. Change occurs primarily through cultural reinterpretation rather than abrupt transformation. The study contributes by highlighting how tensions between continuity and change are articulated in professional military debate, complementing existing research focused on policy and organizational structures.

The geopolitical conflict and complex relationship between Israel and Iran have been widely recognized over the last decades. The reason behind the conflict is mainly because of Iran’s intensified and extended development of their nuclear capabilities which Israel considers as an existential threat. Therefore, on the 13th of June 2025, Israel executed their long planned air operation, “Operation Rising Lion”, with the objectives to disrupt the development and deny Iran further nuclear capabilities. The Israeli Air Force struck against various targets including Iranian military forces, civilians, infrastructure, system essentials and leadership. By applying John Warden’s “Five Rings Theory” and Robert Pape’s four coercive strategies in airpower, this study aims to deepen the understanding of Operation Rising Lion. Taking a theory-consuming approach,the study applies a structured analysis to examine key sequences and events during the operation while using Warden and Pape’s theories as framework. The results show how Israel through precise target selection and parallel strikes could stop the continuous development of Iranian nuclear capabilities. Furthermore, the results also explain the importance of comprehension about these kinds of operations and why it’s relevant for officers in the Swedish Armed Forces. 

This study examines Ukraine’s use of asymmetric maritime warfare in the Black Sea during the Russo-Ukrainian War. The starting point is the tension between Russia’s naval superiority and Ukraine’s ability to limit Russian freedom of action at sea. Russia entered the war with a clear maritime advantage, while Ukraine lacked a conventional fleet capable of challenging the Black Sea Fleet in a symmetrical naval confrontation. Yet the war at sea did not develop into uncontested Russian control.

The purpose of the study is to increase the understanding of how Ukraine’s actions can be analysed through Geoffrey Till’s concepts of sea control and sea denial. The study is designed as a qualitative theory-consuming case study. It analyses selected events in the Black Sea: the sinking of Moskva, the attack on Saratov in Berdiansk, the attack on Tsiklon, the attacks on Ivanovets, Caesar Kunikov and Sergei Kotov, and the attack on Novocherkassk. These cases are examined through four analytical dimensions: asymmetric method, effect on Russian risk calculation, operational limitation and maritime outcome.

The study finds that Ukraine did not establish conventional sea control. That is not the central point. Rather the cases show how Ukrainian actions contributed to making Russian naval operations more exposed and harder to sustain. The result suggests that sea denial can be militarily significant even when the weaker actor does not control the sea itself.

The second Nagorno-Karabakh war was a conflict fought between the Republic of Armenia and the Republic of Azerbaijan for control over the mountainous Nagorno-Karabakh and bordering regions, occupied by Armenia since 1994. The war ended in resounding Azerbaijani victory which reclaimed large parts of Nagorno-Karabakh and all the surrounding regions. How did the Azeris achieve such massive succuss during the second Nagorno-Karabakh war, also known as the 44-day war. Their armies were broadly similar in size with the Azeri army being slightly larger at 56 000 vs the Armenians 42 000. The Armenians were on the defensive however, which normally is an advantage. Two common explanations are drones and a strategic advantage in the form of better economy and allies. But since drones can’t seize territory, no allies directly intervened and BNP alone can’t win wars, the question remains. The goal of this thesis is to examine whether tactical prowess is a decisive factor on the modern battlefield or if battles are determined by technology and strategic advantages. By applying Brett Friedmans theory to the second Nagorno-Karabakh war, this thesis concludes that superior tactics still is a decisive factor on the modern battlefield despite technological advancements like strike drones and loitering munitions. The thesis also offers insight into the conflict through its analysis of the war.

The use of air power in coercion is yet again most relevant as seen in the conflict between Iran,the US and Israel. Several theorists have historically tried to explain how coercion is done mosteffectively, one of which is Robert Pape, who favors a denial-type of coercion. By using processtracing and a comparative method, this study aims to test his theory and causal model on the casesof the Kosovo war (1999) and the intervention in Libya (2011). Furthermore this study also aimsto examine to what extent Pape's proposed coercion methods, in comparison to other methods,affects the opponents cost-benefit analysis, and thereby the political outcome. The study hasshown that Pape's denial-theory can’t explain the political outcome of each conflict with enoughcertainty due to the theory's linear causal model. Instead, coercion should be viewed as a dynamicand interactive process where the aggressor has to adjust its choosing of coercion-methodsdepending on the opponents actions, and where the effect from several coercion-methodsaccumulates to affect the opponents cost-benefit analysis and thus the political outcome.

