or ▁a ▁National ▁Security ▁Ad visor . ▁ ▁Although ▁states ▁differ ▁in ▁their ▁approach , ▁with ▁some ▁beginning ▁to ▁prior it ise ▁non - mil it ary ▁action ▁to ▁tack le ▁system ic ▁drivers ▁of ▁in security , ▁various ▁forms ▁of ▁co er ci ve ▁power ▁pre dom inate , ▁particularly ▁military ▁capabilities . ▁The ▁scope ▁of ▁these ▁capabilities ▁has ▁developed . ▁Trad itionally , ▁military ▁capabilities ▁were ▁mainly ▁land - ▁or ▁sea - based , ▁and ▁in ▁smaller ▁countries ▁they ▁still ▁are . ▁Else where , ▁the ▁domains ▁of ▁potential ▁war fare ▁now ▁include ▁the ▁air , ▁space , ▁cy bers pace , ▁and ▁psych ological ▁operations . ▁Military ▁capabilities ▁designed ▁for ▁these ▁domains ▁may ▁be ▁used ▁for ▁national ▁security , ▁or ▁equally ▁for ▁off ensive ▁purposes , ▁for ▁example ▁to ▁conquer ▁and ▁an nex ▁territory ▁and ▁resources . ▁ ▁Phys ical ▁security ▁ ▁In ▁practice , ▁national ▁security ▁is ▁associated ▁primarily ▁with ▁man aging ▁physical ▁thre ats ▁and ▁with ▁the ▁military ▁capabilities ▁used ▁for ▁doing ▁so . ▁That ▁is , ▁national ▁security ▁is ▁often ▁understood ▁as ▁the ▁capacity ▁of ▁a ▁nation ▁to ▁mobil ise ▁military ▁forces ▁to ▁guarantee ▁its ▁borders ▁and ▁to ▁d eter ▁or ▁successfully ▁defend ▁against ▁physical ▁thre ats ▁including ▁military ▁ag gression ▁and ▁attacks ▁by ▁non - state ▁actors , ▁such ▁as ▁terror ism . ▁Most ▁states , ▁such ▁as ▁South ▁Africa ▁and ▁Sweden , ▁configure ▁their ▁military ▁forces ▁mainly ▁for ▁territorial ▁defence ; ▁others , ▁such ▁as ▁France , ▁Russia , ▁the ▁UK ▁and ▁the ▁US ,