Beyond the Kinetic – Deconstructing Warfare in the Socio-Technical-Cognitive Battlespace
Beyond the Kinetic: Deconstructing Warfare in the Socio-Technical-Cognitive Battlespace
By Lt Gen D S Hooda (Retd),
Lt Col Pavithran Rajan (Retd)
Originally published under the Council for Strategic and Defense Research (CSDR)’s Geopolitics and International Security Program, Lt Gen Deependra Hooda, Co-Founder of CSDR and Member of the Board of Advisors, Centre for National Security Studies (CNSS), and Lt Col Pavithran Rajan (Retd), Advisor at CNSS, have released a new report titled ‘Beyond the Kinetic: Deconstructing Warfare in the Socio-Technical-Cognitive Battlespace’. The report observes that warfare has evolved beyond traditional battlefields into a fused Socio-Technical-Cognitive Battlespace (STCB), where social cohesion, algorithmic platforms, and cognitive manipulation determine strategic outcomes more than raw kinetic power.
Abstract
This paper argues that contemporary conflict has migrated into a fused Socio‑Technical‑Cognitive Battlespace (STCB), where strategic outcomes hinge less on kinetic superiority than on mastering the dependencies between social structures, technical infrastructures, and human cognition. It conceptualises the STCB as a complex adaptive system organised around an algorithmic substrate that selects, ranks, and routes information, thereby amplifying or dampening social and cognitive effects at scale. The study deconstructs each domain, illustrating through the Russia–Ukraine war how social cohesion, platform control, and narrative dominance can offset material asymmetries, while also revealing structural limits imposed by nuclear deterrence and alliance politics. It interrogates the ethical and legal implications of cognitive warfare, including the erosion of the civilian–combatant distinction, challenges to cognitive liberty, and accountability gaps created by AI‑enabled, partially autonomous influence operations. Looking ahead, the paper also identifies accelerating trends in AI‑powered manipulation, immersive virtual environments, and prospective neuro‑warfare as drivers of an increasingly zero‑trust information ecology. The authors conclude by proposing a policy agenda encompassing national STCB strategies, institutional architectures for cognitive security, algorithmic sovereignty measures, and emergent international norms to regulate cognitive operations while preserving democratic values.