The requirement to operate vehicles in low light and/or night environments whilst wearing night vision goggle (NVG) systems has become increasingly common during military operations. There is very limited research investigating injury risks associated with these systems during ground vehicle collisions. This study examined the injury risks associated with wearing the Australian Defence Force - Enhanced Combat Helmet (ECH) and NVG system, in frontal vehicle collisions. This project consisted of two components: (1) crash tests using a sled and (2) numerical simulations of impacts. Four dynamic sled tests were conducted using a 50th percentile, male, Hybrid III dummy positioned on a rigid seat. Frontal impact tests were performed at a 40 km/h change in velocity (*v) and 20 g deceleration. The test configurations were as follows: (a) Base; (no helmet or additional equipment); (b) ECH; and, (c) ECH and NVG. Condition (c) was carried out twice, to determine repeatability. The sled test protocols were reconstructed precisely with the numerical simulation package MADYMO and the simulations were shown to correlate well with the experimental results. Using this validated model, four parametric studies were undertaken to assess the influence of counterweights, seat cushion, seatbelt pre-tensioner, and the vehicle's *v and acceleration on injury risks. The study found that neck loads were within acceptable limits, with the exception of the neck extension moment, which was exceeded for all NVG conditions. Based on the parametric studies, no major improvements were observed in the neck extension moments with the use of counterweights or a seat cushion. In contrast the use of a seatbelt pre-tensioner was observed to decrease greatly this neck injury risk in certain scenarios. The study also identified that a *v of 15 km/h and peak acceleration of up to 14 g were required to keep the neck extension moment below the prescribed injury criteria. However, the high neck extension moment values may have been partially attributable to the stiff Hybrid III neck. This study identified a possible injury mechanism for soldiers using the ECH and NVG system during specific impact scenarios. The method applied in this project was designed to be repeatable.

<p>In this paper discourse analysis on the Ethiopian National Action Program (NAP) to combat desertification is made. The aim is to describe how the overall image/picture of desertification, its causes, and effects and of possible solutions are presented in the NAP. </p><p>The result of this analysis shows that the main cause of desertification is human activities mainly due to the poorly developed socio-economic situation in the dryland areas. It is indicated that an excessive dependency of the rural population on the natural resources, particularly land, is the major cause of land degradation and this deterioration of land is said to have been caused by the rapid population growth, overgrazing, forest clearing as well as past government and institutional failures. In addition it is indicated that the effect of desertification usually involves ecological changes that sap land of its ability to sustain agriculture and human habitation, therefore the most serious threat to human welfare. Desertification diminishes the ability of affected countries to produce food and consequently entail the reduction of regional and global food- producing potential with impacts on world food reserves and food trade. The solution given to mitigate desertification in Ethiopia is that the present strategies are intended to combat desertification, through different action programmes such as improving knowledge on drought and desertification, basic infrastructure, institutional organisations and capacity, awareness and participation as well as empowerment of women. </p><p>The analysis also shows that priority was given to socio-economical aspect of the country not directly to combat desertification. It is suggested that in order to mitigate the land degradation, promotion of alternative livelihood is necessarily and this is reported to be achieved through industrialisation, rural credit programmes, intensification and diversification of agriculture, building awareness and access to information, enhancement of institutional organisations, participatory natural resource management, encouraging the private sector in involvement in forest development etc. Finally the analysis identifies different discourses, such as the survivalism, anthropocentrism, ecological modernisation, administrative- rationalism, economic rationalism and democratic pragmatism. Likewise the conflict that prevails between the discourses is discussed.</p>

