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TACTICAL THOUGHT
2014 September 29 th
As can be seen, the above definitions differ in some aspects. The British version from
2009 has included law enforcement as a specific activity, unlike the US and NATO
definitions. The NATO definition places political actions before military, unlike the US
and British definition. The US definition underlines that it is action taken by a
government. The NATO and UK definitions emphasize the importance of addressing
root causes and core grievances. In all, the political primacy and non-military aspects
can be noticed in all definitions, however the British view of the law enforcement aspect
is the most prominent when comparing the definitions.
Hybrid War/Warfare/Threats
The transition and development of military units able to operate in both Irregular and
Regular Warfare scenarios, is today often addressed as the military contribution to
“countering hybrid threats”216 or CHT in short. As for discussions on combinations of
warfare, referred to as “Hybrid” War/Warfare or threats, the following definitions are
used; Hybrid Warfare; “A form of conflict waged by a range of adversaries
(conventional, irregular and terrorist) who will employ all forms of warfare and tactics,
perhaps at the same place and time” 217
Hybrid Threats (HT); “HT result from a simultaneous orchestration of conventional
and/or non-conventional methods and activities, employed by an opponent or a number
of opponents that may include the use of military force” 218
The two NATO working definitions of Hybrid Warfare/threats both cover all forms of
actors and warfare/violent actions, maybe performed at the same time and place. The
explanation becomes so broad that it encompasses everything and risks losing meaning
as a definition of a specific form of threat and/or warfare.
Guerrilla Warfare (GW); “Military and paramilitary operations conducted in
enemy-held or hostile territory by irregular, predominantly indigenous forces. Also
called GW” 219 This classic and more or less universally understood meaning of
“guerrilla activities or violence” is used throughout the study.
215 US Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Department of Defense Dictionary of Military and
Associated Terms, Joint Publications JP 1-02, 12 April 2001 (As Amended Through 17 October 2008)
216 The NATO CD&E Conference 2009 in Rome (16-19 November) in particular focused on the
challenge for the alliance and the military contribution for counter hybrid threats (CHT) and concept work
on this. NATO MC Chairman, Admiral Giampaolo Di Paola underlined the role of today’s C, D &E as
the driver of NATO transition. Mind-set, capabilities and better understanding of hybrid threats was one
area emphasized during his introduction. Hybrid threat has the working definition; ”hybrid threats result
from a simultaneous orchestration of conventional and/or non-conventional methods and activities,
employed by an opponent or a number of opponents that may include the use of military force”. This
means parallel use of Regular and Irregular Warfare. The need for a concept here was stressed by Dr
Russell Glenn, working for SACT; ”for being able to understand the character of warfare in education
and training”. One difficulty today is the problem of coherent communication in NATO on the matter,
which is also a problem in the Swedish Armed Forces.
217 UK DCDC Working definition presented at the NATO CD&E Conference 2009, 17 November, Rome
218 Working definition presented at the NATO CD&E Conference 2009, 17 November, Rome
219 U.S. Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Joint Special Operation Task Force Operations, Joint
Publication JP 3-05.1, 26 April, 2007.
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