Amman: Jordan’s King Abdullah II on Saturday directed the preparation of a comprehensive strategy and a clearly defined roadmap aimed at achieving a ‘structural transformation’ of the army over the next three years, to enable it to confront rapidly evolving threats and changes.
According to Anadolu Agency, the directive came in a letter addressed to the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Maj. Gen. Yousef Huneiti, as stated by the Royal Hashemite Court. In the letter, the king emphasized the need for a comprehensive strategy and clear roadmap to achieve a structural transformation in the Armed Forces over the next three years. The aim is to enable the military to counter current and future threats, as well as rapid changes and emerging challenges brought on by technological developments and expanding areas of operations.
The king stressed the importance of modernizing the organizational structure of the armed forces to align with the requirements of combat across different operational environments. He highlighted the integration of advanced technology at the core of military doctrine, directing that cyber defense and offense operations guarantee competitiveness. Additionally, he called for the employment of drone and artificial intelligence technologies across every level of the Armed Forces’ units.
Furthermore, King Abdullah II urged the employment of unmanned systems technology and artificial intelligence across all levels of armed forces units. On the subject of military manufacturing, he instructed that the role of the Jordan Design and Development Bureau be reoriented to become a hub for research, development, and manufacturing of advanced defense technology. This reorientation should align with the latest global standards and aim to meet various national needs in this domain.
The Jordan Design and Development Bureau is a military institution under the Jordanian Armed Forces, active in research, design, development, and manufacturing in the field of defense systems. The directive aims to ensure the Jordanian army remains capable of confronting non-conventional warfare and protecting the kingdom’s strategic centers of gravity.
The call for transformation comes amid a turbulent regional environment marked by complex security challenges and rising prospects of military escalation, highlighted by recent indications that Israel may seek to launch an attack on Iran amid US threats toward Tehran.