<p>Strid i urban miljö är mycket komplex och utmärks av en föränderlig miljö och med en motståndare som kan uppträda i alla dimensioner. Antalet operationer i denna miljö bedöms öka i framtiden. Motståndaren har utvecklat sin taktik som ett svar på den teknik och stridsteknik som vi använder. För att utbilda och öva används reglementen som beskriver en fiktiv motståndare och det förutsätts att denne är relevant och uppför sig på ett adekvat sätt. Uppsatsens syfte är att pröva om den beskrivning av motståndarens taktiska uppträdande i urban miljö som finns i våra reglementen och anvisningar är rimlig. Inledningsvis operationaliseras begreppen eld, rörelse och skydd i syfte att skapa ett analysinstrument. Därefter studeras och analyseras den motståndare som beskrivs i våra reglementen och handböcker samt en motståndare vars beskrivning hämtas från ett selektivt urval av litteratur. Slutligen genomförs en jämförande analys av båda motståndarna som beskriver avgörande likheter och skillnader mellan dem. Uppsatsen avslutas med en diskussion kring resultat och andra faktorer som inverkar på det taktiska uppträdandet.</p><p>Resultatet visar att motståndaren använder en rörlig försvarstaktik med små och lätta förband som nyttjar överraskande överfall, dold förflyttning och befästa positioner. Gruppering sker ofta intill eller inne i civila objekt. Undersökningen visar att de svenska reglementenas beskrivning av motståndaren är rimlig, dock saknas en del djupare taktiska beskrivningar. Stridens grundelement, eld, rörelse och skydd, kan användas för att göra generella taktiska jämförelser men måste också kompletteras med främst moraliska faktorer för att skapa en förståelse för varför viss taktik används och hur denna skall kunna bemötas.</p> / <p>Fighting in an urban environment is very complex and is characterized by a changing environment and an opponent that can appear in all dimensions. The number of operations in this environment is assessed to increase in the future. The opponent has developed his tactics as an answer to the technology and the combat techniques that we are using. To train and educate our units, we use field manuals that describe a fictive opponent. It is presumed that this opponent is relevant and is behaving in an adequate manor. The purpose of this paper is to try out if the description of the opponent’s tactical behaviour in an urban environment that exists in our field manuals is reasonable. At first, definitions of the actions strike, move and protect are made with the purpose to create an analysis instrument. Thereafter, the opponent described in our field manuals and an opponent described in a selected assortment of literature, are studied and analysed. Finally, a comparative analysis is made between the two opponents with the purpose to identify the decisive differences and similarities between the two. The paper ends with a discussion about results and other factors that have an impact on the tactical behaviour of the opponent.</p><p>The result shows that the opponent uses a mobile defence with small and light forces that uses hit and run tactics, concealed movement and fortified positions. Positioning is often done inside or in the vicinity of civilian objects. The investigation shows that the Swedish field manuals are describing the opponent in a sufficient way. However, some deeper tactical descriptions are missing. The basic actions of combat; strike, move and protect, can be used to make general tactical comparisons, but have to be complemented by most of all moral factors to create an understanding on why a particular tactics is used and how this tactics shall be answered.</p>

<p>Nya typer av krigföring, så som COIN-operationer (Counter insurgency), ställer nya krav på flygstridskrafterna. Utvecklingen av det bemannade stridsflyget har, om man jämför med UAV (Unmanned Aerial Vehicle), trots detta stått relativt stilla. Obemannat stridsflyg har samtidigt utvecklat förmågor som gör funktionen till en värdig konkurrent på det moderna slagfältet. Syftet med denna uppsats är att undersöka huruvida obemannat stridsflyg kan överta det bemannade stridsflygets plats inom ramen för COIN-operationer. Detta avser jag uppnå genom att undersöka hur väl de båda funktionerna svarar uppmot de krav som ställs på ett stridsflygplan i en operation med inslag av COIN. Utifrån detta kommer jag bedöma vilka uppdragstyper som kan samt eventuellt inte kan lösas av en obemannad respektive bemannad flygfarkost. Resultatet i uppsatsen visar att bemannat stridsflyg är bättre anpassat till att genomföra markmålsoperationer inom ramen för