Wars are often decided by available technology. The side with the best weapons, the fastest planes, or the most powerful weapon ever usually wins. But we are entering an era where technological advances in warfare are no longer easy or predictable. We're not just making slightly more efficient versions of the weapons that came before. Instead, wars are capable of being fought in fundamentally new ways, and only one breakthrough can make another country's efforts obsolete.
So what technologies are on the horizon?
Advanced radar and communications
First, thanks to advances in microelectronics, the new technology will enable high-power transmission with a wide frequency bandwidth, high efficiency, and a relatively small footprint. This means more efficient, less noticeable communications systems and more advanced radars for the battlefield. In an age where communication is everything, it will only become more important.
Internet of Things (IoT)
The IoT is connecting entire, connected networks between our home devices like TVs, thermostats, and even our refrigerators and ovens. The same mindset can be applied to battlefield technology, which provides soldiers with mobile apps and connected devices that work together. A head-up display can be attached to a weapon, which can be linked to the visual systems of other soldiers, creating a deep network of real-time information that can support in-flight decision-making, which Ultimately makes soldiers safer and more likely. efficient.
Drones and swarms of drones
Piloted drones are already used in some military applications, allowing pilots to operate remotely on the battlefield. This is beneficial because drones are more agile, less noticeable, and can avoid the need for a human to perform this role. The future of drone technology may allow "swarms" of micro-drones to work together, capable of more complex operations such as self-healing and coordination. In fact, this technology has already been demonstrated in practice.
Autonomous weapons
One of the most famous high-tech developments on the horizon is the rise of autonomous weapons. The idea here is to create robots and/or weapon systems that are fully capable of finding and attacking targets on their own without the help of pilots or supervisors. They can also be used in conjunction with facial recognition technology.
Many experts have called for a total ban on the development of autonomous weapons, fearing that such a massive display of power could become a problem for humanity, empowering dictators and forcing an arms race. That might lead to an unreliable system. Critics have overstated these concerns, acknowledging that we are still years away from this possibility and that adequate safeguards can be put in place to prevent a catastrophe.
Augmented and virtual reality
The applications of augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR) to warfare are virtually endless. For starters, an AR headset can provide soldiers with better real-time information about their surroundings, spotting potential tactical positions, detecting suspicious movements, other members of their team, etc. can identify, and highlight potential hazards, such as mines.
Virtual reality systems can be used to train soldiers in depth, placing them in realistic combat scenarios rather than the war games that typically occur during training. This will allow for better conditioning and better reaction time in combat. Virtual reality could also be used for more nefarious purposes, as a conduit for "human" torture, since psychological suffering would require no physical harm to the body.
More subtle attacks
Perhaps the most dangerous tool available to fighters is one of the least sensational: the ability to strike much more subtle but more effectively. By penetrating the web and gaining access to electronic systems, skilled individuals from the other side of the world can threaten a major global power. We rely so heavily on electronic systems for everything from banking to the delivery of public services that a single attack can leave us extremely vulnerable and destroy a stable nation. On top of that, a manipulative team of hackers can rally citizens against the existing chain of command in their country, sowing further chaos.
A new race of preparations and weapons
The biggest problem posed by these possibilities is the threat of a new arms race. With many countries aware that these technologies may soon be on (and off) the battlefield, there will be great pressure to develop these weapons as well as countermeasures to them. This will encourage good and bad actors to speed up the development process, which will inevitably leave more vulnerabilities and bugs throughout the technology.
There are no easy answers about how to move forward, especially given the unpredictable paths of development that technology can take. Instead, we must learn what we can and prepare for a future of multi-faceted, high-tech combat.
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