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Distress signalling according to generally accepted methods and codes has always been the main reason for human survival in sea disasters. Examines the origin of this type of communication and its connection to natural senses and channels together with the alphabets, codes and special distress signals used at sea. Reviews the evolution and transformation of the old channels through the introduction of electronic communication, and the opening of some entirely new channels. Compares the different distress channels and makes some proposals concerning new distress signals.

General systems theory is sometimes considered to be extremely “general” and thus a theory embracing everything and nothing. In order to rehabilitate the theory, an attempt is made to trace its origin and define its hallmarks. Begins with an examination of the system concept and closes with the presentation of two paradigms, the systems paradigm and the evolutionary paradigm, today intimately related to general systems theory. Indicates that the theory rests on thoughts as old as humanity itself. Its most significant quality was found to be an order implicit into both cosmos and human existence based on a hierarchy of hierarchies as organizing elements.

An important segment of the life‐saving functions of higher organisms consists of a distress‐signalling complex. Presents a hypothesis concerning the generic existence of these. Discusses the qualities, activation and function of the signals in connection with different senses and channels against the background of systems theory. Examines a complex of formalized distress signals among animals and analyses various aspects of their reception. Also examines a corresponding man‐made complex with electronic channel augmentation from a national as well as an international point of view. Finally, notes the development of electronic distress signals, incomprehensible to humans.

Dynamic simulation as a tool to solve large scale complex problems has long been considered both highly abstract and elusive, especially by the users of the result. Proposes a new method, based on general living systems theory and designed to be well structured and understandable to non‐specialists. It includes a complete working methodology with a bottom‐up approach which generally provides good knowledge of functional principles of the simulated system. An application of the proposed method to the Swedish search and rescue organization showed that critical factors influencing system efficiency can be discovered and analysed.

The ideas of information theory which underlie cybernetics and its information‐processing aspects still has a solid reputation to be both extremely abstract and highly mathematical. Furthermore, the tract has been accused of a slow development and not accentuating the difference between information and communication theories. In this paper an attempt is made to demonstrate that principles and concepts used in information theory can be both understood and used from a psychological basis ‐ without the use of complicated mathematics. The difference between information and communication theory is considered as well as some new and revolutionary concepts. The study shows that the influences of the investigated area have grown considerably with the contributions from information physics.

To enhance the generality and usefulness of classic communication theory, some complementary concepts and ideas have been introduced and commented against the background of General Living Systems Theory (GLS). The paper begins with an extended definition of the problem of communication and continues with a presentation of the concept of natural channels. Basic ideas like the interrelation between time, place, and channel with its four different categories of communication are presented. Also main qualities of a message like informability, detectability, and localizability are analysed. Finally some general ideas regarding coding and transmission of messages are presented. The paper ends with the conclusion that classic communication theory still is highly relevant with no serious anomalies threatening its existence. This truth is confirmed by the fact that the complementary concepts presented here fit well into its existing framework.

To propose a new military academic area called the “Science of Military Command and Control” which will demand an entirely new way of thinking regarding decision‐making command and control and use of modern technology.

Defines basic terms and concepts of the discipline and a meta‐theory consisting of General Systems Theory and its related areas is presented.

Three main perspectives are recommended where the first is General Systems Theory, the second is the Cybernetics Regulatory Paradigm and the third is Communication and Information Theory. The components of military command and control system were analysed and a general model for information system development recommended.

Current thinking in favour of a “network‐defense” that is based on information and communication technology has changed the traditional perspective. New thinking and research development is required. New research using scientific approach is needed.

Shows that the old and exact strategies for Swedish defence has totally changed. New military academic area is proposed and a general model outlined.

Proposes a new way of thinking which will affect future military planning. A cybernetic/systemic methodology provides solutions.

Being the most complex cybernetic regulatory mechanism existing in the universe, the human brain has given birth to a plethora of theories and models. In this paper, some of the most important ideas of the area are discussed together with appurtenant concepts like emotions, feelings, and morality. A conclusion was that in comparison with other animals, human beings are physically slow and ineffective. Moreover, human beings are very subjective with senses easily saturated by information. In spite of these shortcomings, thanks to his self‐conscious and error‐tolerant brain, man has turned out to be extremely successful, specialized in the weighing of uncertainty and making creative associations between different objects.

To make decisions has long been considered an art more than a science. Today the area has been formalized under the name of praxeology and includes the use of computers as decision aids. In this paper some basic decision models are analysed together with some psychological phenomena often connected to them. Managerial problems and needs are examined and related to available computer decision support. The military command, control, communication, and intelligence structure is presented and compared to the corresponding civilian framework. The conclusion was that computer support in decision making now is firmly established among middle level decision makers. Top level managers, on the other hand, were found to derive no major benefit from such systems. Here good intuition, good guesses and a certain feeling for the task were the most important tools.

Technical means now exist to monitor, predict a danger and issue early warnings when something devastating is estimated to happen in the human environment. In order to adapt such means for the benefit of humanity, existing monitoring methods, basic system design principles and natural short and long environmental transformations were investigated. Finally an integrated automatic system for deformation monitoring and surveying of the Chernobyl disaster area, was proposed. The conclusion was that airborne remote sensing including GPS and photogrammetry can be considered the optimum solution.