11 
EDITORIAL
USE	CHALLENGES	TO	APPROACH	
NEW	CHALLENGES
Branimir Furlan, Liliana Brožič DOI:10.33179/BSV.99.SVI.11.CMC.13.1.00
Dear readers and authors of the Slovenian Armed Forces Bulletin,
The SAF Bulletin does not exist anymore. It has become history. You are looking 
at the first issue of Contemporary Military Challenges. By changing the name of 
the publication, published by the General Staff of the Slovenian Armed Forces, we 
are implementing the Editorial Board strategy announced last year. This concludes 
the process of introducing a new image and better quality on the basis of new 2009 
standards, which contributed a great deal to our success in 2010 – classification of 
the publication into an international data base.
By changing the name of the publication, we set foundation for a better recognisabi-
lity of the publication in Slovenian and international expert public. The former title 
“SAF Bulletin” conveyed a message that the publication was an internal newslet-
ter of the Slovenian Armed Forces informing about the owner of the newsletter. 
The new name, on the other hand, communicates that this is a military publicati-
on dealing with the studies of contemporary problems and phenomena which can 
represent a challenge for military and security organisations, governments, policies 
and societies. Researchers and readers interested in military matters will be able to 
easily come across this main military publication in the Republic of Slovenia, also 
when searching by the names of publications.
The name has changed, but the strategy remains the same. Our wish is to at least 
maintain the hitherto level of quality. Contemporary Military Challenges will 
support the development of the Slovenian military intelligentsia and allow for critical 
debate on contemporary trends and dilemmas about the development of armed 
forces, defence and security systems and warfare. In this respect, we will strive to 
increase the rate of scientific articles, especially by the authors from the Ministry of 
Defence of the Republic of Slovenia. Our wish is also to increase cooperation with 
Sodobni	vojaški	izzivi,	junij	2011	–	13/št.	1
Contemporary	Military	Challenges,	April	2011	–	13/No.	1
12 Sodobni vojaški izzivi/Contemporary Military Challenges
the authors from similar foreign publications. However, our main wish is to contri-
bute to the exchange of critical views on the development of the Slovenian Armed 
Forces and Slovenian defence system. The latter two subjects will also be discussed 
in this year’s second issue, which will, on the occasion of the 20th anniversary of the 
Republic of Slovenia, contribute our share to the assessment of our current situation 
and future orientation. You are all kindly invited to join us and contribute your expert 
and critical views on the development of the Slovenian Armed Forces.
In the preparation of the current issue, we have worked towards a goal established 
last year, which is to publish an issue with predominantly natural science articles.
Marko Jordan and Janez Hafner present virtual simulation training systems and 
the results of two projects, which dealt with their comparison, their possible use 
with the training systems of the Slovenian Armed Forces and their importance for 
trainings and exercises of armed forces.
Mihael Nagelj deals with new warfare concepts enabled by information and com-
munication technologies. He establishes that the success of changes depends not 
only on technology integration, but mainly on the agents utilizing the informati-
on domain to influence the decision-making process and consequently the physical 
effects of the military mission.
Aleksej Jerman Blažič deals with electronic confidentiality labelling, presenting 
the latest developments in technology and standardization within NATO in the field 
of secure data interchange between domains and focusing on techniques of electro-
nic confidentiality labelling.
Barbara Hubad, Maja Berden Zrimec, Aleksis Zrimec and Aleš Lapajne 
determine that timely and proper detection of biological hazards is essential for 
providing support and protection to the warrior or civilian population during hostili-
ties, epidemics, disasters or terrorist acts. The established procedures were tested by 
identifying the source of unpleasant smell in bottled water.
Janez Hafner takes interest in quality management and control of major invest-
ments. The author participated in a project, where the development of information 
systems was chosen to be used as a raw model. The nature of IS development shows 
that such systems prove to be the most complicated since they actively interfere with 
the processes and the organisational structure. A hybrid has been developed on the 
basis of best practice.
Avdulla Pelaj and Teodora Ivanuša try to find the answers to why, how and where 
Weapons of Mass Destruction could be used in the Republic of Slovenia and by 
whom. They analyse the legal bases and the appropriateness of planning defence 
against this type of weapons, also offering certain improvements.
Branimir Furlan, Liliana Brožič
13 Sodobni vojaški izzivi/Contemporary Military Challenges
Marjan Zupančič finds that single command authority and subordination are the 
two basic principles underlying the hierarchical arrangement of a military organisa-
tion, which also includes military attachés. A wide range of roles and duties assumed 
by attachés in the international environment can cause deviation from the established 
domestic procedures.   
Maj Fritz presents the international code of conduct for private security and military 
companies, which includes recommendations for countries and private companies 
regarding the arrangement of status, operation, surveillance and responsibility of 
such companies, since the majority of states do not have the adequate legislation to 
regulate this.
Nejc Lahne deals with the status of combatant in the international law on armed 
conflict, the phenomenon of the so-called unlawful combatants and the status of 
members of private military and security companies. The author assumes a critical 
approach to the status of combatants in the international armed conflict in Afghanistan.
In his article, Branko Urbanč considers the contribution made by spiritual care in 
the Slovenian Armed Forces especially during the deployment of servicemembers 
abroad, where they deal with completely different kinds of problems, needs and 
challenges. 
The issue concludes with a review of a book published in 2009 by the George 
Marshall Center and edited by Sabine Collmer. With this contribution, we introduce 
a new section in our publication and kindly invite all to participate.
EDITORIAL