The battle for Mariupol was one of the most intense battles in the early phase of the Russian invasion of Ukraine in 2022. While the battle has been called a siege, there is limited research examining how the Russian forces employed siege tactics in order to capture the city. Contemporary warfare is increasingly showing signs that war and conflicts are getting more urbanised. Western militaries and researchers have emphasized combined arms, precision and highly trained forces to acchieve succes in the urban enviroment. However, the war in Ukraine has in several areas been more related to attrition and siege warfare as conducted in the 18th century. The purpose of the study is to contribute to the broader field of reasearch on modern sieges in the urban enviroment and to develop an understanding of the case of Mariupol. More specifically the purpose is to explain how Russsian forces used modern siege tacits in order to capture Mariupol in 2022. The study uses a qualitative case study approach and draws on Nils Hägerdal´s as well as Amos Fox´s theories on modern siege tactics to help explain the case. The results show that in several aspects Russian forces used siege tactics to capture Mariupol. Instead of a direct assault on the city, they began by encircling and isolating both civilans and Ukrainian forces within in the city. After the encirlclment was complete, Russian forces gradually increased pressure on Ukrainan forces through indisrciminate bombardment and repeated assaults. In the end this contributed to gradually minimize the will and resistance of the Ukrainian forces. The Russian use of modern siege tactis thus constitutes a central explanation for how the Russian forces succeded in capturing Mariupol in 2022.

State risk communication is central to civil preparedness, as households are increasingly expected to understand threats, take responsibility, and prepare for crises and war. This study examines how the Swedish state formulates risk, crisis, war, and preparedness in the brochures If Crisis or War Comes from 2018 and 2024. The purpose is to analyse how the brochures formulate severity, vulnerability, response efficacy, self-efficacy, and response costs, and to identify how these formulations have changed over time. The study is conducted as a directed qualitative content analysis based on Protection Motivation Theory.

The findings show that both brochures combine descriptions of threats with recommendations for preparedness and present preparedness as a shared responsibility between the state, society, and the individual. However, the 2024 brochure differs by formulating a more immediate and security-oriented threat picture. War, cyberattacks, disinformation, societal disruptions, and civil preparedness are more clearly connected to the role of individuals and households. Compared with the 2018 brochure, the 2024 version also contains more concrete instructions, more situation-specific advice, and more explicit formulations of what the recipient is expected to prepare for and do.

The study concludes that the main change between 2018 and 2024 is not only that threats are formulated more clearly, but that the relationship between threat and preparedness is more closely integrated. In the 2024 brochure, preparedness is framed as more directly connected to total defence, societal resilience, and the individual’s practical role in crisis and war.

Military organizational culture contributes to a nation’s defense, helping to keep alignment with adversaries' threats, and civil society is crucial for preserving the legitimacy of mandatory conscription in democracies. This study aims to broaden the current understanding of how military organizational culture is represented in unit inspection reports by conducting a qualitative content analysis of Pliktrådet´s unit reports. The reports will be analyzed using Leonard Wong and Stephen Gerras theory on military cultural dimensions; to examine how organizational culture is portrayed within two units between 2022 and 2026. The results will thereafter be interpreted and compared to assess how organizational culture between the two units differs, and thus, understand how military organizational culture might be different within the Swedish armed forces. 

The results show that the portrayal differs between units, and differences can be interpreted as how organizational culture is formed and maintained. The established unit was found to be lacking in communication between units and within the regiment. This shows the need for a more coherent organizational culture. The newly re-established regiment was found to be more unified within the unit, emphasizing collective values and innovation as means of supporting a favorable organizational culture. Indicating the importance of creating a coherent military organizational culture to support a stringency in the conscription service, as well as cherishing societal values through democratically anchored basic training.

This study examines how the United States Air Force describes and delimits AI-enabled autonomy and human control in the development of Collaborative Combat Aircraft (CCA). It addresses a gap between broad research on human–autonomy teaming and the more limited knowledge of how a concrete military organization formulates these issues in an ongoing air power programme. The study is designed as a qualitative single-case study based on open-source strategic, policy-related and programme-near documents published between 2019 and 2025. Parasuraman, Sheridan and Wickens’ model of human interaction with automation is used as the analytical framework. The analysis shows that United States Air Force does not present CCA as a uniformly autonomous system. Instead, autonomy is distributed across different functions. Higher degrees of autonomy are associated mainly with information acquisition and, to some extent, information analysis, while decision-making and especially action implementation are described more cautiously. Human control remains central but is reformulated from direct control towards supervisory control and high-level direction. The study concludes that CCA is framed as varied autonomy under continued human control rather than as a move towards full autonomy.

