Challenges to national defence in contemporary geopolitical situation

Unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) have been developed for military purposes and are therefore particularly advanced and developed in military aviation. Under the circumstances, UAVs and drones are used these days not only in the military but also in the civilian industry.

Over the past decades, environmental protection, including regulation of air pollution, has become an important economic and political issue. Although aviation accounts for only 2% of atmospheric pollution, regulation at national, international and global level is still very important.

The possibilities of nanoparticles fabrication from the selected metals: copper, brass and 18Cr9Ni steel by laser ablation method were investigated. For the nanoparticles extraction process the most favorable pulse laser parameters were selected such as: laser beam power, number of laser pulses and distance of the beam focus from the metal foil. The SEM analysis confirmed the presence of nanospheres and nanowires geometry of metal particles.

The paper presents the results of research on the effect of laser photolithography on graphene oxide (GO) fixed on the silicon wafer and PVC plate (polyvinyl chloride). Before fixing the graphene oxide, the surface was treated with plasma cleaning in the argon atmosphere. Then deposition with AZ4533 photoresist and laser photolithography were carried out. Analysis of the spectral characteristics and structural tests proved that graphene oxide was not damaged during exposing to a laser beam. The laser photolithography process was followed with observation of typical FTIR-ATR bonds originating from COOH, C=O and C-O-C typical for GO. The pattern (on the GO + AZ4533 coating) was exposed to the laser beam (GaN) and revealed by a developing agent. That was a base for continuation of further research with a purpose of ion etching.

In the 21st century technology has reached a sufficiently advanced level. The armed forces of NATO countries are actively implementing simulation systems into the military training process. Simulators save resources and allow troops to train in situations that would be very dangerous or impossible to create in the real world. Properly trained soldiers are a key part of strong and challenging army. Therefore, Lithuanian military training is constantly being improved and new methods are being sought to ensure the highest quality process to develop soldiers’ competence. In order to properly evaluate the effectiveness of the simulators used in the Lithuanian Armed Forces training unit, it is necessary to determine if simulators help to prepare soldiers capable of analysing situations properly and to be modern in combat. Also identify fields for improvement in the use of existing simulators related to military training, provide rational solutions to eliminate identified problems for military training. The aim of this study was to identify Lithuanian Armed Forces combat training centre improvement fields for the simulators’ use in the individual and collective training.

The topic of energy use and energy consumption is currently largely dealt not only in the architecture and civil engineering but also in the military environment. The operating costs of military camps and facilities can be rising extremely quickly especially in hot climate conditions where the requirements for appropriately air-conditioned working places and other mission related areas are crucial for the uninterrupted command and control of any operation. The energy use and energy consumption must be considered already during the planning phase of the military facility and it must take into account as many limiting factors as possible. This is not a completely new problem and many different approaches to the solution are already here and ready to use, and one of them is a method or a system called energy audit that is an efficient tool for improving the energy use and consumption.

The human factor is a source of errors that arises not only in airports activities but also in the process of internal and external communication. The hybrid campaign consists of a spectrum of classic tools, called DIMEFIL, which affect the dimensions of power in seven areas (diplomacy / politics, information, armed forces, economics, finance, intelligence, public order and the rule of law) [1].

This paper deals with the possibility of using geographic products in the Army of the Czech Republic for a purpose to create more efficient forms of geographic presentations with more dynamics and interaction, which can facilitate and accelerate a planning process of staff members in the selected tasks of military engineering. At present, there is no map in the Czech Army Corps of Engineers with the possibility of interaction, which would take into account the issue of tasks of military engineering.

The article analysed methodological scales for measuring intercultural competence. Taking into account the ones presented in scientific literature, SAGE’s scientific publications database was selected as the data collection source. Methodologically validated scales were evaluated from the perspective of management science in order to select the most used ones oriented to management research. Therefore, four most popular measurement scales that have received the most attention in different countries were distinguished. The article also ranked the most popular scientific journals in terms of research on the above mentioned competencies using said methodological scales as well as explored military intercultural competence to determine the possibilities of using methodological scales.

The military forces and means are used to fulfill humanitarian tasks of civil protection and to fulfill the tasks of the Police of the Czech Republic in serious situations endangering lives, health, property, or the environment. If the responsible administrative authorities, territorial self-governing bodies, fire protection authorities, or military rescue units are unable to provide rescue work or liquidate the consequences of a disaster on their own, the military is called. In addition to conventional defense tasks, it is therefore necessary to ensure the overall preparation of all components of the army for the performance of other tasks in cooperation with civilian authorities in their own territory. The paper focuses on the issues of civil-military cooperation, active advances and current capabilities of the Army of the Czech Republic in providing cooperation in rescue and liquidation work in the regions of the Czech Republic. The analysis of this issue identified the key aspects and for the subsequent determination of the evaluation criteria, the multi-criteria method was applied. The authors suggest certain procedures for updating the current situation that could be applicable in practice.