The Future Combat System (FCS) is a new tank system developed by the United States. It would be equipped with smart munitions, laser cannons, and multi-purpose missiles. It would also come with enhanced surveillance. Ultimately, it would be fully digital and independent of the logistics resupply chain. The FCS will perform all functions of military arms combined into one. Its future use will require major changes to doctrine, command, control, and inter-service relations.
Future of warfare will be a combination of industrial age warfare and knowledge-based warfare
Technology is evolving at an astounding 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 are being used for a wide range of purposes, including guerilla attack and precision weaponry. Non-state armed actors will continue being attracted to military weaponry by state sponsorship, blackmarket arms sale, and looting. Commercial technologies will also be appropriated for destructive weapons. Some of these technologies may be used for crude weapons or mass destruction. Other technologies might be used to make information-based weaponry that produces cyber and other weapons.
The United States may be able to use new technologies that are becoming more sophisticated as they develop. Cyberspace has become a powerful tool to terrorists and criminal organisations. This is a frightening possibility. Non-state actors have the ability to access these new technologies, allowing them to weaponize without being disapproved of by the public. There is also the possibility of military experimentation in areas like human enhancement.
The battlefield could be home to deadly autonomous weapons
Artificial intelligence has opened up the possibility of fully autonomous lethal guns that would totally remove human control over this 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.
Some nations have already begun exploring the use of artificial intelligence in their weapons. They believe that such technology will help them to target enemy fighters more effectively, deactivate them when their targets are not being met, and reduce the risks involved in intensive attacks. In the meantime, activists have been calling for the United Nations to ban lethal autonomous weapons.
Cost of crewed weapons as an alternative to autonomous weapons
The cost of autonomous weapons is a major concern. Because they do not require human life and can be mass produced, autonomous weapons should be less costly than manned ones. The cost of defensive autonomous weapon should be lower than that of offensive ones. These weapons might not be mobile so they are more affordable than the offensive. To impose higher costs on states that are attacking, defending countries may use more of these weapons.
The cost of human soldiers could be reduced by autonomous weapons. Fully autonomous weapons are still decades away but there are already precursors. For example, some militaries have been developing drone swarms in order to attack air defenses. These drones can easily overwhelm air defenses and ensure the safety of manned planes. However, autonomous weapons' net effect may depend on several factors like the importance of the application or the reliability and effectiveness of the system.
Threats to the proliferation of militarily relevant technology
International security is at risk due to the proliferation and use of relevant militarily-relevant technology. The potential for conflict to be aggravated and a nuclear accident to occur if these technologies are used for offensive purposes. These technologies were also used to develop military systems like missiles and unmanned aerial vehicle.
WMD proliferation is a serious threat to the United States, world peace and security, and the United Nations. 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 also rapidly expanding their arsenals and providing more advanced weapons to various regional partners.