COIN-operationer. Främst på grund av en bättre omvärldsuppfattning. Vid uppdragstyper kopplade till flygunderrätteleinhämtning är dock det obemannade stridsflyget bättre anpassat. Främst på grund av en längre uthållighet. Vad det gäller kostnadsaspekten så visar analysen att brukskostnaderna för det obemannade stridsflyget är betydligt lägre än hos det bemannade stridsflyget. Den höga anskaffningskostnaden för ett nytt UAV-system talar dock till dess nackdel. Skyddet som är integrerat i de obemannade plattformarna är sämre än hos den bemannade konkurrenten. UAV får i mångt och mycket lita till sin storlek för skydd. Slutsatsen jag kan dra av arbetet är att bemannat stridsflyg fortfarande har en plats på slagfältet inom ramen för COIN-operationer. Om utvecklingen fortsätter i samma takt och system som förbättrar omvärldsuppfattning för operatören på UAV samt möjliggör ett bättre självskydd kopplat till plattformen kan resultatet snart vara ett annat.</p> / <p>New types of warfare, such as COIN (Counter Insurgency), operations, mean new requirements for the Air Force. The development of the manned combat aircraft has, in comparison with the UAV (Unmanned Aerial Vehicle), shown relativly slow progress. Unmanned combat aircraft has on the other hand developed capabilities that make it a worthy competitor on the modern battlefield. The purpose of this paper is to examine whether unmanned combat aircraft can outrival the manned combat aircraft, in COIN-operations. I will achieve this by studying how well the two functions are responding to the demands of a combat aircraft in an operation with elements of COIN. From this, I will assess the mission types that can and can not possibly besolved by an unmanned, or a manned combat aircraft. The results of this paper show that the manned fighter is better suited to carry out counter land operations within thescope of COIN-operations, mainly due to a better situational awareness. Due to longer endurance, the unmanned combat aircraft is better suited to carry out missions like reconnaissance and surveillance. In the cost aspect, the analysis shows that the cost of using the unmanned combat aircraft is much lower than that of the manned combat aircraft. The high purchase cost of a new UAV-system, however, speaks against it. The protection that is integrated into the unmanned platforms is worse than for its rival. UAVs must largely rely on their size for protection. The conclusion I can draw from this paper is that manned fighter aircraft still has a place on the battlefield as a part of COIN-operations. If the development continues at this pace and systems that improve the situational awareness of the operator of UAVs, and allows for better self protection linked to the platform, the result may soon be another.</p>

<p>Den svenska Försvarsmakten har under en smärtsam process genomgått en reform från det gamla invasionsförsvaret till det nya insatsförsvaret. Det har i sin tur påverkat var och när uppgifter skall lösas, den mentala förberedelsen syftar inte längre till att enbart försvara rikets gränser. Svenskatrupper finns idag på ett flertal platser världen men jag vill belysa insatsen i Afghanistan. Den svensk/finska kontingenten har förstärkts med Stridsfordon 9040, ett system konstruerat för ett subarktiskt klimat. Denna uppsats vill bidra med en uppfattning om Stridsfordon 90 är lämpad att lösa uppgifter i Afghanistan och i förlängningen ge ett underlag för en diskussion om det är rätt att systemet finns i insatsområdet. Genom att beskriva vägen fram till varför Sverige utvecklade och anskaffade 90-familjen och vilka krav som låg bakom dess konstruktion kan jag tillsammans med en beskrivning av de olika uppgraderingspaketen skapa en förståelse för hur fordonet ser ut idag. Utifrån det jämföra Stridsfordon 90 plutonens uppgifter i Afghanistan med de parametrar som konstruktionen medger till. Uppsatsen visar att Stridsfordon 90 är lämplig i Afghanistan, utifrån ett tekniskt och stridstekniskt resonemang. Fordonets egenskaper ger få begränsningarna i de uppgifter som idag löses i Afghanistan.