Military Interoperability Amid the Changing Character of War: Transforming Pakistan’s Defence in the Modern Conflict Environment

The national seminar hosted by the Centre for Aerospace and Security Studies (CASS), Lahore, on Military Interoperability Amid the Changing Character of War: Transforming Pakistan’s Defence in the Modern Conflict Environment brought together distinguished military leaders and strategic thinkers to explore the issue.

 

Ameer Abdullah Khan, Senior Research Associate at CASS Lahore, opened the seminar by contextualising interoperability as not merely a technical or tactical requirement but as a foundational strategic imperative for Pakistan’s national defence. He described interoperability as the cohesive function of technical systems, procedural standardisation, human trust, and information flow. Emphasising that war today spans land, air, maritime, cyber, and space domains, he warned that the regional threat environment necessitates not only tri-service coordination but functional fusion through real-time data, shared doctrines, and integrated command systems.

 

Air Marshal Abdul Moeed Khan HI(M) (Retd), Vice Chancellor of Air University, delivered a keynote address that placed airpower at the heart of joint force integration. Drawing on historical, conceptual, and operational insights, he argued that airpower is no longer a supporting arm but the gravitational centre of joint operations. He elaborated on Pakistan’s fragmented command and air defence structures, underscoring the limitations posed by separate service doctrines and lack of an empowered joint command authority. Referencing Operation Bunyan-ul-Marsus as a proof-of-concept, he stressed that Pakistan must move from coordination to command integration, modernise its C4I2SR infrastructure, and institutionalise doctrinal convergence. AM Khan advocated for establishing tri-service operational planning cycles, joint training regimes, and a reconstituted Joint Operational Integration Council (JOIC) to oversee interoperability benchmarks. His address concluded with the warning that legacy structures must give way to an integrated, anticipatory, and information-driven military posture.

 

Lt Gen Riaz HI(M) (Retd) offered a broader strategic framing by examining the enduring nature and evolving character of war. He asserted that while war remains rooted in human and political impulses, its modes and manifestations have become increasingly hybrid, psychological, and multi-domain. Reflecting on India’s dual-track strategy—combining indirect coercion with selective use of military force—he highlighted New Delhi’s attempts to degrade Pakistan’s national will, strategic posture, and regional standing. Pakistan, he argued, has withstood these pressures due to its national resolve, credible deterrent, and resilient institutions. Lt Gen Riaz urged a recalibration of Pakistan’s operational doctrine, anchored in unity of purpose, strategic foresight, and joint planning. He identified intelligence as the unifying thread across all domains and emphasised that interoperability must enhance, not constrain, political and diplomatic manoeuvrability. He concluded by calling for integration across national power instruments—military, diplomatic, economic, and legal.

 

Rear Admiral Syed Faisal Ali Shah (Retd) highlighted the strategic importance of maritime interoperability in Pakistan’s evolving defence landscape, particularly within the contested Indian Ocean Region. He emphasised that the Pakistan Navy faces critical gaps in sensor integration, real-time data sharing, and cross-service coordination—especially with the Air Force and Army—along the western seaboard. While Pakistan contributes to multinational maritime initiatives, coalition-level interoperability remains largely procedural rather than operational. Admiral Faisal underscored the need for a unified maritime domain awareness framework, joint command protocols, and secure communications infrastructure to enable cohesive responses to hybrid and grey-zone threats. He called for embedding naval operations within a multi-domain warfare doctrine, investing in indigenous ISR capabilities, and institutionalising naval presence in joint operational planning to ensure Pakistan’s maritime security posture is agile, resilient, and integrated with national defence objectives.

 

The interactive segment engaged the audience in a dynamic exchange on operational gaps, structural inertia, and policy recommendations. Participants raised pertinent questions about digital interoperability, coalition-level coordination, and doctrinal harmonisation, reinforcing the need for joint education, unified threat assessments, and institutional reform.

 

In his closing remarks, Air Marshal Asim Suleiman (Retd), President of CASS Lahore, expressed appreciation for the robust and visionary discussions. He reaffirmed CASS’s commitment to fostering strategic clarity and actionable thought leadership. Summarising the proceedings, he emphasised that interoperability is no longer optional but essential to Pakistan’s security calculus. He called for decisive steps toward joint force development, integrated C2 systems, and a military culture that prioritises synergy, innovation, and future-readiness.

 

The seminar concluded with a collective call to action: to align Pakistan’s military architecture with the demands of modern warfare, not through incremental reform, but through systemic transformation.