Air University research examines leadership as character of war changes

MAXWELL AIR FORCE BASE, Ala. -- A Headquarters Air Force question about the changing character of war became the starting point for an Air University research effort examining what future conflict could demand from military leaders.

The work began as an Air University Research Task Force formed to examine strategic questions from Headquarters Air Force's Strategic Assessment Directorate.

Air University brought students from Air War College and Air Command and Staff College together with researchers and practitioners to work the problem, with continued engagement from senior Air Force stakeholders.

The research becameLeadership and the Changing Character of War, a book by Dr. John Hinck and Dr. Robert Hinck published by Air University Press.

“The AURTF, which is comprised of students from Air War College and Air Command and Staff College, was literally structured to bridge scholarship and practice,” John Hinck said during an Air University Press Author Connect interview.

Hinck said the task force combined academic research, practitioner expertise and sustained engagement with senior Air Force stakeholders.

The authors begin with a distinction that shaped the rest of their research: the difference between the nature of war and its character.

“In Clausewitzian terms, the idea of the nature of war, that’s the enduring stuff that happens continuously throughout history,” Robert Hinck said. “In contrast, when we try and think about what that character of war is, that’s what some type of conflict looks like in the contemporary historical sense.”

The nature of war endures, Robert Hinck said, while its character changes with technology, political systems and strategies. The authors used that distinction to examine which leadership qualities endure and which may need to change with the operating environment.

“Modern warfare demands operational and strategic leaders who can navigate contested, information-rich, integrated environments while integrating advanced technologies such as artificial intelligence ethically and effectively,” John Hinck said.

For Hinck, that includes looking at how leadership practices may have to change along with warfare itself.

“The leadership and accompanying warrior ethos needed for future warfare requires a deeper study into how leadership practices might adapt to the changing character of war,” he said.

Technology is only part of that change.

“We argue that modern warfare is defined not solely by physical force, but also by information dominance, rapid innovation, cognitive complexity, the need for a decentralized, more trust-based leadership in these contested and unpredictable environments,” Robert Hinck said.

AI and automation add another consideration. Robert Hinck said future leaders will need technological fluency while maintaining an ethical foundation that keeps decisions tied to intent, purpose and mission.

The authors also examined how leaders should prepare for conditions where they can't rely on the communications and logistics systems they normally use.

“We believe that we need to train leaders for these more denied, degraded, intermittent, and limited communications and logistics scenarios,” Robert Hinck said.

Their research points to experiential learning, wargaming and exercises that give leaders opportunities to make decisions, fail and learn from those experiences.

“By prioritizing more experiential learning, war gaming, and failure tolerant exercises, we’ll be able to actually enhance our readiness more than more sterile type of teaching and learning methods here,” Robert Hinck said.

The research extends into sustainment. The authors examined medical and logistical readiness in a potential Pacific conflict, where distance and distributed operations could affect survivability and support. Robert Hinck pointed to medical readiness, regional partnerships and distributed support systems as areas that will matter in that environment.

After examining technology, information, logistics and changes in the operating environment, the authors came back to leadership.

“Our book concludes that while technological innovation continues to transform the character of war, it is really the adaptability, judgment, and the trustworthiness of military leaders that is going to determine success in the leadership realm and how to meet those needs of the changing character of war that we might face,” Robert Hinck said.

The project brought different parts of Air University together around the Headquarters Air Force questions.

Air University organized the research effort. Air War College and Air Command and Staff College students brought operational experience to the work. Researchers and practitioners contributed their expertise, while senior Air Force stakeholders remained connected to the effort. Air University Press published the resulting research.

Each played a different role as part of the Air University enterprise.

Air University's three lines of effort are to forge expert joint warfighters, solve operational problems for the Joint Force and operate as an integrated enterprise. In this effort, the university brought students, researchers, practitioners and publishing capabilities together around questions coming from Headquarters Air Force.

The work has since led to other questions.

John Hinck is developing a framework examining lethality across the Joint Force. The effort grew from an Air War College elective and could develop into another book.

“We would like a book that concisely looks at what lethality means across the joint force, and then advocates for a singular definition that can be applied regardless of what type of military service you are fighting for,” he said.

Robert Hinck said the original research also helped inspire their article, “On Lethality,” published inParameters, and additional work examining how leaders are educated for future conflict.

“We were trying to think about what does the future character of war looks like and how do we need to better adapt and prepare and think about the human domain of leadership challenges?” he said.

Robert Hinck is also researching teaching and learning methods for developing leaders in complex environments, along with international media, crisis communication, AI and digital sovereignty.

John Hinck's continuing work includes research into leadership coaching and its application in military and civilian organizations.

The original task force lasted one year.

It started with strategic questions from Headquarters Air Force about the changing character of war. Air University brought students, researchers and practitioners together to examine them.

The resulting book put that research back into the force. Questions raised during the effort are now feeding follow-on work on leadership, lethality and preparing for future conflict.

The effort is one example of Air University operating as an integrated enterprise to forge expert joint warfighters and solve

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