</p> / <p>During a long time the Swedish Armed Forces has performed reorganization, leaving the old structure with a defence focused at hostile invasions to become a nation performing operations abroad. A change that affects and creates new tasks for own forces. The main effort is no longer to protect the nation border. The Swedish Armed Forces has troops deployed in several locations all over the world but I want to illuminate their commitment in Afghanistan. The Swedish/Finnish contingent has been reinforced by Combat Vehicle 9040 (CV 9040), a system designed to operate in a subarctic climate.This essay wants to contribute with an idea if CV 90 conducts in the proper type of tasks in Afghanistan. The purpose is also to give a foundation for a discussion whether it is right that the system is deployed in the area of responsibility. My intention is to create an understanding of how the vehicle is constructed and what attribute it displays today. In order to do that I will describe on what grounds Sweden chose to develop and acquire the concept called the 90-family and which demands that affected its construction. After that, describe the tasks that the CV90 platoon carries out inAfghanistan and compare it with the parameters that the construction admits. This essay shows that the CV 90 is appropriate in Afghanistan, out of a technical and combattechnical perspective. Out of a construction perspective there are few limitations in the tasks that the vehicle solves today in Afghanistan.</p>

Nya typer av krigföring, så som COIN-operationer (Counter insurgency), ställer nya krav på flygstridskrafterna. Utvecklingen av det bemannade stridsflyget har, om man jämför med UAV (Unmanned Aerial Vehicle), trots detta stått relativt stilla. Obemannat stridsflyg har samtidigt utvecklat förmågor som gör funktionen till en värdig konkurrent på det moderna slagfältet. Syftet med denna uppsats är att undersöka huruvida obemannat stridsflyg kan överta det bemannade stridsflygets plats inom ramen för COIN-operationer. Detta avser jag uppnå genom att undersöka hur väl de båda funktionerna svarar uppmot de krav som ställs på ett stridsflygplan i en operation med inslag av COIN. Utifrån detta kommer jag bedöma vilka uppdragstyper som kan samt eventuellt inte kan lösas av en obemannad respektive bemannad flygfarkost. Resultatet i uppsatsen visar att bemannat stridsflyg är bättre anpassat till att genomföra markmålsoperationer inom ramen för COIN-operationer. Främst på grund av en bättre omvärldsuppfattning. Vid uppdragstyper kopplade till flygunderrätteleinhämtning är dock det obemannade stridsflyget bättre anpassat. Främst på grund av en längre uthållighet. Vad det gäller kostnadsaspekten så visar analysen att brukskostnaderna för det obemannade stridsflyget är betydligt lägre än hos det bemannade stridsflyget. Den höga anskaffningskostnaden för ett nytt UAV-system talar dock till dess nackdel. Skyddet som är integrerat i de obemannade plattformarna är sämre än hos den bemannade konkurrenten. UAV får i mångt och mycket lita till sin storlek för skydd. Slutsatsen jag kan dra av arbetet är att bemannat stridsflyg fortfarande har en plats på slagfältet inom ramen för COIN-operationer. Om utvecklingen fortsätter i samma takt och system som förbättrar omvärldsuppfattning för operatören på UAV samt möjliggör ett bättre självskydd kopplat till plattformen kan resultatet snart vara ett annat. / New types of warfare, such as COIN (Counter Insurgency), operations, mean new requirements for the Air Force. The development of the manned combat aircraft has, in comparison with the UAV (Unmanned Aerial Vehicle), shown relativly slow progress. Unmanned combat aircraft has on the other hand developed capabilities that make it a worthy competitor on the modern battlefield. The purpose of this paper is to examine whether unmanned combat aircraft can outrival the manned combat aircraft, in COIN-operations. I will achieve this by studying how well the two functions are responding to the demands of a combat aircraft in an operation with elements of COIN. From this, I will assess the mission types that can and can not possibly besolved by an unmanned, or a manned combat aircraft. The results of this paper show that the manned fighter is better suited to carry out counter land operations within thescope of COIN-operations, mainly due to a better situational awareness. Due to longer endurance, the unmanned combat aircraft is better suited to carry out missions like reconnaissance and surveillance. In the cost aspect, the analysis shows that the cost of using the unmanned combat aircraft is much lower than that of the manned combat aircraft. The high purchase cost of a new UAV-system, however, speaks against it. The protection that is integrated into the unmanned platforms is worse than for its rival. UAVs must largely rely on their size for protection. The conclusion I can draw from this paper is that manned fighter aircraft still has a place on the battlefield as a part of COIN-operations. If the development continues at this pace and systems that improve the situational awareness of the operator of UAVs, and allows for better self protection linked to the platform, the result may soon be another.

