Military leaders have to ensure that “combat tactics, operational art and national strategy” take full advantage of the opportunities presented by technological progress. But it is all too easy to get it wrong, with potential catastrophic results. In this article Kenneth S Brower makes a strong case for rethinking our approach to procurement and to the technologies and tactics of power projection.

As international forces leave Afghanistan, what does the future hold for this troubled state that has endured decades of internal conflict? This paper provides the perspectives of two analysts in neighbouring Pakistan who explore the imminent challenges to Afghanistan’s peace and stability. Written before face-to-face talks between the Afghan government and the Taliban, its insights into the fragile security situation remain wholly relevant. In the authors' view, the end of conflict in Afghanistan can end either of two ways: convening a People’s Grand Assembly to formulate a plan for a transitional, all-inclusive government, or a Taliban march on Kabul resulting in still further bloodshed and the establishment of a Taliban emirate.

The conflict between Azerbaijan and Armenia showed how the innovative use of technology had a decisive effect on the battlefield. In this article, Jon Searle shows that the lesson of that conflict must not be ignored.