The total defense framework for GCC states is tailored to fulfill the region’s unique strategic needs, regarding its militaries, history and culture, governance, demographics, and social composition. It addresses eight domains of national power (military, civil, economic, cyber and digital, psychological and information, societal capacity, diplomatic, and infrastructure), and operates across four societal tiers (national, regional, municipal, and individual). At its core is a total defense concept that includes deterrence, crisis management, continuity, private-sector integration, psychological defense, and gray-zone preparedness.

Kearney’s framework offers GCC governments an actionable model for building defense-in-depth. It guides countries in establishing a governance architecture focused on total defense and provides an implementation road map over a multiyear timeline.

The goal of having total defense that meets each GCC country’s needs is to ensure that when a crisis strikes, it has prepared in advance and has the institutional architecture, trained population, stockpiled resources, and psychological fortitude to absorb the shock, maintain essential functions, and recover rapidly. This is also effective deterrence.