From West Point to the Swedish Defence University

On 1 January 2025, Professor Antulio Echevarria assumes his role as the inaugural holder of the Tibell Visiting Professorship in War Studies. He will also serve as the director of the Swedish Defence University's Research School for War and Defence.

Antulio Echevarria joins the university from the Strategic Studies Institute at the US Army War College, where he is editor-in-chief of the US Army War College Press and the academic journal Parameters. His career includes service as an officer in the US Army, with education from the US Military Academy at West Point, the US Army Command and General Staff College, and the US Army War College.

"I served as an officer for 23 years before earning my PhD in modern history at Princeton University. I have extensive teaching experience and am looking forward to working with the research school for war and defence. With my background as an officer, I can relate to their position and understand the challenges they face”, he says.

"It is crucial that our officers are well-educated, not only to tackle today’s military challenges but also to shape future strategic thinking", he adds.

Research focused on deterrence

Professor Echevarria's research centers on military theory and strategic thinking, with a particular focus on how the Western world can enhance its deterrence capabilities.

"I examine how democratic countries can effectively deter aggression from authoritarian states by increasing the perceived risks for those regimes. Democratic states do not have the same tolerance for incurring casualties in conflict situations as more authoritarian states, partly due to ethical constraints”, he explains.

He hopes that his research will provide additional strategic tools for democratic states to prevent aggression.

"I am currently working on a monograph that addresses this topic. I hope to contribute new insights that will benefit international security."

Strategic concepts and recommendations

A military career came naturally to Antulio Echevarria, who early on set his sights on the prestigious education offered at West Point.

"I wanted to serve my country and always envisioned a career in the military. But I’ve also always been interested in history, so when the opportunity arose to transition from military assignments to teaching and pursuing a PhD at Princeton, it felt like the right step."

Over the years, his research has evolved but has consistently focused on analysing strategic concepts, identifying their flaws, and providing recommendations for improving methods and strategies in warfare.

Analysing Russia’s invasion of Ukraine

During the 2022–2023 academic year, Echevarria spent a sabbatical at Oxford University as part of the Changing Character of War programme. There, he closely analysed Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and the events leading up to it.

He has provided recommendations for ground forces, joint operations involving land, air, and naval forces, as well as guidance for NATO.

"NATO, for instance, lacks a doctrine for cooperating with irregular forces. If NATO were to work with Ukraine’s smaller territorial defence units - what we in the West would classify as irregular forces - there are no existing guidelines for NATO commanders on how to manage such cooperation", he notes.

One way to strengthen deterrence, he argues, is to build strong relationships with irregular forces.

"If adversaries become aware of strong ties between regular and irregular forces, it could deter them from launching attacks. Conversely, weak relationships could have the opposite effect", he explains.