Small Wars Journal

The Future of War: You Better be Ready to Fight Like It’s a Pre-Electronic Age

Sun, 04/20/2014 - 8:56am

The Future of War: You Better be Ready to Fight Like It’s a Pre-Electronic Age by Jesse Sloman, Best Defense

The best way to predict the future of warfare is to look to its past.

Major battles in the 21st century will be confusing and disorganized affairs more similar to the clashes of a pre-digital age than the ‘network-centric' combat we've become accustomed to. A new generation of offensive technology targeting the electromagnetic spectrum -- systems such as cyberweapons, electronic jammers, anti-satellite missiles, and electromagnetic pulse (EMP) munitions -- will deprive militaries of the sensor and communications links they rely on. Forget 24-hour streaming video from a Predator drone. Armies of the future may struggle just to use their radios...

Read on.