Logo: to the web site of the Swedish Defence University

Modern warfare presents new challenges to the battlefield. Drones and other sensors put the theories of maneuver warfare to the test, as surprise and shock are harder to achieve, leading forces on the modern battlefield to prefer defense over offense. Sweden has, as a NATO member, sent tripwire forces to Lithuania, should these forces be activated they are tasked with defending NATO territory. 

The battlefield is evolving and thus also its defensive tactics. Few theorists provide guidelines for defensive deployment. One of these few is Stephen Biddle who in his Modern System theory presents principles for defensive force employment. Previous research regarding defensive tactics presents a research gap since Biddle’s principles have not been tested in modern warfare. This study thus aims to test Biddle’s hypothesis regarding force employment by applying it on two cases during the second Nagorno-Karabakh war between Azerbaijan and Armenia during 2020 in a comparative case study. The purpose of this study is to contribute to the research regarding defensive tactics in the twenty first century. 

The study finds that Biddle’s theory regarding defensive force employment at the tactical level of warfare can explain the outcome of the two examined battles. In comparison, the successful defense of Lachin utilized Biddle’s principles at a higher level than the unsuccessful defense of Shusha, which indicates there is a correlation between Biddle’s principles and defensive success.