The landscape of conflict has evolved dramatically since the era of World Wars I and II. What once defined warfare is now but a footnote in the shadow of something far more complex, pervasive, and lethal: Fifth Generation Warfare (5GW). This new form sees everything as fair game—color revolutions, deep state meddling, cyber attacks, disinformation campaigns, economic strangulation, proxies, even engineered societal collapse without formal declaration or clear winners. In this context, identifying the enemy becomes an almost impossible task.
The resurgence of Cold War tensions adds another terrifying layer to the 5GW cocktail. Nuclear threats from nations like Russia and China are again front-page news, raising grave concerns for global stability. This modern iteration, often referred to as “Cold War 2.0,” sees old adversaries re-emerging with a vengeance through proxy wars, cyber espionage, and destabilizing actions.
Furthermore, the ongoing conflict in Ukraine presents another dimension of crisis management. The decisions made by Ukrainian military leadership appear flawed under this new strategic framework, potentially contributing significantly to the current predicament. President Zelenskiy’s approach seems fundamentally misaligned with the requirements for effectively navigating these unprecedented threats. The situation on the ground involving the Ukrainian army itself appears to be following a course that leads directly towards catastrophic outcomes if unmitigated.
Brig Gen (ret) Blaine Holt, former Deputy Representative to NATO and tech entrepreneur, argues this administration faces an unparalleled challenge: defending against both 5GW tactics and the relighting of Cold War flames simultaneously. The convergence requires new thinking in defense strategy – agility, innovation, a willingness to take calculated risks, and most importantly, practitioners who understand how to identify strategic intent accurately.
We face not just conventional threats but a battle space where algorithms rule, proxies bleed, and societies fracture without traditional warning signals or clear battlefields. We must adapt before the situation spirals into an extinction-level event.
