The world has changed, and so too has kinetic military action, as a result of new technologies and globalisation. Cyberspace, robotics and electronics have brought about new and highly sophisticated threats. Increasingly, conflicts have material and non-material prominent variants revealing hybrid characteristics (hybrid warfare). The new security and defence (S&D) models must also have a civil-military readiness component that is understood as the only way to compensate for virtual vulnerability, through the new concepts of “Resilience” – the key element of Europe and NATO collective defence. Social media and social networks have also contributed to the emergence of new international tensions that are analysed in detail academically. Nowadays, there is a holistic view of military knowledge for successful operations – both for our armed forces and for Portugal’s allies.
The academic achievements of military sciences / defence science / war studies – repeatedly put to the test in intensive conflict scenarios – develop and adapt to new technologies in progressively more complex and challenging environment. It is equally important to state that the techniques resulting from military sciences / defence science / war studies research have, in turn, been used in civilian life as a contribution to the technical and scientific development of humankind, when it is not used for harmful intents.
The Casa Carvalho Cerqueira Foundation was created in 2017 to help meet the new challenges facing S&D in Portugal, the European Union, NATO and the Community of Portuguese Language Speaking Countries (CPLP).
The Foundation’s aim is to encourage the development of teaching and scientific research by awarding study grants in universities, particularly the Military University Institute of Lisbon, the Military Academy (Portuguese Army), the Naval School (Portuguese Navy) and the Air Force Academy. It also aims to publish academic works that are important to the study of sciences. Promotes cooperation between the Military University Institute and its counterparts in other countries and publicizes Portuguese military sciences / defence science / war studies.