The Future Combat System (FCS) is a new tank system developed by the United States. It would include smart munitions and laser cannons as well as multi-purpose missiles. It would also include extended surveillance. It would eventually be completely electronic and free from any logistics resupply chain. The FCS will perform all functions of military arms combined into one. The future military will need significant changes in doctrine, command and control, inter-service relationships, and other aspects.
Future of warfare is a mixture of industrial age and information-based warfare
Technology is developing at an amazing rate in this century. The tools of warfare are constantly changing, from AI and robotics to bio- and nanotechnology, to computing, and processing. These technologies will be useful for many purposes as they advance, including guerilla warfare and precision weaponry. State sponsorship, blackmarket arms sales and looting will continue attract non-state-armed actors to military weapons. Commercial technologies will also be appropriated for destructive weapons. Some could be used as crude weapon of mass destruction while others may be used to build cyber- and bio-women.
As technology advances and becomes more sophisticated, it is possible that they could also be used against America. Cyberspace has become an extremely powerful tool for terrorists as well as criminal groups. The possibility of this happening is frightening. These new technologies are available to non-state actors, which allows them to pursue weaponization with no public opposition. Military experimentation can also take place in areas such human enhancement.
There are potentially lethal autonomous weapons that could roam the battlefield
Artificial intelligence has opened the door to fully autonomous lethal weapons that would completely remove human control over deadly force. The medical community has long advocated against the development of lethal weapons, advocating total bans on chemical and nuclear weapons, and non-governmental organizations have called for a legally binding ban on autonomous weapons. The medical community has not been a major voice in the debate about autonomous weapons.
Artificial intelligence has been explored by some countries. They argue that such technology could help them better target enemy fighters, deactivate them when they are no longer on target, and reduce risks inherent in intensive attacks. In the meantime activists are calling on the United Nations not to allow lethal autonomous weapons.
Cost of crewed options to autonomous weapons
Unmanned weapons raise many questions regarding their cost. Because they do not require human life and can be mass produced, autonomous weapons should be less costly than manned ones. Defensive autonomous weapons should also be less expensive than offensive ones. They may be less expensive than offensive weapons because they don't require mobility. In order to impose greater costs on an attacking state, the defending state may also use these weapons in greater numbers.
Autonomous weapons could help combat the cost of human soldiers by reducing the number of soldiers needed. While fully autonomous weapons are still decades away, there are already precursors that mimic them. Some militaries have begun to develop drone swarms that can target air defenses of enemy aircraft. These drones are cheap and can overwhelm air defenses, ensuring the safety of manned aircraft. The net effect of autonomous weapons can depend on many factors such as the importance of the application and its reliability.
Proliferation risks from militarily relevant technologies
The proliferation militarily relevant technologies could pose a threat for international security. The use of these technologies for offensive purposes has the potential to aggravate conflict and potentially cause an accidental nuclear accident. Several of these technologies have been used in the development of military systems, such as missiles and unmanned aerial vehicles.
WMD proliferation represents a grave threat to the United States and world security and peace. Other than North Korea's pursuit for nuclear weapons, other countries have more sophisticated ballistic missiles. They continue to spread them to terrorist groups and regional proxies. Russia and China are rapidly developing their arsenals, and provide advanced weapons to each other in different regions.