Final answer:
A relative combat power assessment identifies vulnerabilities and strengths in military forces, determining necessary combat power for stability and civil support. It includes traditional military strength evaluation, as well as the capability to withstand and respond to modern warfare tactics like cyber threats.
Step-by-step explanation:
A relative combat power assessment is a strategic evaluation used within the military to understand and compare the capabilities of opposing forces. This assessment identifies vulnerabilities that can be exploited, such as lack of readiness, poor leadership, or inferior technology. It also identifies strengths that require protection, like critical supply lines, well-defended positions, or technological advantages. Furthermore, it determines the combat power necessary to conduct essential stability or civil support tasks, including implementing civil defense, emergency preparedness measures, and ensuring the resilience of critical national infrastructure.
Considering historical and modern warfare strategies, such as the use of intelligence services to defeat external threats, counterintelligence to protect against internal ones, and the adaptation to hybrid warfare with the application of autonomy and robotics, a relative combat power assessment has become even more complex. It includes not only traditional military strength but also softer forms of power such as economic leverage and alliances like NATO. Moreover, the assessment takes into account the ability to counteract and defend against threats of disinformation and cyber-infiltration.