Den svenska Försvarsmakten har under en smärtsam process genomgått en reform från det gamla invasionsförsvaret till det nya insatsförsvaret. Det har i sin tur påverkat var och när uppgifter skall lösas, den mentala förberedelsen syftar inte längre till att enbart försvara rikets gränser. Svenskatrupper finns idag på ett flertal platser världen men jag vill belysa insatsen i Afghanistan. Den svensk/finska kontingenten har förstärkts med Stridsfordon 9040, ett system konstruerat för ett subarktiskt klimat. Denna uppsats vill bidra med en uppfattning om Stridsfordon 90 är lämpad att lösa uppgifter i Afghanistan och i förlängningen ge ett underlag för en diskussion om det är rätt att systemet finns i insatsområdet. Genom att beskriva vägen fram till varför Sverige utvecklade och anskaffade 90-familjen och vilka krav som låg bakom dess konstruktion kan jag tillsammans med en beskrivning av de olika uppgraderingspaketen skapa en förståelse för hur fordonet ser ut idag. Utifrån det jämföra Stridsfordon 90 plutonens uppgifter i Afghanistan med de parametrar som konstruktionen medger till. Uppsatsen visar att Stridsfordon 90 är lämplig i Afghanistan, utifrån ett tekniskt och stridstekniskt resonemang. Fordonets egenskaper ger få begränsningarna i de uppgifter som idag löses i Afghanistan. / During a long time the Swedish Armed Forces has performed reorganization, leaving the old structure with a defence focused at hostile invasions to become a nation performing operations abroad. A change that affects and creates new tasks for own forces. The main effort is no longer to protect the nation border. The Swedish Armed Forces has troops deployed in several locations all over the world but I want to illuminate their commitment in Afghanistan. The Swedish/Finnish contingent has been reinforced by Combat Vehicle 9040 (CV 9040), a system designed to operate in a subarctic climate.This essay wants to contribute with an idea if CV 90 conducts in the proper type of tasks in Afghanistan. The purpose is also to give a foundation for a discussion whether it is right that the system is deployed in the area of responsibility. My intention is to create an understanding of how the vehicle is constructed and what attribute it displays today. In order to do that I will describe on what grounds Sweden chose to develop and acquire the concept called the 90-family and which demands that affected its construction. After that, describe the tasks that the CV90 platoon carries out inAfghanistan and compare it with the parameters that the construction admits. This essay shows that the CV 90 is appropriate in Afghanistan, out of a technical and combattechnical perspective. Out of a construction perspective there are few limitations in the tasks that the vehicle solves today in Afghanistan.

Strid i urban miljö är mycket komplex och utmärks av en föränderlig miljö och med en motståndare som kan uppträda i alla dimensioner. Antalet operationer i denna miljö bedöms öka i framtiden. Motståndaren har utvecklat sin taktik som ett svar på den teknik och stridsteknik som vi använder. För att utbilda och öva används reglementen som beskriver en fiktiv motståndare och det förutsätts att denne är relevant och uppför sig på ett adekvat sätt. Uppsatsens syfte är att pröva om den beskrivning av motståndarens taktiska uppträdande i urban miljö som finns i våra reglementen och anvisningar är rimlig. Inledningsvis operationaliseras begreppen eld, rörelse och skydd i syfte att skapa ett analysinstrument. Därefter studeras och analyseras den motståndare som beskrivs i våra reglementen och handböcker samt en motståndare vars beskrivning hämtas från ett selektivt urval av litteratur. Slutligen genomförs en jämförande analys av båda motståndarna som beskriver avgörande likheter och skillnader mellan dem. Uppsatsen avslutas med en diskussion kring resultat och andra faktorer som inverkar på det taktiska uppträdandet. Resultatet visar att motståndaren använder en rörlig försvarstaktik med små och lätta förband som nyttjar överraskande överfall, dold förflyttning och befästa positioner. Gruppering sker ofta intill eller inne i civila objekt. Undersökningen visar att de svenska reglementenas beskrivning av motståndaren är rimlig, dock saknas en del djupare taktiska beskrivningar. Stridens grundelement, eld, rörelse och skydd, kan användas för att göra generella taktiska jämförelser men måste också kompletteras med främst moraliska faktorer för att skapa en förståelse för varför viss taktik används och hur denna skall kunna bemötas. / Fighting in an urban environment is very complex and is characterized by a changing environment and an opponent