Expensive wars with high human cost and disproportionate damage are being dropped in favour of surgical intelligence-led operations to address defence and security threats.
Chiefs of Defence Forces are currently converged in Ugandan Capital Kampala (October 5-8) to devise modern methods of neutealising defence and security challenges.
“The changing security environment increasingly requires militaries to operate beyond traditional warfare,” said Lt Gen Sam Okiding, Deputy Chief of Defence Forces of the Uganda Peoples’ Defence Forces (UPDF).
“Military operations in the world are no longer secondary. They are at the forefront of national and regional security strategies,” he added.
He told delegates on Wednesday that actionable intelligence is crucial for success of both kinetic and non-kinetic operations, particularly in addressing humanitarian crises, terrorism, transnational organised crime, irregular migration and the effects of climate change.
Modern intelligence fusion requires combining traditional human intelligence (HUMINT) with signals intelligence (SIGINT), cyber capabilities, open-source intelligence (OSINT), and AI data analytics.
African countries according to Lt.Gen. Okiding should adopt deliberate, practical, and systematic approaches to address emerging security threats.
He mobilised African militaries to modernise their equipment, review training approaches and adapt their strategies to the changing security environment.
“We must elevate our strategy, redefine our training and modernise our equipment properly. We must fundamentally shift our mindset. This is not a question of capacity; it is a matter of strategy and theory,” he said.
The conference brings together African defence chiefs and senior military leaders to examine military operations other than war and strengthen cooperation in responding to emerging security challenges.