This thesis examines the formation and expressions of Swedish tactical subcultures during the ISAF mission in Afghanistan (2002–2014). By applying Tony Ingesson's theoretical framework, the study analyses how Swedish strategic culture has influenced the tactical level regarding decision-making, autonomy, and attitudes toward risk. The study utilizes a qualitative text analysis of official government reports and previous research to deconstruct the cognitive filters governing actions on the ground. The results indicate a split between formal autonomy and actual autonomy, where the formal doctrine of mission command was in practice limited by political expectation on decisionmakers on the tactical level and a domestic fear of national prestige loss. The tactical subculture was characterized by a protective stance toward civilians but also by a reactive caution regarding combative risks, creating a discrepancy between formal and actual freedom of action. The conclusion highlights that this culture may create frictions within NATO's collective defence, where the demand for collective defence and high tolerance of loss collide with an established Swedish culture of caution.

This study examines how the Swedish Armed Forces Command and control structure at the strategic level aligns with the collaboration requirements formulated within Sweden’s total defense system, particularly by the Swedish Civil Contingencies Agency. The study addresses a research gap, where previous studies have primarily focused on social and cultural aspects of civil vs military cooperation, while the structural dimension of military leadership has received limited attention. The analysis is based on a qualitative text analysis of official doctrines and policy documents from both military and civilian perspectives. Max Weber’s theory of rationality, as developed by Karlberg, is applied as an analytical framework to examine differences in organizational logic. The findings indicate that there is a high degree of alignment at a conceptual level, as both actors emphasize flexibility, responsibility and situational awareness. However, significant differences emerge in practical application. The armed forces rely on a hierarchical structure design for efficiency and control, meanwhile civilian actors emphasize network-based coordination and decentralized decision-making.  The study concludes that while the system is compatible in principle, structural differences may create challenges for effective collaboration in practice.

Since 2014, Russian subversion has targeted the intricate ethnic and linguistic divisions in eastern Ukraine, fueling separatism and contributing to a prolonged conflict in the Donbas. In this politically fragile and complex environment, special forces have proven crucial in conducting precision raids against key targets. One such example is the first battle of Donetsk Airport in May 2014, during which Ukrainian special forces cleared the airport of separatist fighters. Although the battle is often recognized in previous research as operationally significant, it has rarely been studied as an independent case, leaving tactical-level operations largely underexplored. This creates a research gap, particularly given the limited attention paid to the role of special forces in hybrid environments. This study therefore aims to enhance understanding of the Ukrainian tactical success by applying McRaven’s Special Operations Theory as an analytical framework.

The findings show that Ukrainian tactical success derived from a combination of simplicity, security, surprise, speed and purpose, while repetition played a more limited role. Together, these factors reduced friction, enabled Ukrainian special forces to maintain the initiative and disrupted the separatists’ ability to coordinate an effective defence. In conclusion, this study contributes to a deeper understanding of the first battle of Donetsk Airport and the broader role of special forces in hybrid environments.

International military training operations have become increasingly prominent following Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022. Operation Interflex is a multinational military training initiative aimed at preparing Ukrainian personnel for war and can be understood as a form of Security Force Assistance (SFA). However, research regarding instructors’ motivation in such missions remains limited.

The aim of this study is to understand how Swedish instructors experience their motivation during Operation Interflex in 2024 and to identify influencing factors. The study is based on qualitative interviews with 12 instructors from the Swedish Armed Forces. The material was analysed thematically using Self-Determination Theory, focusing on autonomy, competence and relatedness, as well as intrinsic and extrinsic motivation and amotivation.

The results indicate that instructor motivation is shaped by the interaction between organizational structures and individual experiences. Autonomy was limited during the planning phase but increased during execution, where instructors could adapt training to situational needs. Competence was initially perceived as lacking by some participants but developed through experience and feedback. Relatedness emerged as a central factor, where strong collegial relationships provided psychological support and sustained motivation despite demanding conditions.

This study contributes to the understanding of instructor motivation in SFA missions and suggests that motivation can be strengthened by combining clear organizational structure with flexibility during execution. It further highlights the importance of thorough preparation, particularly regarding instructional skills and working with interpreters, as well as supportive leadership and team cohesion. Finally, the study contributes to a deeper understanding of Operation Interflex.

