Capabilities-Based Planning for Force Development: Issues and Challenges for the Malaysian Armed Forces

Abstract

This paper endeavoured to analyse the issues and challenges faced by the Malaysian Armed Forces (MAF) in force modernization. MAF’s existing strategic plan and capability planning approaches was assessed initially. This was followed by validating capabilities-based approaches employed by other modern defence forces. Challenges and issues for MAF in adopting a similar approach are
discussed. It was concluded that chief among these challenges was invigorating greater leadership in defence planning. Subsequently, the national security and defence policies must be aligned to provide clearer direction for the military strategy. Other challenges include the need to break old mind-sets vis-à-vis service rivalry. In a resource constrained environment, MAF’s force development has to be
addressed through a more methodological approach in the form of CBP. Insights
and best practices from around the world have to be adopted to avoid the
debilitating pitfalls and obstacles.