How to assess “Military Strength”

Vikram Karve

8 min readJan 13, 2024

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MILITARY STRENGTH and WARFIGHTING CAPABILITY

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NB:

The generic term “Military” includes all the three Armed Forces — Army, Navy and Air Force.

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Sometimes — while talking about military strength — too much emphasis is given to the numerical strength of military personnel.

A “Large” Army is not necessarily a “Strong” Army.

Recent events have proved this fact.

In fact — this aspect has been demonstrated on many occasions in the past — if you study wars and military history.

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Relying on numbers for assessing military strength and warfighting capability can be misleading.

Numbers — of military personnel — of various types of weapons, ships, submarines, aircraft, platforms and equipment — these numbers may not give a true picture of warfighting capability.

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The Moot Question is:

How do you assess military strength and warfighting capability…?

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This article gives a perspective on this topic.

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WARFIGHTING

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Wars cannot be won by jingoism or wishful thinking.

To win a war — you require superior military strength.

What is “Military Strength”…?

How do you assess “Military Strength”…?

In my article below — I have tried to explain the meaning of “Military Strength” in simple language.

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MILITARY STRENGTH aka WARFIGHTING CAPABILITY

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What is “Military Strength” or Warfighting Capability…?

Musings of Veteran Vikram Karve

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Whenever there is a military incident — politicians talk of giving a “befitting reply”.

If it is just political rhetoric — it is fine.

But — if you are serious about giving a “befitting reply” — the moot question is:

Do you have the requisite military capability to give a “befitting reply” to the adversary…?

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If you don’t have superior military strength — how will you give a “befitting reply” to the adversary…?

If your adversary has superior military strength — instead of giving a “befitting reply” — you may land up suffering a humiliating defeat at the hands of the adversary.

Have you assessed your own military strength vis-a-vis the military strength of the adversary…?

Are you confident that you have the superior military capability to give a “befitting reply” to the adversary…?

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What is military capability — or “military strength”…?

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How do you assess “military strength”…?

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Here is a article I wrote many years ago on the subject…

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WHAT IS MILITARY STRENGTH…?

Musings by Veteran Vikram Karve

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From time to time — jingoists and war-mongers keep exhorting war.

But — is war a child’s play…?

Before thinking of war — the first thing a nation has to assess — is its own “military strength” (and the military strength of the adversary).

How do you assess “military strength”…?

The term “Military Strength” immediately brings to your mind “tangible” aspects like the number of Troops and amount of Military Hardware (Technology and Weapons) a nation possesses.

But — do you know that there are “intangible” aspects to “Military Strength” as well…?

Read on…

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What is “Military Strength”…?

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How do you assess “Military Strength”…?

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THE THREE INGREDIENTS OF MILITARY STRENGTH

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In a nutshell:

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Military Strength = “Hardware” + “Software” + “Skinware”

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Yes.

I feel that Military Strength has three key determinants — mentioned in the formula above.

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Let me explain the three ingredients of Military Strength:

“Hardware” + “Software” + “Skinware”

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The Military Capability of a nation is dependent on 3 key ingredients:

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“Hardware”

“Software”

“Skinware”

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1. Military “Hardware”

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MILITARY HARDWARE comprises weapons, equipment, ordnance, platforms (ships, submarines, aircraft, space based platforms, unmanned vehicles like Submersibles, UAV, Drones etc) etc — and is a Technology governed Qualitative and Quantitative component — depending on the “high-tech” Quality and Quantity of Military Equipment.

Military Hardware is a tangible factor — and — the Military Hardware and Technologies of a nation are well known.

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2. Military “Software”

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MILITARY “SOFTWARE” refers to the War-Fighting “System”– the operational doctrine, strategy and tactics and the organizational management aspects like Rules and Regulations, HR and Training Policies etc.

Military “Software” comprises both tangible (documented) and intangible (experiential) aspects.

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3. Military “Skinware”

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MILITARY “SKINWARE” comprises the Human Resource element of the Defence Services.

Of course — Military “Skinware” includes the Military Men and Women in Uniform (Officers, Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen)

Military “Skinware” also includes the Politicians, Bureaucracy and various Civilians who provide support to the Armed Forces.

Yes — an important component of “Skinware” is the Political Leadership — which governs the entire gamut of Defence Services and Security Machinery.

Military “Skinware” comprises both Quantitative and Qualitative factors — Tangible and Intangible elements.

Of course — tangible “Skinware” numbers can be quantified — a nation may boast of the numerical strength of its Army, Navy and Air Force.