Sweden’s total defence relies heavily on maritime transport, but the current logistics system is built for peacetime efficiency rather than crisis resilience. This creates a major vulnerability because the state lacks legal control over foreign-flagged ships while the commercial market prioritizes low costs. This is especially dangerous for critical energy imports, where Sweden, until recently, lacked domestic tanker capacity. To address these challenges, this study analyses the Swedish merchant fleet's logistical capabilities during heightened readiness using Moshe Kress’s principles of military logistics. These theoretical principles reveal how limited jurisdiction directly undermines national survivability and operational endurance. The results show that state control is severely limited by legal restrictions and personnel shortages. Furthermore, a complex network of different actors slows down the mobilization process. For example, the total defence exercise DSM25 revealed how unclear responsibilities and poor communication can delay important decisions. The study concludes that these logistical vulnerabilities come from long-term political decisions and that defence logistics must therefore be managed as a shared civil-military system. Achieving this requires long-term strategic planning such as adapting to the NATO NCAGS framework. Implementing such international standards will help create unified command structures and reduce bureaucratic friction. This must be combined with continuous practical exercises to build vital trust between the Swedish Armed Forces and private shipping companies.

Following the Swedish accession into the NATO alliance, matters of interoperability and cooperation within the alliance have become urgent research topics for the Swedish Armed Forces. Some changes have already been made to the structure of the Swedish Armed Forces, but there are yet areas where the authoritative documents of military utilization are not aligned, which risk causing friction between member nations during future warfighting. This paper analyzes the differences between NATO and Sweden in terms of artillery doctrine, and aims to further the understanding of this field especially within the Swedish officer corps. This is done in order to ease future cooperation and in extension increase the military power of the alliance and therefore its deterrence of war. The study is conducted through document analysis of Swedish and NATO doctrines, using Swedish military principles as a theoretical framework. The study finds that there are some differences in the artillery usage between the organizations, mostly based on the strong emphasis on mission command in Sweden compared to the more strict and ordered hierarchy in NATO. However the study also finds that many areas are very similar and that the potential for interoperability is good. To build upon this study, a comparison of more countries with NATO could be done, such as Finland or Ukraine. One could also utilize a different theoretical model for the analysis to achieve a different perspective.

Sweden’s accession to Nato in 2024 ended two centuries of military non-alignment and forced a fundamental restructuring of defence logistics, with collective integration weighed against historically prioritised autonomy. While role theory has been used to analyse foreign policy before, how it applies to the way smaller states renegotiate specific functions domestically remains unexplored. The study examines how Sweden’s role conception has been renegotiated regarding defence logistics during 2015–2024. This is achieved by combining Holsti’s (1970) and Aggestam’s (2006) role theory with Kress (2002) logistics theory in an ideational analysis of Swedish Defence Resolutions. Using the two idealtypes ”active independent” and ”faithful ally”, the results show that the role transition is neither linear nor uniform across logistic domains. A previously dominant role is instead gradually subordinated to a previously peripheral one without being abandoned, which is here termed hierarchical subordination. The adaptation is however primarily discursive. While the legitimising logic has been redefined, much of the logistics system retains its previous structure. This discrepancy suggests that the integration of the logistics may have preceded the formal policy shift, with the state’s role conception having only recently adjusted to achieve strategic coherence.

Logistics is a central component of military operations yet remains an underprioritized research field. Previous research place great emphasis on explaining why factors such as flexibility, continuity and protection are essential for sustaining capability and operational tempo. Less attention has been given to how these factors appear in practice. This study aims to provide a clearer understanding of logistics systems by examining the design of operational logistics in concrete cases. 

The study conducts a qualitative comparative analysis of two ground offensives, Desert Sabre and Iraqi Freedom. Their logistics systems are analyzed through Kress’s principles of operational logistics. The study was conducted by applying open analytical questions, based on theory, to the empirical material, which was then presented according to the principles.

Operational logistics emerged as an integrated system designed to enable the battle plans. Different concepts were used, whereupon one relied on stockpile-based logistics, while the other used distribution-based logistics. This was primarily reflected in the combat units initial resource availability before the offensives. A similarity between both operations was the use of civilian actors to reduce the logistical burden. 

Some theoretical principles were more prominent than others, indicating their particular importance in this operational context, offensive ground operations. This opens for further studies, for example how the same principles appear in defensive operations. 

This study examines how the role of the citizen is constructed in Swedish state crisis communication over time. It focuses on official readiness brochures distributed to the population during two different security contexts, the early Cold War (1943-1961) and the contemporary period (2018-2024). The aim is to analyze how responsibility, agency, and the relationship between the state and the individual are expressed, as well as to identify continuities and changes. The study applies a qualitative text analysis, using the readiness model as a theoretical framework. Three analytical dimensions are examined: readiness as a dynamic process, as multi-level efficiency, and as a mental mindset. The empirical material consists of five widely distributed brochures aimed at informing citizens about how to act in crisis or war. The findings show both continuity and change. Across all periods, citizens are consistently portrayed as responsible actors in national readiness. However, the form of this responsibility evolves over time. Earlier brochures emphasize duty, discipline, and obedience within a strongly state-centered structure. In contrast, more recent brochures highlight individual initiative, critical thinking, and shared responsibility. The results also show a shift in communication style, from authoritative and directive language to a more inclusive and encouraging tone. Visual representations have become more diverse and collaborative, reflecting a broader and more inclusive understanding of society.

