Comparative analysis of state policy in the field of digital modernization of the armed forces institution: the experience of East Asian countries and Russia

The study is dedicated to the comparative analysis of the digital modernization of the armed forces in Russia and East Asian countries (China, Japan, South Korea). The main subject of the research is the state strategies and concepts, mechanisms of political governance, and technological solutions that define the transformation of defense systems in the context of the proliferation of artificial intelligence technologies, automated management systems, networked reconnaissance and communication systems, and autonomous weapon systems. Based on the analysis of open sources, the study examines how digital technologies change the structure of military organization, shape new models of civil-military interaction, impact state policy, and redistribute power factors in the international system. Trends relevant to the development of the strategic course of the Russian Federation in the field of digital modernization are recorded. In the course of the work, strategic documents defining the directions of scientific, technical, and investment activities in the modernization of the armed forces, reports from research centers, and the current media agenda were analyzed. Methodologically, the study is based on a neorealist understanding of the logic of state behavior in international politics. The scientific novelty of the research lies in the systematic comparison of various models of digital modernization of the armed forces implemented in Russia and East Asian countries, with an emphasis on the differences in their geopolitical imperatives and strategic objectives. It has been revealed that East Asian states carry out digitization in the defense sphere predominantly within the logic of economic-technological growth, network integration of armaments, and active involvement of the civil sector, contributing to the accelerated implementation of AI and autonomous combat systems. The Russian model, on the contrary, is characterized by a centralized approach and a focus on achieving technological and political sovereignty in the face of external pressure. The digitization of the armed forces becomes an independent factor in the redistribution of military power and the transformation of security institutions, with its consequences, risks, and management effects significantly depending on the chosen model of digital development by the state.