DEFENSIVE FUTURE STUDY
Year:2024 | Volume:9 | Issue:34|Papers Count:5

Background and Objective: Mental agility is vital for military leaders, significantly influencing their effectiveness in planning and implementing military operations. Thus, enhancing the mental agility of promising leaders is an essential responsibility of higher education in the armed forces. This research aims to identify the factors that contribute to and the outcomes that arise from improved mental agility among military leaders.Method: This study adopts a developmental-applied approach using descriptive-contextual methods. Data were collected through both field and library research and analyzed using Thematic Analysis and Fuzzy DEMATEL with Python 3.11. The research focuses on scientific literature related to mental agility, with a questionnaire distributed to 15 selected commanders, managers, and expert professors in a military organization.Findings: The findings indicate that emotional intelligence, social competence, personality traits, cognitive abilities, diverse experiences, adaptability, and flexibility are crucial for developing mental agility in military leaders. In turn, this mental agility fosters enhanced strategic decision-making, innovative leadership, optimal problem-solving, effective change management, improved team dynamics, and a strong commitment to continuous learning.Conclusion: These results highlight the significance of nurturing the key factors that drive mental agility. By cultivating these skills, commanders can excel in essential areas, thereby optimizing their effectiveness on the battlefield while underscoring the need for ongoing education in military leadership.

Background and Objective:  Strengthening our nation's combat power and effectively utilizing military units on the battlefield depends on enhancing the education, knowledge, and skills of our armed forces in the context of modern warfare. This research seeks to develop effective strategies for training I.R.I.A. pilots in relevant educational content and technologies essential for future conflicts.Methodology: This research is classified as developmental-applied and utilizes a descriptive, mixed-methods approach, incorporating both library and field tools to gather pertinent information.Findings: Through a comprehensive analysis of the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats affecting the education of I.R.I.A. pilots, we developed an assessment matrix using Internal Factor Evaluation (IFE) and External Factor Evaluation (EFE). This matrix positions our training efforts competitively within the strategic framework (SPACE) and highlights critical areas for enhancement. Conclusion; this research identifies 11 targeted strategies aimed at advancing our training and education initiatives

Objective: the purpose of this research is to "explain the possible security scenarios of Azerbaijan in relation to Iran". Methodology: The current research is a part of exploratory research in terms of its practical purpose and Method: The statistical population was determined to be 30 people from top experts, managers and officials of the military and the country, and faculty members who have research experience in the field of future studies and are familiar with the issues of the countries of the Caucasus region. The required data is combined with environmental scanning, interviews with experts, and the use of questionnaires to collect and analyze data Findings: This research identified 135 effective key factors and 575 drivers for the future of relations between Iran and Azerbaijan. After analysis and expert opinion, the findings were summarized into 17 key factors and 21 driver titles. Conclusion: By ranking the key factors and drivers based on the degree of importance and uncertainty, two key uncertainties were selected. Three scenarios of "integration with Iran, competition with Iran, and hostilities with Iran" were visualized and analyzed with probabilities of 73%, 71%, and 45%, respectively.

Objective:. The scenario is always based on uncertainty, for this reason, the main goal of this research is to compile four scenarios of Iraq's participation and cooperation in the Persian Gulf Cooperation Council based on key uncertainties.Methodology:The type of developmental-applied research has been done in a prospective and qualitative way. . The collection of information is library and field and the sample size is 36 people. Findings: two factors, i.e., the economic integration of Iraq with the Persian Gulf Cooperation Council (with an uncertainty value of 18.5 and importance: 17.5) and the expansion of Iraq's political cooperation with Arab countries and creating a common understanding of collective security without the involvement of extra-regional governments. with uncertainty value of 17.5 and significance: 18.2); have been identified as key uncertainties. Originality: Iraq's participation and cooperation scenarios in the Persian Gulf Cooperation Council include: A- Scenario A: above the sky (transformation or miracle scenario), B- Scenario B: leaning on the wind (scenario without surprises), C- Scenario C: in the arms of a tree (optimistic scenario), t-scenario T: pakbakhteh (disaster scenario).

Aim: The present study aimed to investigate biological threats in the Iranian armed forces and provide solutions to counter the threats.Methodology: The study employed a qualitative research method and a grounded theory (GT) approach. The data were collected via semi-structured interviews with 18 academic elites.Findings: In this section, codes for the biological weapon development by belligerent countries, weakness in rapid detection and response (EDR) systems, and inadequate preparation of forces as causal factors; Iran's strategic geographic location, organizational readiness, and international sanctions as contextual factors; and advances in medical technology, international cooperation, and domestic and foreign policies as intervening factors have had a significant effect on decreasing/increasing the vulnerability of armed forces. Moreover, the study demonstrated that the acceptance and resistance strategies in dealing with these threats need to be employed simultaneously. Finally, the results indicated that biological threats can have four health, security, economic, and social consequences.Conclusion: It can be concluded that the rapid detection system and protective equipment enhancement, international cooperation development, medical advances and new vaccine production, long-term prevention strategies development, comprehensive policy codification, and long-term preventive program formulation can significantly increase the defense readiness of the Iranian Armed Forces against biological threats.