“The American War” is the term used in Vietnam to describe what in the West is known as the Vietnam War. While much of the existing research has been written from an American point of view, this study aims to shift focus and analyse the war from the North Vietnamese perspective. A decisive factor in North Vietnam's success during the war was their access to logistics via the Ho Chi Minh Trail. This trail was a path that stretched through the jungles of Laos and Cambodia. 

Something that often leads to discussion is how a seemingly inferior state can win against a numerically or technologically superior opponent.  Creating understanding for this phenomenon and what North Vietnam did to increase their chances of survival and sustain their logistical flow, may be useful for other states in similar situations. This study answers the question: How did North Vietnam sustain logistical flow via the Ho Chi Minh trail during the Vietnam war? This question will be answered by using the Underdog’s Model and the Operational Logistics theory in a combined framework. 

This is a qualitative case study that aims to create understanding on how an undermined state can survive against a qualitative or quantitative superior opponent. The results show that the factors from to theories helps us to understand the war from the north vietnamese perspective. The findings are that the North Vietnamese forces were creative, flexible and showed commitment in their war waging, for example when they mislead the opponent by using camouflage and faked transportations. 

The search for an answer to find success within armoured warfare every time is well sought after. Finding the answer to success every time might be hard to find. However to possibly find it research has to be made on the subject. The purpose of this study is to better understand why the American forces at the battle of 73 Easting had such success at dismantling the Iraqi defence. The study uses a Swedish made  success model where the steps are applied to the American forces actions at the battle. Then the actions are analyzed to find out whether the American forces followed the steps or not. This study aims to contribute to the general research of success within mechanised/armoured combat. It contributes to the mentioned research area by providing a new perspective on why the American forces had such success. Furthermore it contributes to the specific research area by providing an application of a success model.  This study concludes that the American forces applied the majority of the steps, deployment, intelligence, manoeuvre and breakthrough, high tempo, surprise, shock and organisational breakdown to achieve victory. The study comes to this conclusion by using several operationalized questions based on idealmodellen and then answers the questions by using the gathered material. 

Moderate Party elites in Sweden have played a central role in redefining what “the problem” of defence policy is, moving from downsizing to NATO-aligned rearmament between 2004 and 2025. Guided by Bacchi’s WPR framework and Elite Theory, this thesis treats defence policy texts as sites where security problems are constructed rather than neutral responses to an objective threat environment. Through a phase-sensitive design, it analyses eight authoritative speeches, reports and opinion pieces by Moderate leaders across three key periods: (1) “The Era of Downsizing and International Cooperation” (2004–2013), (2) “The Rise of Securitization and Regional Tensions” (2014–2019), and (3) “The Debate over NATO Membership” (2020–2025). The study shows how Moderate elites first represent oversized territorial defence as anachronistic in a low-threat, globalised context, later recast defence as suffering from dangerous capability gaps in a darker regional order, and finally construct Sweden’s non-membership in NATO as institutional misalignment and vulnerability requiring alliance entry. Across these phases, shifting assumptions and systematic silences about threats, alliances, democratic contestation and distributive consequences narrow the horizon of what appears necessary, legitimate and debatable, while discursive, subjectification and lived effects successively normalise downsizing, permanent rearmament and NATO-centred security as responsible policy paths. The thesis concludes that elite problem representations not only justify major defence shifts but also delimit the democratic imagination of security by constraining which alternatives are rendered thinkable over time.

Finland’s accession to NATO in 2023 marks a turning point for how the country approaches defence cooperation as joining NATO requires new members to adapt to the expectation of collective defence. Contrary to the past strategy of military non-alignment, the Finnish Defence Forces (FDF) are now expected to adjust to fulfil these new obligations. The FDF, traditionally focused on national territorial defence, must transition to become an active security provider for others. Little academic attention has been given to how cultural factors condition how the FDF will approach defence cooperation within NATO. This thesis seeks to address this gap by answering the research question: How does the strategic culture of the Finnish Defence Forces condition its approach to defence cooperation within NATO?

Drawing on strategic culture theory and the Cultural Topography methodology this thesis aims to map out the strategic culture of the FDF on defence cooperation within NATO. The issue-based analytical approach allows for the distilling of critical cultural factors that inform boundaries of acceptable behaviour. A total of 72 various pieces of cultural data such as military doctrines, training materials, leadership speeches and military magazine articles were analysed to form the strategic cultural map across the categories of identity, norms, values and perceptual lens. The findings conclude that the FDF’s strategic culture continues to be strongly conditioned by a national territorial defence mindset. Defence cooperation within NATO is welcomed, especially in circumstances where it contributes towards strengthening Finland’s national or regional security. 

