Privatization of Security Revisited: the Expansion of Private Security Companies in the Age of Hybrid Conflict (2013-2025)

Authors

  • Andrei Alexandru BABADAC Romanian agency for investment and foreign trade

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.53477/2284-9378-25-60

Keywords:

Privatization of Security;, Hybrid Warfare;, Cyber Governance;, Private Military Companies;, Security Governance;, Durable Disorder.

Abstract

We are witnessing the emergence of the “distributed state” : a governance model where  sovereign responsibilities are networked rather than hierarchical. This article revisits the trajectory of private security companies (PSCs) over the last decade, identifying a structural transition from neoliberal outsourcing to “distributed sovereignty”. Drawing on the theoretical frameworks of Singer and McFate, the analysis reveals how the “market for force” has expanded into the cognitive and cyber domains , effectively outsourcing the definition of security itself. The article highlights the specific implications for governance, noting that private security is embedded in resilience plans at EU as well as in Romania at national level, this dependency creates new vulnerabilities regarding accountability and strategic autonomy. Ultimately, the article posits that the regulation of this distributed architecture will define the
legitimacy of the twenty-first-century state.

Author Biography

Andrei Alexandru BABADAC, Romanian agency for investment and foreign trade

Andrei Alexandru Babadac is currently serving as Adviser within the Romanian Agency for Investment and Foreign Trade, where he supports Romania’s OECD accession process and coordinates activities related to the National Contact Point for Responsible Business Conduct. His work focuses on aligning national frameworks with international standards and engaging in multilateral cooperation, particularly in areas where economic governance intersects with strategic and security considerations.

He holds a Master’s degree in Management of Information for National Security from the Mihai Viteazul National Intelligence Academy. His academic and professional trajectory has maintained a strong focus on international relations and the institutional dimensions of European integration.

He has previously served in advisory roles within the Romanian central administration, including during Romania’s Presidency of the Council of the European Union. In these positions, he worked on cybersecurity policy, EU digital affairs, and interinstitutional coordination at European and international level.

 

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Published

2026-01-19

How to Cite

BABADAC, A. A. (2026). Privatization of Security Revisited: the Expansion of Private Security Companies in the Age of Hybrid Conflict (2013-2025). BULLETIN OF "CAROL I" NATIONAL DEFENCE UNIVERSITY, 14(4), 87–98. https://doi.org/10.53477/2284-9378-25-60

Issue

Vol. 14 No. 4 (2025)

Section

Articles

License

The published articles are subject to copyright law. All rights are reserved to the “Carol I” National Defense University, regardless of whether all or part of the material are considered, especially the rights to translation, reprinting, re-use of illustrations, quotations, broadcasting through the media, reproduction on microfilms or any other way and storage in data banks. Any replicas without the associated fees are authorized provided the source is acknowledged.