Phillip Ball questions technology guru Ray Kurzweil about his argument that future warfare will be dominated by cyberwarfare and military robots.
When even the infantry -- long characterized as "grunts" and "mud soldiers" -- is focused on moving digits, it is clear a major shift is underway in the way the U.S. military fights. What the Afghanistan conflict has brought home to the armed forces is how much the new way of war is built around an unprecedented dependence on information.
Military strategists are envisioning future conflicts where U.S. forces execute complex maneuvers on the basis of high-speed data flowing to vehicles and even individuals from unattended sensors and unmanned aerial vehicles.
Guns that hit targets around corners, computerized helmets, a grenade-launching pickup truck that foils pursuers with oil slicks and smoke screens. The U.S. Army is investing in a host of new technologies that might someday revolutionize American war fighting.
Fast, agile units employing advanced sensors and situational awareness suites will soon become the U.S. Army's vanguard rapid deployment forces. Currently mustering and training at Fort Lewis, Washington, these interim brigade combat teams will rely on a variety of wireless communication and information technologies to detect, outmaneuver and engage more heavily armed opponents.
The U.S. Defense Department is turning to a family of software agents that locate, recognize and speed the delivery of critical information to where it is needed most on the battlefield. When minutes and seconds are precious commodities to a warfighter, software transfer agents help manage and expedite the dissemination of badly needed information. These robot-like software tools help leverage the power of the information age.