This study examines how experiences from the Poland deployment were managed by the air maintenance company of the Norrbotten Air Wing. The aim of the study is to analyze to what extent experience management contributed to or hindered organizational learning. The theoretical framework of the study consists of two theories. The first describes the ideal model of experience management and the second addresses organizational learning. The empirical data was collected through semi-structured interviews with personnel from the air maintenance company. The study is analyzed using a thematic analysis consisting of six categories derived from the theoretical framework. The findings show that knowledge acquisition is active, however it is unstructured. Knowledge management is deficient as experiences are stored unsystematically and knowledge dissemination varies because the information has not reached the entire company. Knowledge utilization demonstrates a good operational adaptability, however after the deployment experiences are only to a limited extent transformed into organizational learning. The strong operational capability indicates the presence of single -loop learning. However, the capacity of double-loop learning is weakly developed, which limits the organization’s long-term development and its ability to benefit from conducted deployments.  

Keywords: Experience management, organizational learning, Poland deployment, air maintenance company. 

This essay examines the advantages and disadvantages of two types of artillery systems being rocket artillery and conventional artillery. This within scenarios based on ground combat in northern Europe. The scenarios are drawn from the three primary invasion types for a ground invasion. That is, via air, via water and via land. There are two fictional systems that are analysed. One rocket artillery system and one gun artillery system. The systems are based on an average of capabilities from real systems.

The empirical data for this paper was collected through document collection and consists of many different types of sources. Various articles, data sheets, news articles and so on. The collected empirical data was then analysed within the framework of two fictional scenarios using parts of the theory Theoretical lethality index with the addition of cost per ammunition. 

The conclusion of the essay is that the advantages of rocket artillery are its range and accuracy, while the primary disadvantage is its cost per ammunition. The biggest advantage of gun artillery is its cost per ammunition, and its disadvantages are accuracy and range. 

This study examines whether an aerial system can enhance the division’s maneuver warfare capabilities in the context of the division’s electronic warfare capacity, with an emphasis on electronic support (ES) operations. The study compares an aerial system with mast-based systems across certain predefined parameters relevant to their operational use.

As a substantial amount of data regarding electronic warfare and its capabilities is not publicly available, several assumptions have been made and some data have been estimated rather than obtained directly. However, relevant trends are identifiable and can serve as a basis for further research and experimental activities. The study provides an indicative analysis based on available data and identifies trends that can inform further research and experimental activities.

The study shows that a UAS equipped with antennas for electronic support operations has a significantly shorter deployment time compared to mast-based systems. Data collection can be conducted from higher altitudes, which increases the potential range of a UAS-based system relative to a mast-based system. The study also indicates that a UAS system can reduce the personnel required to operate the system. At the same time, the aerial system evaluated exhibits more pronounced signatures in IR, radar, acoustic, and visual domains.

It is clear, however, that further research is required to provide a more accurate assessment of suitability, particularly with regard to the system’s emitted signatures. If the system is employed in a manner similar to that demonstrated in this study, it is recommended to use it in combination with existing systems.

Keywords: Electronic Warfare, Electronic Support Measures, Direction Finding, UAS

This thesis explores how the United States legitimized the military operation, Operation Prosperity Guardian, during the spring of 2024, in response to the Houthi attacks in the Red sea. Drawing on feminist critical discourse analysis, the study analyzes eleven official statements issued by U.S. authorities, to explore how assumptions about protectors, protected objects and predators are discursively constructed. The analysis is theoretically informed by the concept of Masculinist Protection, which highlights how gendered logics shapes security practices and legitimize the use of military violence. The results demonstrates that Houthi rebels, along with Iran, are discursively constructed as an irrational and aggressive threat that can be seen as a hyper masculine agent. Within this discursive framework, civilians, global trade and freedom of navigation are framed as vulnerable and in need of protection, which can be understood as a feminized construction of these entities. In contrast to Houthi and Iran, the U.S. positions itself as rational, responsible and necessary protector, which can be understood as a masculine protector. Through this role as a protector, the U.S. can legitimize military violence as a defensive response rather than an exercise of power. The study thereby highlights how the legitimization of military operations is discursively framed as protection, revealing how security logics are structured through gendered hierarchies. 

