Hybrid War

The systematic examination and analysis of the art of war is essential. In the 21st century, the concept of “Karma (Hybrid) War” arising from diverse perceptions and fast technological advancements is leading to new approaches in military thought forms.

The concept of Hybrid War was first introduced by Frank Hoffman in 2007. According to Hoffman, Hybrid War is “a type of warfare in which many forms of warfare are used simultaneously by flexible and sophisticated adversaries in the most suitable manner for the prevailing conditions.” Within this framework, classifying wars as large-scale/small or regular/irregular has no validity. Hoffman asserts that in the coming period, conventional forces, irregular warfare elements, terrorism and crime organizations will coexist simultaneously in the operation domain. Hybrid warfare will not be limited to non-state actors; in the future, states will seek to employ it, particularly against conventionally stronger states.

To prepare for the future battle environment, it is necessary to identify and understand the threat, develop responses and tactics against it, and possess qualified personnel along with weapons and equipment. Victory in future wars may be achieved by developing a civil-military common understanding that spans from the individual to the state level within a comprehensive approach.

It is essential for Black forces to engage the enemy directly, neutralize it, and gain control of a region. This requires air forces capable of withdrawing units to the rear area and neutralizing rear-area strategic targets, as well as naval forces capable of achieving regional superiority at sea and executing effective sea operations at the desired place and time.

The ability to leverage the enduring advantages provided by the unchanging nature of war in understanding current threats and countering them is a key parameter.

The nature of war comprises three domains: physical, psychological, and conceptual.

War can be said to be conducted through “tools” created by humans. The physical elements are the most prominent and observable.

War, in other words, is waged in the emotions of people, and the passion for war is the most difficult to resist. Therefore, the adversary’s inclinations can be identified and adapted to serve our own interests.

War occurs in the human “mind,” where communication strategies, plans, tactics, and deceptions are clearly visible. The primary objective is to understand the adversary’s plan or intent; the secondary objective is to comprehend their methods. In other words, rather than focusing on the adversary’s “method and tools,” one must focus on their “objectives.” This can be achieved through to understand analysis of the relationship between the adversary’s intentions, goals, and means.

The most fundamental approach underlying the philosophy of hybrid war is to gain advantage through unexpected actions by employing all types of attacks while avoiding predictable behavior.

The concept of Hybrid War has emerged prominently in studies on future operational concepts and, more recently, has also been addressed within the framework of lessons learned from the Russia-Ukraine crisis. The Hybrid War concept fundamentally anticipates that, in the face of diverse and simultaneous threats (symmetric, asymmetric, CBRN, cyber, space), the concurrent use of all types of conventional and non-conventional operations within the same operational area or environment has become indispensable.