But — the vital characteristic of Military “Skinware” are “intangible” aspects — which comprise indefinable “hard to quantify” factors like morale, leadership quality, ideology, motivation, inspiration — welfare/care of servicemen and military veterans — respect given to the military by civil society — how civilian citizens treat soldiers etc.

In fact — every citizen of a nation is an aspect of “Skinware” — their attitude, military orientation, patriotism etc. does contribute in an intangible way towards the overall “Skinware” of the nation.

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BALANCED MILITARY CAPABILITY

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A nation must develop its Military Capability in a holistic manner — giving due importance to all three aspects — “Hardware” “Software” and “Skinware” — in a balanced and harmonious manner.

There should be no imbalances.

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For Example:

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Your Armed Forces may have:

1. High Technology — but — Low Morale

(Military Forces of some Developed Nations)

2. High Morale — but — Obsolete Technology

(Military Forces of Less Developed Nations)

3. Good “Software” — but — poor “Skinware”

(A well designed Defence Apparatus, System etc. — but — incompetent Political and Military Leadership)

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Or — there may be shortcomings and weaknesses in one or two or all three aspects — “Hardware”, “Software” and “Skinware”.

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MILITARY EFFECTIVENESS

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Such shortcomings and imbalances in the three constituents of military strength will result in “sub-optimal military effectiveness”.

All 3 aspects — “Hardware” “Software” “Skinware” — all three factors need to be well developed in a balanced manner.

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So — Dear Reader — before we think of war — let us introspect — and holistically assess our “military strength” — all three factors — “Hardware” “Software” and “Skinware” — and see where we stand.

Do we require to augment/optimize — any one — or two — or all the three constituents of “military strength”…?

Do we have the superior military capability to give a “befitting reply” to the adversary…?

It is only when we are confident of our military preparedness — and we are sure of our our superiority in all the three domains — “Hardware” “Software” and “Skinware” — only then should we start thinking of war — provided — our leaders have the “political will” — and our citizens have the national readiness — for war.

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In a nutshell:

Military Strength = “Hardware” + “Software” + “Skinware”

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CONCLUSION

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When introducing any change in “Hardware”, “Software” or “Skinware” — the moot question must be deliberated upon comprehensively:

How will this change enhance “military strength” and improve “warfighting capability”…?

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This question must be deliberated upon in detail before making any drastic changes — like — Agnipath (Agniveer) Scheme — Theatre Commands — doctrine, strategy and tactical changes — purchase of weapons and military equipment — AtmaNirbhar Policy — SPARSH — etc — and — changes should made only after due diligence and confidence that the changes will enhance “military strength” and improve “warfighting capability”.

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FOOD FOR THOUGHT

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WILL THEATRE COMMANDS IMPROVE MILITARY CAPABILITY…?

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There is a proposal to re-organise the defence structure into “Theatre Commands”.

Will mere re-organisation of the existing time-tested system into “Theatre Commands” improve military capability — without concomitant augmentation of military hardware, modernisation of systems and technology, revamp of training processes and upgradation of the managerial quality and conservative mindset of military leadership to a more tech-savvy forward thinking visionary one — in order to manage the new “Theatre Command” structure properly…?

In the context of our limited defensive posture — do we really require “Theatre Commands” — or are we just trying to imitate military superpowers — or is it a political gimmick to impress civilians…?

The moot question is will the change to “Theatre Commands” increase our military strength and improve our warfighting capability…?

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Dear Reader:

After reading this article — do you feel that mere re-organisation of the existing defence structure into “Theatre Commands” will enhance military strength and improve military capability…?

Or — is a concomitant improvement of “Hardware”, “Software” and “Skinware” also required to be done…?

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VIKRAM KARVE
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This is a revised re-post of my article MILITARY PROWESS — Hardware “Software” and “Skinware” posted online by me earlier at urls: http://karvediat.blogspot.in/2017/07/do-we-have-military-strength.html

http://karvediat.blogspot.in/2016/04/military-capability-hardware-software.html and http://karvediat.blogspot.in/2016/07/determinants-of-military-strength.html and https://karve.wordpress.com/2017/11/11/the-3-elements-of-military-capability/and https://karve.wordpress.com/2017/08/09/what-is-military-strength/and https://karve.wordpress.com/2020/05/15/how-to-assess-military-strength-3/and http://karvediat.blogspot.in/2016/09/what-is-military-strength.html

Link to my original post in my Blog Academic and Creative Writing Journal Vikram Karve: http://karvediat.blogspot.in/2017/07/do-we-have-military-strength.html

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How to assess “Military Strength”

Written by Vikram Karve

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