New Zealand Defence Force Capability Reviews
Phase One – Land Forces and
Sealift (November 2000)
Introduction
Summary
Figure One
This figure illustrates the spectrum of military operations depicting the range of conflict intensity. Examples of low-intensity conflict are Haiti in 1994 and with a slightly higher intensity Grenada in 1983. In the mid-intensity range is the example of Panama in 1989. The Gulf War of 1990/1991 being an example of high-intensity conflict.
The lower portion of the figure illustrates the capability requirements for the New Zealand Defence Force against this range of conflict intensity. Humanitarian missions and disaster relief operations fall into the lower part of the low-intensity part of the conflict spectrum, while peacekeeping activities, for example, Bougainville and East Timor (2000), fall into the higher part of the low-intensity spectrum. Peace enforcement activities fall into the mid- and high-intensity spectrum. East Timor in 1999 and Bosnia in 1994 are examples of mid-intensity operations. The Kosovo peace enforcement operation in 1999 is an example that fell into the high-intensity end of the spectrum. The ‘barred' area referred to in the text is in this high-intensity portion of the spectrum.
The text refers to three scenarios – Scenario A, the use of violence by secessionist movements falls into the peacekeeping and lower part of the low-intensity portion of the conflict spectrum. Scenario B – the splintering of a state falls into the higher part of the low-intensity peacekeeping portion of the conflict spectrum. Scenario C – inter-state conflict where the UN calls on the international community to respond is at the high intensity end of the conflict spectrum.