The decision to extradite Baltic and German military personnel to the Soviet Union after World War II is for many a controversial part of Swedish history. The subject has been thoroughly discussed in both academic and non-academic settings, sparking debates aroundthe decision and the alleged connection to Swedish attempts to form favourable bilateral relations with the Soviet Union. Sweden's international position after World War II, which also has been heavily researched from many perspectives, is marked by its attempts to navigate the new international situation amidst both the end of the World largest conflict to date, and the emerging Cold War. While studies of the extradition of the Balts reached its peak in the 1980s, the study of Swedish grand strategy and foreign policy has enjoyed a substantial development with many new perspectives emerging in different principles. This study attempts to build on the existing body of literature in both of these fields and poses  the question if the decision can be understood to be a part of a larger grand strategy amidst the sensemaking immediately following the end of World War II. Additionally, the study aims to pay greater attention to the different government bodies and agencies active in the extradition as well as the decision making process. By utilizing a qualitative text analysis, aiming to identify different perspectives and understandings from the involved parties from the source materials. By connecting the decision to a larger strategy, a new interpretation of how the decision came to be may be reached. In addition, by focusing more precisely on the different government bodies' roles in the process - in this case the military and the political leadership specifically - the study may give larger insight to how the different government bodies coordinate in reaching the overall goal. The results are interpreted through Jacob Westberg’s interpretation of the concept grand strategy, which is a fairly new analytical framework used in the Swedish context. Overall, the study indicates that the decision is heavily impacted by the government bodies’ perceptions of the Soviet Union. Additionally, the study suggests that the military’s and political leadership’s differing perceptions of the problem at hand may have impacted the overall coherence and effectiveness of the strategy. Lastly, regarding the overall grand strategy, one could argue that the decision has prominent features from the Swedish grand strategies of both World War II and the Cold War. Therefore, the decision may be viewed as a symptom of the transitional period between the two strategies.

This study examines how the memory of the Lithuanian armed resistance of 1944–1953 is produced, represented, and used within contemporary institutional memory culture in Lithuania. The focus is placed on museums, memorial sites, monuments, and commemorative environments connected to the so-called Forest Brothers and the anti-Soviet partisan movement. The study investigates how these institutions organize historical narratives through thematic, visual, spatial, and material structures, and which contemporary social and political functions these representations fulfil.

The thesis is based on a qualitative and interpretive methodological approach, drawing on fieldwork conducted in Lithuania during 2025. The empirical material consists of museum exhibitions, memorial environments, ritual spaces, visual artefacts, and exhibition texts. The analysis combines theories of cultural memory, narrative, lieux de mémoire, semiotics, ritualization, discourse, and uses of history, primarily inspired by Jan Assmann, Paul Ricœur, Pierre Nora, Roland Barthes, Norman Fairclough, and Peter Aronsson.

The study demonstrates that the institutional memory production surrounding the Lithuanian resistance is structured through a limited number of recurring memory figures: suffering, heroism, nature, ritualization, enemy imagery, and politicization. Together, these themes create a coherent and morally oriented narrative in which resistance is framed as ethically necessary, nationally legitimate, and historically continuous.

The analysis further shows that memory is not communicated solely through text or historical information, but through embodied and emotional experiences created by architecture, objects, lighting, spatial movement, and symbolic environments. Museums and memorial sites function as lieux de mémoire in which visitors are encouraged to physically and emotionally experience repression, sacrifice, vigilance, and national continuity.

Finally, the thesis argues that the institutional memory of the Lithuanian armed resistance serves important existential, moral, and political-pedagogical purposes in contemporary Lithuania. The memory culture contributes to shaping national identity, reinforcing moral distinctions between victims and perpetrators, and connecting historical experiences of occupation to present-day concerns regarding security, sovereignty, and societal resilience. The study concludes that memory functions not merely as a representation of the past, but as an active and normative cultural practice that influences how the present and future are understood.

Denna förstudie undersöker nationella prioriteringar vid försvarsanskaffning i sex europeiska länder – Finland, Frankrike, Nederländerna, Tyskland, Polen och Storbritannien. Syftet med studien är att bereda väg genom kompetensuppbyggnad för djupare systematiska jämförelser med för Sverige särskilt relevanta länder.

Studien jämför förvärv i dessa sex länder med fokus på prioriteringsstrategier och faktiska förvärv. Den utgår från antagandet att situationen 2022 utgör en kritisk vändpunkt för materielanskaffningar efter Rysslands fullskaliga invasion av Ukraina och syftar till att lägga grunden för en bredare och mer omfattande jämförande analys. Studien visar att policyprioriteringarna kring anskaffning av försvarsmateriel skiljer sig åt i formulering och betoning mellan länderna, men har liknande innehåll, och att det finns spårberoenden (path dependencies) i anskaffningsstrategierna. Ökningarna av försvarsmateriel på plattformsnivå, det vill säga. av större materielsystem, verkar dock ha börjat redan före 2022, åtminstone i fallen med "frontstaterna" Polen och Finland.

