Strategic transformation in Asia

Abstract

For the United States and its NATO allies, the Cold War resulted in almost 50 years of certainty in defence planning. There was a clearly defined enemy the Soviet Union and its allies. The end of the Cold War, the emergence of asymmetric threats and non-conventional warfare such as threats from rogue states using chemical weapons or terrorist groups using civilian aircraft as guided missiles has forced a re-thinking in the West. From the perspective of Singapore and the region, a critical assessment needs to be made of whether such a re-thinking should be undertaken by militaries in this part of the world. What are the strategic imperatives? What are the factors and conditions precipitating military transformation? What are the consequences of retaining current structures and systems?