WITH the world becoming more inter-connected, military officers must acquire knowledge and capabilities beyond their primary military duties and be prepared to respond to new security threats, Defence Minister Teo Chee Hean said on Monday.

They need to learn how to operate in a multilateral environment and develop a broader strategic outlook on security issues, he told some 60 senior officers attending an Asia-Pacific programme at Sentosa Resort.

"Whether it is to counter conventional threats, peace-keeping or disaster relief, they are more than likely to find themselves working with militaries and agencies from other countries," he said.

Mr Teo said many of the new security challenges would be more complex and multifaceted.

"In our increasingly interconnected world, threats can come from '360-degrees' - from unexpected sources and directions. The more interconnected we are, the more events in one country or one part of the world can have an effect on others."

As examples, he said a country's computer and telecommunications networks could be attacked and crippled from overseas, and an undersea earthquake could disrupt international telecommunications traffic and financial transactions between Asia and America.

Increased international travel could exacerbate health threats such as the outbreak of viral pandemics. Failed states in one region could become safe havens and launch pads for terrorist groups to mount attacks against states in other regions.

The potential for instability will be magnified should the sub-prime crisis lead to a global economic slowdown. Indeed, a prolonged economic downturn could fuel nationalism, undermine regional cooperation, and bring about confrontation over long-standing territorial and other disputes, he added.

In many cases these challenges cannot be addressed by a country acting on its own. They require international cooperation and action, said Mr Teo.

Nearer home, while the prevailing security landscape in Asia has provided the opportunity to foster closer regional networks of cooperation, he said security risks and challenges remain.

Many of them are what Nassim Nicholas Taleb describes as 'black swans' - large-impact, hard-to-predict, and rare events beyond the realm of normal expectations, said the minister, citing the massive earthquake in Sichuan province and Cyclone Nargis in Myanmar as recent examples.

The role of militaries in responding to these non-traditional security challenges is proving increasingly critical, said Mr Teo, stressing the need to work with militaries and agencies from other countries.