| Abstract [eng] |
The international security environment shows that contemporary warfare should be understood broader than only a clash between two states. The battlefield of modern conflicts usually occurs in cities or other urbanized areas, making the inevitable involvement of non-military actors in war. In addition, the broad spectrum of threats discloses that the military is no longer able to resolve conflict by itself and must conduct the cooperation with civil society effectively. The main objective of this research was to examine the historical implementation of civil-military cooperation (CIMIC) in Lithuanian Armed Forces and identify the main problems of its development. The paper sought to answer why CIMIC is not understood correctly and why it does not have a consistent implementation system despite its development in the Lithuanian Armed Forces for about twenty years. The analysis was based on the war amongst the people theory presented by Rupert Smith and the military strategy of hybrid warfare. Both concepts presumed that the effective implementation of CIMIC is a prerequisite for planning and conducting military operations successfully. Also, this paper proved two statements: 1) the Lithuanian Armed Forces do not have a CIMIC theoretical concept, and 2) the practical implementation of CIMIC is unsystematic. The analysis showing that theoretical and practical development of CIMIC in the Lithuanian Armed Forces has shortcomings, was carried out by two-parts qualitative research. The first used method included the analysis of official Lithuanian Armed Forces documents that present some information about the function of CIMIC, whereas the second part was made of the eight semi-structured interviews with experienced CIMIC officers of the Lithuanian Armed Forces. The results of the documents analysis showed that there is not much information about CIMIC in Lithuanian Armed Forces documents. The most attention to CIMIC is paid in Lithuanian Armed Forces operational doctrine presented in 2011. However, the presentation of CIMIC in this document is based on NATO AJP-9, which changed in 2013 and 2018. On the other hand, the gap of the national CIMIC concept, Lithuanian officers try to fill by NATO doctrines. Historical research of CIMIC development in the Lithuanian Armed Forces revealed that the intensity of CIMIC implementation was not steady. The first stage of the capacity development focused on peace support operations in foreign countries, but the Ukraine conflict in 2014 changed the orientation to domestic CIMIC. Unfortunately, this change was not smooth because of the entrenched problems. Despite the increasing hybrid warfare threats to national security, the Lithuanian Armed Forces prioritize the strengthening of conventional military capabilities. Also, CIMIC is often considered a secondary tool of military support. Insufficient attention to the core of this functional area and misunderstanding its importance in nowadays armed conflicts do not ensure the proper military training and establishment of a stable career model for CIMIC officers. Finally, this research encourages broader discussions about the approach of the Lithuanian Armed Forces to the country's security and defense. Trends of contemporary warfare presuppose the increasing penetration of military operations into the civil environment however, the development and strengthening of conventional military means remain a priority of the Lithuanian Armed Forces. Although the CIMIC is not forgotten in Lithuanian Armed Forces, there is a lack of theoretical regulations, knowledge of functions, and perception that national security can be significantly enhanced through the trust-based friendship with civil society. |
