Challenges to national defence in contemporary geopolitical situation

This article analyses how the evolving Arctic security environment generates new requirements for the intelligence staffs of non-Arctic North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO) armies, using the Czech Army as a case study. Drawing on doctrinal analysis, scenario-based assessment, and a review of intelligence education, it identifies a structural mismatch between land-centric intelligence practice and the Arctic’s multi-domain, hybrid, and environmentally extreme operational character. The article concludes that non-Arctic allies require proportionate doctrinal adaptation, differentiated professional education, and a limited but credible Arctic intelligence capability.

The paper presents the results of a sectoral analysis of the Czech Republic’s security environment and interprets them from the perspective of strategic studies. Its objective is to identify key structural trends shaping the operational and strategic environment and to derive their implications for defence planning, capability development, and the long-term transformation of the Armed Forces of the Czech Republic. The analysis shows that the security environment in last years is characterized by persistent geopolitical instability and accelerating technological change. The rapid diffusion of unmanned systems and artificial intelligence applications is transforming the conduct of warfare and increasing demands for capability modernization, interoperability, and force readiness. At the same time, demographic and societal pressures are deepening, affecting the personnel sustainability of the armed forces and the overall strategic resilience of the state. Economic and environmental factors intensify competition for resources and raise demands for the prioritization of defence investments. The findings confirm the growing interdependence of sectors and the necessity of integrated assessment of the security environment as a foundation for force and capability development.

This paper examines the role of Special Operations Forces (SOF) in countering hybrid threats within democratic states, focusing on the Slovak Republic as a front-line NATO member. Using qualitative historical-comparative analysis and a review of security doctrines, the study demonstrates that SOF enable effective operations below the threshold of open armed conflict. The central hypothesis posits that SOF effectiveness is not independent of democratic governance but fundamentally dependent upon it: public trust, legal accountability, and robust parliamentary oversight are prerequisites for operational legitimacy. The paper identifies the "Democratic Dilemma" – the tension between operational secrecy and democratic transparency – and proposes a "Democratic Hybrid Defence" model in which oversight and effectiveness are mutually reinforcing. The study contributes to the field by explicitly linking SOF capabilities with civilian control mechanisms in a Central European geopolitical context.

This paper deals with evaluation of chatbots abilities to solve tasks in operational research focused on assignment problems. Three chatbots – MS Copilot, Gemini, ChatGPT – were used for the research. The evaluation is based on the results of two model assignment problems. Selected characteristics of the task solving process were monitored. The characteristics are clearly summarized in tables. It allows us to determine the order of chatbots in terms of quality. Research has shown that using chatbots to solve assignment problems is possible. Gemini had the best results, followed by MS Copilot. The authors point out the need to give the chatbot very good instructions, force the chatbot to verify results, and use the right tools (independent zeros, cover lines, etc.).

This paper develops an integrated analytical framework for assessing the environmental impacts of artillery activity on soil ecosystems. The approach combines military-technical parameters with environmental, spatial, and economic data using GIS and geostatistical methods. A key contribution is the Environmental Burden Index (EBI), which evaluates environmental load across five domains: chemical contamination, physical degradation, spatial distribution of impacts, ecological sensitivity and recovery complexity. The results demonstrate that environmental degradation arises from the interaction of multiple factors, particularly fire intensity, munition type, terrain morphology, and soil characteristics, rather than from isolated contamination indicators. The proposed framework enables objective comparison of affected sites, identification of remediation priorities, and supports decision-making processes in post-conflict recovery and sustainable land management.

This study evaluates the role of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) in demining operations and environmental monitoring under wartime and post-conflict conditions. A structured literature review (2015–present) assessed UAV-enabled detection, mapping, and environmental sensing capabilities. The results indicate that UAVs significantly enhance reconnaissance efficiency, reduce suspected hazardous areas, and improve safety, yet cannot independently meet humanitarian clearance standards. While wartime use prioritises rapid risk mitigation, post-conflict deployment supports systematic clearance, environmental monitoring, and land restoration. The study highlights a gap in doctrinal integration and underscores the need for standardised UAV-based demining and environmental workflows.

This article addresses the issue of protecting civilian space assets that are utilized by states, and particularly by armed forces. It examines the unique characteristics of operating in the space environment, importance of these space assets, the concept of the military use of space, and the strategies applied in the United States to ensure the protection of such assets. The authors propose five protective measures: war risk insurance; physical protection of the ground segment; in-orbit physical protection; deterrence; and threat information sharing.

This paper analyses the determinants of recruitment intensity in the Armed Forces of the Czech Republic. Using annual data from 2005 to 2024, a multivariate regression framework is applied to examine the effects of labour market, demographic, and fiscal factors. The results indicate that the unemployment rate is negatively associated with recruitment intensity, while demographic variables exhibit strong and consistent effects. By contrast, compensation and fiscal variables show weaker and less robust relationships. These findings suggest that realised recruitment outcomes reflect not only labour supply conditions but also institutional constraints and the structure of the population meeting military recruitment requirements.

The study focuses on an indicative analysis and critical evaluation of tools and methods used for fact-checking, which represent a key instrument in combating disinformation within the contemporary media environment. In the context of the spread of false or manipulative narratives, particularly through social media and online platforms, systematic fact-checking may be one of the tools for preserving information integrity and protecting the public from harmful content. The aim of the study is to formulate recommendations, based on a constructively critical mapping of the current situation, which can contribute to more effective management of the related agenda.

The study deals with the role of volunteering and reserve forces in the security and defence systems of selected European states in the context of a changing security environment. It focuses on the institutional and personnel anchoring of voluntary military service, active reserves and other forms of involvement of the wider public in the defence of the state, both in the field of armed forces and in the broader framework of internal security and crisis management. It seems increasingly clear that volunteer and reserve models are becoming a key tool for strengthening defence capacities, increasing the resilience of the state and deepening civil-military cooperation, especially in conditions of limited personnel resources of professional armies. The text also points out the differences between the individual states under review (Belgium, Hungary, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Romania and Slovakia) in terms of the degree of integration of volunteers, the scope of their tasks, the intensity of training and their relationship to compulsory military service. Attention is also paid to a certain extent to informal or insufficiently regulated security activities, including the potential for their politicisation or misuse by extremist actors. The study aims to contribute to the expert debate on the possibilities of effectively involving volunteer potential in complex national defence systems. The paper advances the argument that volunteering is no longer a peripheral addition to defence systems, but constitutes a structural pillar of modern defence architectures, particularly in states relying on professional armed forces and whole-of-society approaches.