Private military companies in contemporary conflicts: trends, risks, and regulatory challenges

Abstract

Aim: As practical law enforcement professionals, we guide readers into the world of private military companies, which is little known or completely unknown to many and shrouded in mystery and fiction, and raise some exciting questions that could serve as a starting point for further research.
Methodology: In our study, we examine the place and role of private military companies in today's military industry through a comparative analysis of online content, in addition to English and Hungarian sources, exploring a particularly interesting and topical issue through a new and extremely exciting lens, while also highlighting some particularly sensitive issues.
Findings: The study concludes that the role of private military companies in future conflicts will continue to grow and that they will become increasingly important in combat, training, personal protection, and peacekeeping tasks. It also points out that the legal regulation of their operations remains inadequate, which raises serious international legal challenges.
Value: Wars, changes in certain forms of warfare, the outsourcing of military activities to the civilian sector and their provision as services have fundamentally changed the way armed conflicts and acts of war are conducted and have created a rationale for the existence of private military companies. This study provides assistance in examining these activities.