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In an age of hybrid and greyzone warfare our defence cannot exist solely of armed forces. Governments, business and civil society should also work together to strengthen our resilience against existing and emerging threats. Together with the armed forces’ capabilities, such societal resilience can function as a crucial deterrent.
Countries in Europe and North America have, over generations, developed impressive deterrence by means of military punishment. But the emergence of hybrid warfare, where threats and attacks are directed at the private sector and civil society at large, puts countries a situation where deterrence by military punishment is not enough. What is needed, then, is modern deterrence: a combination of traditional military deterrence by military punishment and deterrence by societal resilience.
During the Cold War, Scandinavian countries developed the concept of Total Defence, in effect an early version of modern deterrence. Today those countries, and to some extent the Baltic states, maintain partial versions of total defence. No country has, however, developed a complete modern deterrence model. It is imperative that we do so.
The Modern Deterrence project’s research -- informed by practitioners – aims to generate a new body of knowledge that will be vital to governments, the private sector and civil society. It also serves as hub where practitioners from these sectors exchange best practices and new ideas.
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Preparing the Public for Future Crises
Multimedia, 26 March 2020
All governments dealing with Covid-19 are working out ways to involve the public and enlist volunteer support. Elisabeth Braw proposes ways to involve teenagers in resilience training.
Tags: Modern Deterrence
"Italy’s unsuccessful request for assistance from partners within the 27-member European Union has highlighted how the battle against the pandemic has been fought on national lines, said an expert from the Royal United Services Institute, a UK think tank. Only Germany has now started to receive Italian patients for treatment.
Italy had an “absolutely horrible experience” when it appealed for medical supplies from its EU colleagues and failure respond made the situation there much worse, said Elisabeth Braw, a senior researcher. "
Coronavirus: Why is the mortality rate lower in Germany?
In The News, 25 March 2020 Tags: Modern Deterrence
"“In international crises, America has always been the country to which other countries have turned for leadership and to steer the ship. And now, which country is looking to the United States? No one,” said Elisabeth Braw of the London-based Royal United Services Institute. "
The U.S. traditionally leads in times of crisis. Now it’s practicing self-isolation.
In The News, 25 March 2020 Tags: Modern Deterrence, United States
The Coronavirus Epidemic and Panic Buying: Follow the East German Example
Commentary, 23 March 2020
Elisabeth Braw
Of society and resilience: the scarcities of the past, and the panic buying of today.
Tags: Modern Deterrence, Germany, Military Sciences, UK, History, Resilience, Europe
Resilience and the Coronavirus
Multimedia, 20 March 2020
RUSI's Elisabeth Braw previews the forthcoming RUSI analysis with those dealing with the implications of the Coronavirus
Tags: Modern Deterrence
"“With something like this, it is not exactly clear how the armed forces can support and more importantly we have to consider that they may be needed elsewhere,” Ms Braw told the PA news agency.
“We can’t take for granted that we will only have a virus outbreak. What if there is another contingency, and I think that is the danger in relying on the armed forces.
“To always assume that they will always be available to help with these kinds of duties that are not their speciality and are essentially a distraction from their speciality is risky.” "
Deploying troops for coronavirus support is risky, says defence expert
In The News, 19 March 2020 Tags: Civil–Military Relations, Modern Deterrence, Global Security IssuesPages
The Coronavirus Epidemic and Panic Buying: Follow the East German Example
Commentary, 23 March 2020Elisabeth Braw
Of society and resilience: the scarcities of the past, and the panic buying of today.
Modern Deterrence, Germany, Military Sciences, UK, History, Resilience, Europe
Europe’s Coronavirus Response: Selfish Member States and Active Institutions
Commentary, 18 March 2020Elisabeth Braw
EU member states displayed little solidarity in the current crisis, but EU institutions fared better.
Modern Deterrence, European Union, Military Sciences, Resilience, Europe
Coronavirus Preparedness: Lessons Yet to be Learnt
Commentary, 3 March 2020Elisabeth Braw
Liberal democracies remain vulnerable to mass epidemics, despite the prevalence of time-tested methods to improve national resilience capabilities.
Modern Deterrence, United States, Military Sciences, Resilience, Europe, Central and South Asia, Middle East and North Africa
The NATO Parliamentary Assembly as an Antidote to Public Disengagement from Defence
Commentary, 7 February 2020Madeleine Moon
NATO’s Parliamentary Assembly is an asset which deserves greater attention
Civil–Military Relations, Modern Deterrence, United States, NATO, North America, Resilience, Europe
Partnerships are at the Core of Modern Deterrence
Commentary, 15 October 2019Giedrimas Jeglinskas
How does a state achieve effective deterrence? Lithuania provides an example.
Modern Deterrence, NATO, Defence Management, Defence Policy, Global Security Issues, International Institutions, Land Forces, Military Personnel, Peacekeeping and Peacebuilding, Resilience, EuropePages
Preparing the Public for Future Crises
Multimedia, 26 March 2020All governments dealing with Covid-19 are working out ways to involve the public and enlist volunteer support. Elisabeth Braw proposes ways to involve teenagers in resilience training.
Tags: Modern Deterrence
Resilience and the Coronavirus
Multimedia, 20 March 2020RUSI's Elisabeth Braw previews the forthcoming RUSI analysis with those dealing with the implications of the Coronavirus
Tags: Modern Deterrence
The Case for National Resilience Training for Teenagers
Occasional Papers, 2 March 2020Elisabeth Braw
Through national resilience training, young people could play a valuable role in crisis scenarios.
