The strategic environment of the 21st century is defined by ambiguity, contested information spaces, and adversaries who deliberately blur the boundaries between peace and...

The strategic environment of the 21st century is defined by ambiguity, contested information spaces, and adversaries who deliberately blur the boundaries between peace and war. Hybrid and non‑linear warfare—terms often used interchangeably but with distinct conceptual nuances—have become central to understanding how state and non‑state actors pursue political objectives under the threshold of conventional armed conflict. These modes of competition exploit seams in Western political, legal, and military frameworks, leveraging a blend of military force, irregular tactics, cyber operations, information manipulation, economic coercion, and proxy actors.For military and intelligence professionals, understanding hybrid and non‑linear warfare is not an academic exercise. It is a prerequisite for anticipating adversary behavior, designing resilient defense architectures, and integrating whole‑of‑government...