Russian Military Transformation: Goal In Sight?

The depth and scale of change that the Russian military has undergone during the last 5 years of transformation is impossible to overstate. This book reviews the overall direction and intention of Russia’s military transformation, with particular reference to the specific range of threats—real and hypothetical— against which it is intended to ensure. Stated aspirations for transformation will be measured against known challenges facing the defense establishment and Russia as a whole, with the conclusion that several specific goals are unlikely to be met.Fundamental organizational changes that finallybroke the Russian armed forces away from theSoviet model in 2008-09 are now irreversible. It has been clear for some time that Russia no longer sees its military as a counter to a massive land incursion by a conventional enemy. While the idea of vulnerability to U.S. and North Atlantic Treaty Organization hostile intentions remains strong, this vulnerability finally is no longer seen in Cold War-era conventional military terms: instead, it is missile defense and precisionstrike capabilities that have come to the fore, evenwhile lingering suspicions over a limited Libya-styleintervention still provide a driving force for militarymodernization.