Wish there was a video of few speakers … any how, a very nice initiative. CASS and CSSPR must organize more such events. From the report, to me the most important takeaway was the realization of requirement of a dynamic war fighting doctrine. Now saying it one thing but implementing something like this requires a complete reorientation of military mindset at strategic and grand strategic levels with a certain need to address various areas such as acquisition of new technologies, introduction of new training regimes and enhancing capabilities of junior rank officers etc at operational and tactical levels. And when we add armed forces synergy in this equation, we realized that these enhancements are required in all the branches of armed forces. For a nation like Pakistan, with merger resources, this might not be possible in short term but in medium and long term that's the only way forward and if we look at the modernization plans of Navy and Air force we can see it happening. It is also true, by the time, we will complete these programs there will be new challenges and cycle will go on. So, it is a game of sustained operational enhancements through new technologies and tactics which means it would require an enduring economic backing. Next challenge would be to find the right mix in synergized ops and this one is particularly tricky. A miscalculation about the adding right number of units from two or three forces can cause real problem.
Pakistan can overcome this and other related challenges if we invest more on technologies like AI, Big Data, Data Science etc. to constantly monitor enemy's deployment patterns and adjust accordingly without wasting time on debating about how a certain enemy move must be responded. Technology can aid there saving time, brining more dynamism in force deployments and selecting response strategy. No human brain can run all the possible outcomes in a given scenario in shortest time like a well trained AI algorithm can. Military doctrine intrinsically SATAIC in nature. Militaries make them then build operational capabilities around them and train forces accordingly. To change that concept from Static to Dynamic in true sense, we will certainly need more than human brain power!
Other two areas where focus must be put are Cyber Warfare and Spectrum Warfare (EW). These two have been identified by the US military as 5th and 6th domains of warfare after land, air, sea and space. PAF must be given lead role in both these domains unless we are going to raise dedicated command structures for both of these. This is important in the backdrop that future engagements will be mostly from BVR and Stand-Off ranges. We all saw during the Swift Retort a glimpse of what EW can help in accomplishing!