The Logic of Deterrence: Strategy, Fear, and the Balance of Power
19 pages · PDF · 29 August 2025 · Licensed single-user copy, watermarked to the buyer
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About this report
Deterrence has long been regarded as one of the fundamental logics of international security. Far from being an abstract notion or a Cold War artifact, it remains the organizing principle through which states define their strategic posture, calibrate their military capabilities, and communicate credibility to allies and adversaries alike.
The paradox at its core is well known: peace is preserved not by the absence of force but by the credible threat of its use. This study explores that paradox in depth, examining deterrence as both a historical practice and a contemporary necessity.
Key questions this report answers
- How does deterrence function as the organizing principle through which states define strategic posture, calibrate military capabilities and communicate credibility?
- How is the core paradox - peace preserved by the credible threat of force rather than its absence - resolved in practice?
- How does deterrence operate as both a historical practice and a contemporary necessity beyond its Cold War origins?
- What factors determine the credibility of deterrence toward allies and adversaries in the current balance of power?
Who it's for
Strategy, corporate-development and investment teams that need an ecosystem-level view — budgets, industrial capacity and technology landscapes — before committing capital or capacity.
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DFM reports are built from primary and official sources — TED procurement notices, CORDIS and the EU Funding & Tenders Portal, EIB operations, the NATO Innovation Fund portfolio, SIPRI data, official budget documents and company disclosures — read together with the underlying legal texts. Sources are cited in the document; it reflects them as of its publication date (29 August 2025). You receive a 19-page PDF, watermarked to you on every page, delivered on the confirmation page and by e-mail immediately after checkout (personal link valid 72 hours, up to 5 downloads). Guest checkout, single-user licence — Terms of Sale.
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