Technology

Theory

Technology, and especially military technology, has improved vastly in the recent era. In the past century, technology changed the way nations fight. The early part of the 20th century introduced aircraft, submarines, and atomic bombs, all important to the methods of war. The latter part of the 20th century ushered in another set of changes to warfare, with developments in computer technology and the start of the Internet. The most difficult aspect of technological change is putting the pieces to work for strategic advantage. It is not enough to have good technology; it must also be incorporated into military thinking. In the 18th century, rifled guns were available, but smoothbore guns persisted. It was not until standardization became commonplace, prices fell, and commanders realized the potential for more accurate fire that the rifled musket came into widespread use. Likewise, some technologies today are cost prohibitive (space weapons), untested (nonlethal crowd control devices), or too radical to fit into military planning. Shaping the battlefield is a key idea in warfare. The strategist must analyze the situation and decide how to best employ the tools of war. Furthermore, strategies must be developed to maximize technological advantage so that it translates into strategic success.

Successful incorporation of technology begins with intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance assets. Pulling from a wide variety of sources, including space platforms, aerial observation, signals intelligence, the Internet, and human assets, the commander will analyze the battlespace to determine areas of exploitation. Even before committing forces, a good commander will have thought through the risks and rewards of the upcoming conflict.

[Page 1402]Technology is seen as a panacea for diverse problems. In the past 20 years, the U.S. military has sought to maximize technological advantages in order to become more successful and efficient on the battlefield. As well, high-technology systems continue to evolve that promise a way to prevent future wars. In the former are military technologies that make the U.S. military the most powerful in the world, such as the navy’s fleet of aircraft carriers and their battle groups, to the Air Force’s 5th Generation JSF-35 Fighter now in development. In the latter are a wide variety of technologies that may help avoid war, such as the deterrent capabilities of nuclear weapons to the obviously overwhelming capabilities in American possession.

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