Challenges to national defence in contemporary geopolitical situation

In recent decades, the importance of supply chain management has increased due to the frequency and severity of disruptions. The issue of supply chain resilience is widely discussed in the scientific literature. It should be noted that most studies focus on the functioning of commercial supply chains. Given the lack of a systematic approach to the specific threats and measures to ensure the resilience of military supply chains within the context of the Lithuanian Armed Forces (LAF), the objective of this article is to present the main findings of the research conducted to identify threats that are crucial for the supply chains important to the LAF and to outline measures that are taken to cope with the identified external threats.

The paper presents the results of a sectoral analysis of the Czech Republic’s security environment and interprets them from the perspective of strategic studies. Its objective is to identify key structural trends shaping the operational and strategic environment and to derive their implications for defence planning, capability development, and the long-term transformation of the Armed Forces of the Czech Republic. The analysis shows that the security environment in last years is characterized by persistent geopolitical instability and accelerating technological change. The rapid diffusion of unmanned systems and artificial intelligence applications is transforming the conduct of warfare and increasing demands for capability modernization, interoperability, and force readiness. At the same time, demographic and societal pressures are deepening, affecting the personnel sustainability of the armed forces and the overall strategic resilience of the state. Economic and environmental factors intensify competition for resources and raise demands for the prioritization of defence investments. The findings confirm the growing interdependence of sectors and the necessity of integrated assessment of the security environment as a foundation for force and capability development.

This paper examines the compression of the artillery kill chain in a UAS-saturated battlefield, using the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict (2020) as an empirical case. Based on OSINT analysis, the kill chain is decomposed into measurable phases and their temporal intervals estimated. Results indicate a total duration of 60–120 seconds, making time a dominant tactical constraint. The findings highlight implications for artillery tactics, simulation models, and officer education within Joint Fire Support and Multi-Domain Operations. The study provides a transparent framework linking empirical observations with operational practice.

The article is dedicated to the research and assessment of trust and partnership impact throughout the main authors of innovation cooperation - universities, business and state. This impact is put on the innovative cooperation’s development of the border region (Latvia-Lithuania-Belarus) and production of innovative products and services in that region. The research region is consisting of the regions of Latvia (Latgale region), Lithuania (Vilnius region, Alytus region, Utena region, Panevezys region, Kaunas region), Belarus (Vitebsk, Grodno region, Minsk region, Mogilev region). Lack of attention to the above issues, related with border region, stresses the importance of the article. Innovations are key factor in long-term economic development of the region. The main condition for development is a purposeful formation and effective functioning of the territorial innovation system, in which one of the factors of its successful development is trust between participants of the system. The information base of the research is survey of 620 entrepreneurs of small and medium-sized enterprises in the border region.

Due to a dynamic environment, human resource competency evaluation and factors influencing its outcome are in constant change. Evaluation of human resource competency and factors influencing its quality are widely discussed subjects in scientific literature with ample controversial viewpoints. Various definitions, points of view and models makes it difficult to choose the best option when evaluating human resource competency and may be the source of the following problem: how to know that the chosen competency evaluation method will convey reality and deliver objective results that could be used as a basis for human resource development related decision making in the future. This study analyses different scientific views on the human resource competency evaluation process. The purpose of this study is to develop a conceptual model for competency evaluation of professional military service in the Lithuanian armed forces that would allow for human resource potential evaluation and form a basis in human resource development related decision making processes in organization. Multiple criteria assessment methods were used for identification and evaluation of factors influencing human resource competency. As a result of conducted research, authors developed the conceptual complex model for competency assessment of professional military service in the Lithuanian armed forces, which enables objective identification of human resource competency influencing factors and forms the foundation for decisions related with development of human resources in organization.