The Future Combat System is a US tank system. It would include smart munitions and laser cannons as well as 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 would combine all of the military's arms 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. Armed non-state actors will continue to be attracted to military weaponry through state sponsorship, black-market arms sales, and looting. Also, destructive weapons will be made from commercial technologies. Some may be incorporated as crude weapons of mass destruction, while others could be incorporated into information-based weapons to produce cyber and bio weapons.
As new technologies develop and become more advanced, they may also be used against the United States. Cyberspace has become an extremely powerful tool for terrorists as well as criminal groups. This possibility is alarming. These new technologies are available to non-state actors, which allows them to pursue weaponization with no public opposition. It is also possible that military experimentation will take place in areas such as human enhancement.
Autonomous lethal weapons could roam the battlefield
Artificial intelligence has made it possible to develop fully autonomous lethal weapon systems that could completely eliminate human control of the 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 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. They are less expensive than manned weapons because they don't require human life and can easily be mass-produced. The cost of defensive autonomous weapon should be lower than that of offensive ones. Defensive autonomous weapons are less mobile than offensive weapons, making them more affordable. In order to impose greater costs on an attacking state, the defending state may also use these weapons in greater numbers.
The cost of human soldiers could be reduced by autonomous weapons. While fully autonomous weapons are still decades away, there are already precursors that mimic them. Some militaries are even developing drone swarms for the purpose of attacking enemy air defences. These drones can be very cost-effective and overwhelm air defenses, providing safety for manned aircraft. However, the net effect of autonomous weapons may depend on various factors, such as the significance of the application and the reliability of the system.
Proliferation threats from militarily relevant technological technologies
The proliferation militarily relevant technologies could pose a threat for international security. These technologies could be used to provoke conflict or cause an accidental nuclear accident. Many of these technologies are used in military systems development, such as missiles.
WMD proliferation presents a significant threat for the United States as well as to international peace and security. In addition to North Korea's pursuit of nuclear weapons, other nations have increasingly sophisticated ballistic missiles and continue to proliferate them to regional proxies and terrorist organizations. Russia and China also have rapidly developing arsenals and are increasingly providing advanced weapons to their partners in various regions.