Strengthening the moral component: a literature-based exploration of enhancing fighting power in the Dutch Air Mobile Brigade (@ Ministry of Defence; Army / 11 Air Mobile Brigade AASLT) | External internships

Assignment

The armed forces protect what we hold dear: a world in which people can find security, stability, prosperity and freedom. This is why Defense personnel work daily to ensure peace and security, often in difficult and sometimes dangerous, life-threatening circumstances. This commitment underscores the nearly unique nature of the armed forces: the readiness and willingness to engage in combat when necessary. To enable this, Defense, as the ‘sword’ of political leadership, exercises the monopoly on the legitimate use of force. This authority carries significant responsibilities for Defense personnel. Consequently, Defense traditionally places great emphasis on values and norms, morality, ethics and mutual solidarity—elements that converge in effective leadership.

Fighting power describes the operational effectiveness of the Army. It recognises that military forces do not simply consist of people and equipment, but have interconnected an interdepending physical, moral, and conceptual properties as depicted in Figure 1 Fighting power is inherently contextual and it is determined by how well a force (our own, allied, or enemy) can adapt to the character of the operation(s) in which it is engaged.

Figure 1

The Model of Fighting Power (British Ministry of Defence, 2021. army-leadership-doctrine-web.pdf)

The physical component provides the means to fight and consists of personnel, equipment, sustainability and resources. The conceptual component is the force’s knowledge and indeed the application of doctrine, kept relevant by its ability to learn and adapt. The moral component concerns the human aspect of fighting power and is arguably the most important, as success on operations is dependent upon people to a greater degree than equipment or doctrine.

The moral component consists purportedly of three mutually dependent elements:

Morale, the will of the force and of its soldiers to fight;
Leadership, the essential element of the moral component, underpins the ethical foundation and directs the force across all three components of fighting power;
The ethical, moral and legal foundation that underpins the way in which armed forces conduct operations.

Analysis of Current Moral Component within Dutch Army

Figure 2 visualizes the analysis of the amount of the current efforts in the military training and exercise of the Dutch Army, distributed over the three elements of military fighting power. It demonstrates that the moral component is arguable neglected, and should be focused on to become more effective related to improve fighting power. Therefore, if we want to enhance the fighting power of the Air Mobile Brigade, it can be assumed that expanding the moral component would have the greatest impact. Expanding and deepening the moral component of fighting power ensures that military forces remain effective, ethical, and resilient, capable of upholding the values they are sworn to defend.

Figure 2

Fighting Power of Dutch Army visualised by Land Training Centre (Trendbrief 2022/2023, d.d.1-6-2023).

In this assignment you will be asked to conduct a comprehensive literature research to explore existing theories, empirical studies, and case studies to provide a solid theoretical foundation for understanding how the moral component influences military operations and how it can be effectively strengthened within the Dutch Army, particularly in the Dutch Air Mobile Brigade (knowing its specific task). Through this research, you will contribute to the development of strategies aimed at enhancing the effectiveness and resilience of the Dutch military related to fighting power.

Keywords

Fighting power, moral component, ethics in military leadership, unit cohesion, comradery, resilience, motivation.

Background information organization

The world around us is changing. The armed forces respond to these changes and adapt accordingly. The current threat landscape is more diverse, complex, and alarming than ever before. Technological developments are progressing at an increasingly rapid pace, leading to a growing volume of information to process. Military units are increasingly collaborating with (international) units outside their traditional structures. In operations, it is becoming increasingly crucial to coordinate actions with all stakeholders, both military and civilian.

The 11th Air Mobile Brigade is a rapidly deployable light infantry combat unit composed of over 2,000 men and women. Air Mobile troops move on foot, with light vehicles, or via helicopter or transport aircraft. When the 11th Air Mobile Brigade collaborates with the Defense Helicopter Command (DHC) and the 336th Squadron of the Air Force, they form the 11th Air Maneuver Brigade (11 AMB). The Air Maneuver Brigade can be deployed worldwide within 20 days, with smaller elements deployable in as little as seven days. Air maneuver operations can be employed in all types of missions: offensive, defensive, or stabilizing.

The brigade can be deployed for the defense of national territory, protection of allies, upholding the international rule of law, disaster response (including noncombatant evacuation), and humanitarian aid. Additionally, in crisis situations, the brigade serves as the primary point of contact for nine national security regions. Air assault (AASLT) is the most challenging and intensive form of air maneuver and is the specialty of the Air Mobile Brigade. Consequently, the brigade’s name is often followed by the abbreviation AASLT. The red beret worn by Air Mobile troops is the international symbol of paratroopers and airborne forces.

Availability

This project is open to 1-2 students. Please note that this project can also be part of your master thesis.

Assignment

Keywords

Background information organization

Availability

Literature