Civil–Military Relations, Modern Deterrence, Occasional Papers, Military Sciences, UK, National Security, Resilience
Modern Deterrence Autumn Conference
Conference Reports, 9 December 2019Oliver Major
A report of the Modern Deterrence Autumn 2019 conference organised by RUSI's Modern Deterrence project in cooperation with the Konrad Adenauer Foundation.
Modern Deterrence, Conference Reports, Military Sciences, National Security
From Schools to Total Defence Exercises: Best Practices in Greyzone Deterrence
RUSI Newsbrief, 15 November 2019Elisabeth Braw
How NATO member states can develop societal resilience to combat modern threats.
Modern Deterrence, NATO, RUSI Newsbrief, Resilience
Competitive National Service: How the Scandinavian Model Can Be Adapted by the UK
Occasional Papers, 23 October 2019Elisabeth Braw
This Occasional Paper examines the Scandinavian model of national service and discusses how it can be adapted by the UK to fit its national security needs and acquaint a wider segment of youth with...
Civil–Military Relations, Modern Deterrence, Occasional Papers, Military Sciences, Defence Management, Defence Policy, UK, Military Personnel, UK Defence
Get Yourself Stress Tested
RUSI Newsbrief, 15 August 2019Elisabeth Braw
Ordinary citizens in Western countries are under-prepared to deal with extended disruptions to power or the internet. To strengthen resilience to greyzone attacks, societies should start stress...
Modern Deterrence, RUSI NewsbriefPages
POSTPONNED: Modern Deterrence Spring 2020 Conference
Conference, 13 May 2020Emerging Power: Involving Youth in National Security
Modern Deterrence
Postponed: Can National Security be Taught?
Events, 31 March 2020What other countries can learn from Latvia’s pioneering national security curriculum
Modern Deterrence
Protecting Advanced Economies Against Cyber Attacks
Events, 25 February 2020At this briefing, Dr Ravich will discuss the Cyberspace Solarium Commission’s work and findings, as well as her own thoughts on how the US and other advanced economies can better protect themselves...
Modern Deterrence
Insurance Gaps: A Growing Vulnerability
Events, 28 January 2020At this 'in-conversation' event with Elisabeth Braw, James Vickers, Chairman, Willis Re International, will discuss the growing issue of insurance gaps, which is leaving countries exposed to enormous...
Modern Deterrence
Tech innovation: the potential for startup-government collaboration
Events, 10 December 2019General Sir Gordon Messenger and Surevine founder and CEO Stuart Murdoch in conversation with Clifford Chance counsel Josh Fitzhugh.
Modern Deterrence, Military SciencesPages
"“In international crises, America has always been the country to which other countries have turned for leadership and to steer the ship. And now, which country is looking to the United States? No one,” said Elisabeth Braw of the London-based Royal United Services Institute."
The U.S. traditionally leads in times of crisis. Now it’s practicing self-isolation.
In The News, 25 March 2020 Tags: Modern Deterrence, United States
"Italy’s unsuccessful request for assistance from partners within the 27-member European Union has highlighted how the battle against the pandemic has been fought on national lines, said an expert from the Royal United Services Institute, a UK think tank. Only Germany has now started to receive Italian patients for treatment. Italy had an “absolutely horrible experience” when it appealed for medical supplies from its EU colleagues and failure respond made the situation there much worse, said Elisabeth Braw, a senior researcher."
Coronavirus: Why is the mortality rate lower in Germany?
In The News, 25 March 2020 Tags: Modern Deterrence
"“With something like this, it is not exactly clear how the armed forces can support and more importantly we have to consider that they may be needed elsewhere,” Ms Braw told the PA news agency. “We can’t take for granted that we will only have a virus outbreak. What if there is another contingency, and I think that is the danger in relying on the armed forces. “To always assume that they will always be available to help with these kinds of duties that are not their speciality and are essentially a distraction from their speciality is risky.”"
Deploying troops for coronavirus support is risky, says defence expert
In The News, 19 March 2020 Tags: Civil–Military Relations, Modern Deterrence, Global Security Issues
"The fundamental challenge for the UK however is that nobody has told the UK population how to prepare for a contingency. And as Covid-19 has demonstrated, in a contingency a critical mass of people needs to know what to do."
Swedes are expected to prepare for emergencies. Coronavirus shows why Britons should be too
In The News, 13 March 2020 Tags: Modern Deterrence
"Elisabeth Braw, a resilience expert at the Royal United Services (RUSI) thinktank, said: “It’s really in everybody’s interests that all of the government channels for information says the same thing. Otherwise there may be confusion.“But really there a fundamental problem in that the UK has not focused on preparedness among the public. The government may consider itself to be prepared but it’s not the case that the public is. Otherwise you end up with frantic last-minute efforts and the public are stockpiling toilet paper and other resources.”"
Coronavirus confusion as NHS helpline gives out wrong advice
In The News, 10 March 2020 Tags: Modern Deterrence, UK
Deferring Judgement – Whither the UK’s Integrated Review and Defence?
Preparing the Public for Future Crises
Rickety Anchor: North Korea Calls its Illicit Shipping Fleet Home amid Coronavirus Fears