METHODOLOGICAL APPROACH TO ASSESSMENT OF THE AVAILABLE CAPABILITIES OF THE FUNCTIONAL STRUCTURES OF DEFENSE COMPONENTS

• Main Author: Anatolii Petrenko
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: National Defence University of Ukraine named after Ivan Cherniakhovsky 2019-09-01
• Series: Sučasnì Informacìjnì Tehnologìï u Sferì Bezpeki ta Oboroni
• Subjects: defensive planning, capabilities, capabilities assessment
• Online Access: http://sit.nuou.org.ua/article/view/178534

The system of defense planning which currently being implemented in Ukraine is focused on capabilities. An important element of the defense planning system is the defense review, the procedure for which was approved by the decision of the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine dated 31October 2018 № 941. Despite the fact that the expected end result of the defense review is the formation of a promising model of the Armed Forces and other components of the defense forces, taking into account the real and potential threats in the military sphere and the financial and economic capabilities of the state, it is clear that the quality of the scientific substantiation of the defense review procedures defines ability of Ukraine to face future challenges and threats. As one of the objectives of the defense review is to assess "the capacity to respond effectively to challenges and threats in the military sphere", the issue of scientific basis for the methodological approach to assessment of the available capabilities of functional structures of the defense components has become topical. NATO's experience shows that the capacity-based planning approaches introduced in the countries of the Alliance made it possible to apply the concept of developing the defense forces of the partner countries on the principle of "efficiency versus quantity" and functionally integrate the processes of defense and budget planning. The ultimate goal of such planning is the formation in the predicted economic conditions of the integrated capabilities of the defense forces, sufficient (or maximum possible) to ensure (maximum achievable) performance of certain tasks. The article develops a methodological approach to assessment of the capabilities of the functional structures of the security and defense sector, which enables them to assess the available capacity of their carrier both at the stage of the defense review and during the transfer of units to the joint forces with a small labor cost. The results obtained with this method can be used to develop existing capabilities or to develop projects for the formation of new capabilities. This methodological approach is common to all groups of capabilities, therefore in order to fully take into account the specificity of specific functional groups of capabilities, it may require some level of detail. In addition, this methological approach can be used as the basis for the program-calculated support of defense planning processes.