Military taxonomy

Last updated

Military taxonomy encompasses the domains of weapons, equipment, organizations, strategies, and tactics. [1] The use of taxonomies in the military extends beyond its value as an indexing tool or record-keeping template. [2]

Contents

This NASA-generated chart expresses a framework for modeling non-military space systems architectures; but it could be construed as a military taxonomy -- modeling military space systems architectures. MBED Top Level Ontology.jpg
This NASA-generated chart expresses a framework for modeling non-military space systems architectures; but it could be construed as a military taxonomy -- modeling military space systems architectures.

Military theorist Carl von Clausewitz stressed the significance of grasping the fundamentals of any situation in the "blink of an eye" ( coup d'œil ). In a military context, the astute tactician can immediately grasp a range of implications and can begin to anticipate plausible and appropriate courses of action. [4] Clausewitz' conceptual "blink" represents a tentative ontology which organizes a set of concepts within a domain.

A conventional military taxonomy might be an hierarchical set of classifications for a given set of objects; and the progress of reasoning is developed from the general to the more specific. In such taxonomic schema, a conflative term is always a polyseme. [5]

In contrast, a less conventional approach might employ an open-ended contextual military taxonomy—a taxonomy holding only with respect to a specific context; and the progress of reasoning is developed form the specific to the more general. [6]

Descriptive paradigm

A taxonomy of terms to describe various types of military operations is fundamentally affected by the way all elements are defined and addressed—not unlike framing.

In terms of a specific military operation, a taxonomic approach based on differentiation and categorization of the entities participating would produce results which were quite different from an approach based on functional objective of an operation (such as peacekeeping, disaster relief, or counter-terrorism). An incidental advantage which flows from give-and-take in refining taxonomic terms more accurately and efficiently becomes more than a worthwhile objective in terms of anticipated outcomes or results. In today's nontraditional operations, the discussion about fundamentals also generates greater precision in how the defense and security community understands and discusses integrated operations. [7]

Hyūga-class helicopter destroyer

Military taxonomy in Japan is circumscribed by Japan's pacifist post-war constitution. For example, this affects classification of the Hyūga-class helicopter carriers, which are ships of the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force (JMSDF). [8]

This type of helicopter carrier was formally identified as a helicopter destroyer (DDH) to comply with explicit constitutional limitations written in Article 9 of the Japanese Constitution. [9]

The two ships of this class, the JS Hyūga and the JS Ise resemble a light aircraft carrier or amphibious assault ship such as the Italian Navy's 13,850-ton Giuseppe Garibaldi, the Spanish Navy's 17,000-ton Príncipe de Asturias or the Royal Navy's 21,000-ton Invincible-class carriers.[ citation needed ] According to a PBS documentary, JS Hyūga is the "first Japanese aircraft carrier built since WWII;" [10] but this label is controversial. A taxonomic label of "aircraft carrier" is legally proscribed. [11]

Each ship in this class has attracted media and Diet attention because of its resemblance to an aircraft carrier. Until the 1970s, US Navy taxonomy categorized large-scale flattops as "attack aircraft carriers" and small flattops as "antisubmarine aircraft carriers." In Japan, the constitutional prohibition against having "attack" aircraft carries has been construed to encompass small aircraft carriers but not helicopter carriers. [8]

A uniquely Japanese taxonomic template is applied to these ships and to their missions, which are limited to "military operations other than war" (MOOTW). [8]

Strategic paradigm

A number of military strategies can be parsed using a taxonomy model. The comparative theoretical framework might posit a range of criteria, e.g., the character of envisaged political goals, the type of military strategy preferred, and the scope of forces engaged; and this template suggests discrete modes of force. The taxonomy-model analysis suggests a useful depiction of the spectrum of the use of military force in a political context. [12]

Parsing terrorism

In the 21st century, the ambit of a subset taxonomy of terrorism would include terms related to terrorists, terrorist groups, terrorist attacks, weapons, venues, and characteristics of terrorists and terrorist groups. [1]

Limitations

Taxonomies offer useful, but incomplete means of structuring information. [13]

Taxonomies are a necessary but not sufficient condition for adequate evaluation of a given data set. While the taxonomic categorizations and sub-categorizations do enhance understanding, it may be significant that the lack of detail in describing objects or elements creates room for ambiguity. [13]