that can appear in all dimensions. The number of operations in this environment is assessed to increase in the future. The opponent has developed his tactics as an answer to the technology and the combat techniques that we are using. To train and educate our units, we use field manuals that describe a fictive opponent. It is presumed that this opponent is relevant and is behaving in an adequate manor. The purpose of this paper is to try out if the description of the opponent’s tactical behaviour in an urban environment that exists in our field manuals is reasonable. At first, definitions of the actions strike, move and protect are made with the purpose to create an analysis instrument. Thereafter, the opponent described in our field manuals and an opponent described in a selected assortment of literature, are studied and analysed. Finally, a comparative analysis is made between the two opponents with the purpose to identify the decisive differences and similarities between the two. The paper ends with a discussion about results and other factors that have an impact on the tactical behaviour of the opponent. The result shows that the opponent uses a mobile defence with small and light forces that uses hit and run tactics, concealed movement and fortified positions. Positioning is often done inside or in the vicinity of civilian objects. The investigation shows that the Swedish field manuals are describing the opponent in a sufficient way. However, some deeper tactical descriptions are missing. The basic actions of combat; strike, move and protect, can be used to make general tactical comparisons, but have to be complemented by most of all moral factors to create an understanding on why a particular tactics is used and how this tactics shall be answered.

Elucidating factors associated with adherence to treatment for physical and mental health conditions is important, given well-documented associations between non-adherence and poor treatment outcomes. Researchers have worked to identify such factors; however, most studies focus on adherence to medical, rather than, psychological treatments. Clarifying variables that predict adherence to psychotherapy is particularly important for individuals with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), for whom treatment, which typically involves exposure to trauma-related stimuli and imagery, can be aversive. It may consequently be associated with high nonadherence rates, even though studies indicate that greater adherence to PTSD treatment relates to better treatment outcomes. Research needs to identify factors that increase or decrease the likelihood that affected individuals will enter and complete therapy. Although several studies to date have examined adherence to treatment for PTSD, this literature is limited on several fronts. First, studies on psychotherapy adherence have identified few consistent predictors of treatment adherence. Second, adherence to psychotherapy is rarely a central focus of treatment-related research; more typically, researchers treat adherence as secondary in importance to treatment outcomes. Third, little research on psychotherapy adherence has been theoretically driven. Fourth, little adherence research has focused on combat veterans with PTSD, who tend to have particularly poor treatment outcomes. Especially lacking is knowledge about predictors of adherence in veterans who have recently returned from combat; most research focuses on veterans of the Vietnam War, many of whom were initially traumatized decades earlier. The study tested the hypothesis that elevated reports of a specific type of PTSD symptom--avoidance/emotional numbing-- predicted poorer adherence to treatment in 160 veterans who received psychotherapy. No significant associations between avoidance and emotional numbing symptoms and adherence were found. However, emotional numbing was negatively related to psychotherapy adherence. Other variables typically related to PTSD and treatment outcomes were found to be important predictors of psychotherapy adherence and completion/noncompletion of therapy.

The Multiple Cooling Multi-Objective Simulated Annealing Algorithm is used for the conceptual design optimization of a supersonic Unmanned Combat Aerial Vehicle (UCAV). Single and multiobjective optimization problems are addressed while limiting performance requirements between desired bounds to obtain viable aircraft configurations. A conceptual aircraft design code was prepared for planned but flexible combat missions. The results demonstrate that the optimization technique employed is an effective tool for the conceptual design of aircrafts.