Military Sciences in Action:

From Operational Insights to Defence Innovation

Baltic Defence College, Tartu, Estonia

9-12 November 2026

Practical experience from military operations and resulting innovation form an essential dynamic for transformation in contemporary defence. Military sciences must integrate rigorous analysis with cutting-edge research to enhance defence capabilities. Amid rapidly evolving security threats and technological advancements, the discipline needs to offer frameworks for translating operational insights into innovative defence strategies and technologies.

We invite papers examining how contemporary conflicts inform defence transformation and military scientific inquiry. Submissions might explore how war studies reveal evolving operational patterns, including hybrid tactics and multi-domain challenges, or how military history contextualizes current battlefield dynamics alongside information warfare. Authors may consider how military technology adapts under combined kinetic and cyber pressures, or how legal and ethical frameworks address modern warfare and rapid capability development.

Defence economics and resource allocation for emerging threats; transformation of insights from various theatres into military education curricula; security policy evolution in response to hybrid warfare; and armed forces adaptation to societal expectations during conflict all represent potential areas of inquiry. Historical perspectives on military innovation during wartime, alongside contemporary defence management approaches to integrating lessons learned, could also provide valuable insights.

Interdisciplinary approaches are particularly welcome — submissions might examine technology advancement alongside policy adaptation; explore the interface between military forces and society during crisis; or investigate cross-national cooperation in capability development. Questions of how military education incorporates recent combat experience, including resilience against hybrid campaigns, or how defence management implements battlefield innovations in autonomous systems and counter-disinformation efforts, may yield fruitful analysis.

We seek contributions examining military sciences as a bridge between operational experience and actionable defence innovation, recognizing that valuable insights often emerge from unexpected disciplinary intersections.

Outline Program:

• Monday 9 November - arrival, coordination meeting, social event
• Tuesday-Wednesday 10-11 November - plenary and panel sessions
• Thursday 12 November - Council and business meetings