See also

Notes

  1. 1 2 Cycorp: Structured information Archived 2011-05-27 at the Wayback Machine
  2. ↑ Fenske, Russell W. "A Taxonomy for Operations Research," Operations Research, Vol. 19, No. 1 (Jan.-Feb., 1971), pp. 224-234;] United Nations. "Taxonomy for Recordkeeping in Field Missions of UN Peacekeeping Operations." Archived 2008-12-16 at the Wayback Machine June 2006.
  3. ↑ Shames, Peter and Joseph Skipper. (2006). "Toward a Framework for Modeling Space Systems Architectures." NASA, JPL.
  4. ↑ Clausewitz, Carl. (1982). On War, p. 141; "Defining 'Taxonomy'," Straights Knowledge website.
  5. ↑ Malone, Joseph L. (1988). The Science of Linguistics in the Art of Translation: Some Tools from Linguistics for the Analysis and Practice of Translation, p. 112.
  6. ↑ Grossi, Davide, Frank Dignum and John-Jules Charles Meyer. (2005). "Contextual Taxonomies" in Computational Logic in Multi-Agent Systems, pp. 33-51 [ dead link ].
  7. ↑ Downie, Richard D. "Defining integrated operations," Joint Force Quarterly (Washington, D.C.). July, 2005.
  8. 1 2 3 "16DDH "13,500 ton" ton Class". Global Security. Archived from the original on June 16, 2008. Retrieved 2008-07-13.
  9. ↑ "Japan's Largest 'Helicopter Carrier' Commissioned Amid Concerns". Kyodo News International. March 18, 2009.
  10. ↑ PBS/WNET, NYC: "Japan's About-Face: The military's shifting role in post-war society." July 8, 2008; Teslik, Lee Hudson. "Backgrounder; Japan and Its Military," Archived 2010-01-25 at the Wayback Machine Council on Foreign Relations. April 13, 2006; Hsiao, Russell. "China navy floats three-carrier plan," Asia Times (Hong Kong). January 8, 2008; "Meet Japan's New Destroyer - Updated," Information Dissemination (blog). August 23, 2007.
  11. ↑ "Japan Commissioned Its Biggest Helicopter Carrier," AvionNews (World Aeronautical Press Agency). March 18, 2009.
  12. ↑ Cohen, Stuart A. and Efraim Inbar. "A taxonomy of Israel's use of military force," Journal Comparative Strategy, Vol. 10, No. 2 (April 1991), pp. 121 - 138.
  13. 1 2 Electronic Mapping Systems: taxonomy

Related Research Articles

The escort carrier or escort aircraft carrier, also called a "jeep carrier" or "baby flattop" in the United States Navy (USN) or "Woolworth Carrier" by the Royal Navy, was a small and slow type of aircraft carrier used by the Royal Navy, the United States Navy, the Imperial Japanese Navy and Imperial Japanese Army Air Force in World War II. They were typically half the length and a third the displacement of larger fleet carriers, slower, more-lightly armed and armored, and carried fewer planes. Escort carriers were most often built upon a commercial ship hull, so they were cheaper and could be built quickly. This was their principal advantage as they could be completed in greater numbers as a stop-gap when fleet carriers were scarce. However, the lack of protection made escort carriers particularly vulnerable, and several were sunk with great loss of life. The light carrier was a similar concept to the escort carrier in most respects, but was fast enough to operate alongside fleet carriers.

Hyūga may refer to:

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Republic of Korea Navy</span> Naval warfare branch of South Koreas military

The Republic of Korea Navy, also known as the ROK Navy or South Korean Navy, is the naval warfare service branch of the South Korean armed forces, responsible for naval and amphibious operations. The ROK Navy includes the Republic of Korea Marine Corps, which functions as a branch of the Navy. The ROK Navy has about 70,000 regular personnel including 29,000 Republic of Korea Marines. There are about 140 commissioned ships in the ROK Navy. The naval aviation force consists of about 70 fixed-wing and rotary-wing aircraft. The ROK Marine Corps has about 300 tracked vehicles including assault amphibious vehicles.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force</span> Maritime warfare branch of Japans military

The Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force, abbreviated JMSDF, also simply known as the Japanese navy, is the maritime warfare branch of the Japan Self-Defense Forces, tasked with the naval defense of Japan. The JMSDF was formed following the dissolution of the Imperial Japanese Navy (IJN) after World War II. The JMSDF has a fleet of 154 ships, 346 aircraft and 50,800 personnel.

<i>Ōsumi</i>-class tank landing ship

The Ōsumi class (おおすみ型輸送艦), is a Japanese tank landing ship. The class is also known as the Oosumi class. While the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force (JMSDF) describes the Ōsumi class as tank landing ships (LSTs), they lack the bow doors and beaching capability traditionally associated with LSTs. Functionally, their well deck makes the Ōsumi class more like a dock landing ship (LSD).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Combined gas and gas</span> Two-turbine, one-shaft marine propulsion

Combined gas turbine and gas turbine (COGAG) is a type of propulsion system for ships using two gas turbines connected to a single propeller shaft. A gearbox and clutches allow either of the turbines to drive the shaft or both of them combined.

