Sources of Military Change: Emulation, Politics, and Concept Development in UK Defence

David Morgan-Owen; Aimee Fox; Alex Gould

doi:10.1177/13691481231191916

Sources of Military Change: Emulation, Politics, and Concept Development in UK Defence

David Morgan-Owen^*, Aimee Fox, Alex Gould

^*Corresponding author for this work

Defence Studies

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

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Abstract

Judging by its doctrinal publications, the UK Defence establishment stands poised to begin a process of unprecedented change. The language of ‘multi-domain’ thinking is prominent within this discourse and is identified as being a key vehicle via which UK Defence will deliver upon its programme of reform. This article seeks to offer an initial evaluation of these claims and to assess them in light of the burgeoning literatures on Western defence ‘transformation’ and military innovation that have emerged since the early 2000s. We argue that ‘multi-domain’ thinking reflects a form of ‘cosmetic’ emulation by the British Defence establishment and that its appearance within UK doctrine has been driven more by internal politics than by a clearly thought-through adoption of a new form of military practice.

Original language	English
Journal	British Journal of Politics and International Relations
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1177/13691481231191916
Publication status	Published - 18 Aug 2023

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Sources of Military Change: Emulation, Politics, and Concept Development in UK Defence

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