De större länderna för försvarsmaterielutveckling har varit förhållandevis långsamma med att upprusta med förvånansvärt små förändringar i deras arsenaler med tanke på hur mycket pengar som nu strömmar in för försvarsanskaffning. I alla länder har problem identifierats i organiseringen ava anskaffningsprocessen med bristande precision i strategiformulering eller i upphandlingsorganisationen. Trots att de betonar vikten av allianstillhörighet rör sig alla de studerade länderna samtidigt mot protektionism och mer nationalistisk inriktning.

Educational wargaming has gained increasing attention in higher education andprofessional military education as a form of experiential and game-based learning. Despite this growing interest, empirical research on educational wargaming remainsfragmented. This article presents a semi-systematic review of empirical studies oneducational wargaming published between 2014 and 2024. In addition to mappingempirical research, the review introduces a conceptual framework for analysing howlearning is articulated, operationalized, and theoretically grounded.Across fifteen peer-reviewed studies, the review examines three interrelated questions:what contexts, game formats, and learning objectives characterize educationalwargaming; how learning is conceptualized, operationalized, and empirically examined;and how learning theory is integrated with wargaming theory and practice. Theanalysis draws on the Presage–Process–Product (3P) model to structure comparisonsacross research designs, educational settings, and game formats. The findings showvariation in how educational wargaming is designed and studied. While many studiesreport positive learning outcomes, such as increased engagement, improved decisionmakingskills, and conceptual understanding, approaches to assessing learning areoften inconsistent and limited. The review identifies gaps in the literature, includinglongitudinal research, insufficient attention to facilitation and debriefing processes,and weak integration between wargaming practices and learning theory.

How public-private governance affects accountability for safety in the realm of critical infrastructure is the focus of this doctoral thesis. Case studies of previously under-researched crises and their cascading affects across infrastructures and governance systems, comparative analysis of public-private governance (PPG) of infrastructures such as space and urban rail junctions, and analysis of wider sets of policies and doctrine pertaining to critical infrastructures and their governance are presented.

This work further conceptualizes a contemporary techno-organizational shift, observed increasingly in mixed and integrated public-private structures and evident not only in governance, but in infrastructures themselves (seen for example in development of dual use-satellites, and in urban rail interchanges combining public transportation with consumption and leisure). Moreover, this thesis develops the concept of “patchwork PPG”, which aids unpacking the complexity of governance, addressing specifically the blurred boundaries of internal-external, public-private and domestic-international.

It is also found and demonstrated that accountability can be negatively affected when governance is fragmented, particularly when there exists a patchwork of several PPG constellations, with membership and mandate changing over time. Fragmented governance of infrastructural mega-projects has given rise to the misconception that the rise of private authority in terms of ownership and command and control also implies that private actors have attained/maintain accountability. Further, mega-projects entail lengthy timeframes, implying a loss of continuity and institutional memory, which in turn puts accountability at risk.

I draw on a large multidisciplinary body of past theory and research, including social science crisis research, organizational and governance theory, industrial economics, sociological risk analysis, and science and technology studies (STS). Methodologically, a structured and focused case study approach is employed, building on document analyses and, particularly in one case, personal interviews. Finally, I propose that effective accountability management implies acknowledgment of formal responsibility, that critique is actively and constructively taken on board, and mistakes admitted, without resorting to resignation/s or blame games. Commitment to explorative reflexivity is necessary to truly learn from mistakes, near misses or full-blown crises to implement reform, better tailor preparedness, and allocate resources for responsible management of holistically-viewed infrastructure projects, from conceptual, operational, augmentational through to retirement or reinvention stages.

This study examines how Sweden transformed into a target in al-Qaeda’s public discourse in response to the Qur’an burnings in the nation. Using contentious politics, a theoretical framework and collective action frames as the analytical framework, statements made by al-Qaeda and affiliates framing Sweden as a legitimate target were analyzed. The results shows that three diagnostic frames were recurring across the statements constructing Sweden as a target because of its involvement in sacrilege against Islam, Western hypocrisy about freedom of expression, and a continuous war against Islam. The prognostic framing refers to physical violence as the course of action, and Muslim duties and future rewards as motives for mobilization. The findings carry important implications for research into how symbolic incidents can function as triggers for the construction of states as legitimate targets of terrorism. More so, it suggests the need for institutions to take discursive elements of terrorist organizations into account when making risk assessments. Future academic research could build on the findings by conducting a comparative analysis of the effect of the Qur’an burnings in Sweden and Denmark, respectively, on al-Qaeda’s target selection discourse.