<i>Haruna</i>-class destroyer

The Haruna-class destroyer was a destroyer class built for the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force (JMSDF) in the early 1970s. These helicopter carrying destroyers (DDH) are built around a large central hangar which houses up to three helicopters.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Green-water navy</span> Naval force capable of operating in both the shallow waters and the open oceans

A green-water navy is a maritime force that is capable of operating in its nation's littoral zones and has limited competency to operate in the surrounding marginal seas. It is a relatively new term, and has been created to better distinguish, and add nuance, between two long-standing descriptors: blue-water navy and brown-water navy.

<i>Hyūga</i>-class helicopter destroyer Japanese helicopter carrier class

The Hyūga-class helicopter destroyer is a class of helicopter carrier built for the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force (JMSDF). Two - Hyūga and Ise - were built; upon completion the class were the largest ships built for the Japanese navy since the Second World War. Hyūga was described in a PBS documentary as the "first Japanese aircraft carrier built since WWII".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Aircraft cruiser</span>

The aircraft cruiser is a warship that combines the features of the aircraft carrier and a surface warship such as a cruiser or battleship.

JS <i>Haruna</i> Haruna-class helicopter destroyer

JS Haruna (DDH-141) was the lead ship of the Haruna-class helicopter destroyer of the Japanese Maritime Self Defense Force.

<i>Izumo</i>-class destroyer Japanese helicopter carrier class

The Izumo-class destroyers are helicopter destroyers in service with the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force (JMSDF). The official classification of these ships is DDH, which is accepted by the United States Naval Institute; in contrast, Jane's Fighting Ships describes this official classification, but the classification is simply "helicopter carrier".

ROKS <i>Dokdo</i> Dokdo-class amphibious assault ship

ROKS Dokdo (LPH-6111) is the lead ship of the Dokdo-class amphibious assault ship of the Republic of Korea Navy, launched on 12 July 2005 at the shipyard of Hanjin Heavy Industries & Constructions Co. in Busan. ROKS Dokdo was the flagship of the Fifth Component Flotilla of the Korean Navy until the launch of ROKS Marado in 2018. Previously, this title was held by the 9,000-ton at-sea Underway Replenishment (UNREP) support vessel ROKS Cheonji.

JS <i>Hyūga</i> Japanese helicopter destroyer

JS Hyūga (DDH-181) is the lead ship of the Hyūga-class helicopter destroyers of the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force (JMSDF).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Operation Kita</span> 1945 Japanese military operation in World War II

Operation Kita was conducted by the Imperial Japanese Navy (IJN) during the Pacific War in February 1945. Its purpose was to return two Ise-class hybrid battleship-aircraft carriers and four escort ships to Japan from Singapore, where they had been based since November the previous year. The movement of the Japanese force was detected by the Allies, but all attempts to attack it with submarines and aircraft failed. Nevertheless, as a result of the intensifying Allied blockade of Japan, the Ise-class battleship-carriers and their escorts were among the last IJN warships to safely reach the country from the Southwest Pacific before the end of the war.

JS <i>Ise</i> Japanese helicopter destroyer

JS Ise (DDH-182) is a Hyūga-class helicopter destroyer of the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force (JMSDF). It is the second ship to be named Ise, the first being the Imperial Japanese Navy World War II-era battleship Ise.

JS <i>Izumo</i> Multi-purpose operation destroyer of Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force

JS Izumo (DDH-183) is a helicopter carrier which, as of 2022, is being converted into a light aircraft carrier. Officially classified as a multi-purpose operation destroyer, she is the lead ship in the Izumo class of the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force (JMSDF). She is the second warship to be named for Izumo Province, with the previous ship being the armored cruiser Izumo (1898).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">FCS-3</span>

FCS-3 is an integrated naval weapons system developed by the Japanese Defense Ministry for the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force.

JS <i>Hiei</i> Haruna-class helicopter destroyer

JS Hiei (DDH-142) was the second ship of the Haruna-class helicopter destroyer of the Japanese Maritime Self Defense Force.

JS <i>Kaga</i> Japanese helicopter carrier

JS Kaga (DDH-184) is a helicopter carrier being converted into an aircraft carrier beginning in March, 2022. Officially classified as a multi-purpose operation destroyer, she is the second ship in the Izumo class of the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force (JMSDF), the other being JS Izumo. Her namesake arises from Kaga Province in present-day Ishikawa Prefecture.

References

This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.