Modern ‘shock and awe’ would be defined by aging jets, new tactics

“We need to be able to use a scalpel and not a meat ax,” said Harlan Ullman, the defense consultant credited with coining "shock and awe."

13 months ago

Tactical Air Control Party specialists at the 13th Air Support Operations Squadron conduct reconnaissance training, Aug. 03, 2021, at Fort Carson Army Base. The training provided instruction and preparation for Joint All-Domain Command and Control operations.

Pentagon’s historic R&D request has billions for advanced networks, AI

The $145 billion request includes $1.4 billion for Joint All-Domain Command and Control and $687 million for the Rapid Defense Experimentation Reserve.

13 months ago

Unmanned

Gulf nations summon sea drones to curb illicit trafficking

U.S. naval officials envision an international fleet of autonomous craft to keep tabs on ship traffic in the contentious Persian Gulf.

US launches artificial intelligence military use initiative

The initiative seeks to impose order on an emerging technology that can change the way war is waged.

14 months ago

How Biden’s microchip ban is curbing China’s AI weapons efforts

U.S. semiconductor export controls on China have erected huge hurdles in Beijing's efforts to use artificial intelligence for military purposes.

15 months ago

Marines’ updated amphibious concept calls for disruptive technologies

The updated amphibious operations concept accounts for anti-access weapons and calls for uncrewed and AI tools to help U.S. naval forces.

17 months ago

Biden seeks ‘right technology investment’ in National Defense Strategy

Along with investments in directed-energy and hypersonics, the strategy would make U.S. a “fast-follower” in artificial intelligence and autonomy.

18 months ago

Artificial intelligence is critical to accelerated decision making

Without clean, easy-to-understand data, AI cannot provide effective analysis for quick and correct decisions.

18 months ago

Data tools soldiers use in Africa could be a model for other commands

The Africa Data Science Center may soon connect to intelligence across the Army.

18 months ago

New approach at West Point has cadets attacking future war problems

Project-based learning at the academy is giving undergraduates chances to do graduate-level research.

18 months ago

As the military fights gun battles in caves, a look at the robots in development for the future of cave warfare.

Robots will make cave war safer for the humans doing the attacking in the future, but that is still at least a decade away.

4 years ago

Why has AI remained cutting edge and imminent for decades?

Lessons for the future of AI from a document about future AI published in 1980

4 years ago

A look at hazards in space, from the Tomorrow Wars newsletter

In the latest issue of the Tomorrow Wars newsletter, a look at understanding risk in space, and the process of converting that mathematical debate into plain language.

4 years ago

Landmines are a weapon set in the present and fired at the future.

In the latest issue of the Tomorrow Wars newsletter, a discussion of how explosives made in the present can carry harm decades, sometimes even centuries, into the future.

4 years ago

From the Tomorrow Wars newsletter: what happens when robots imitate life

From pigeon-feather robots to self-healing mechanical joints, lessons for robots from the world of biology.

4 years ago

The Imperfect Panopticon

For the Tomorrow Wars newsletter, a look at the way personal devices bring new vulnerabilities to the battlefield.

4 years ago

"Hypersonic Santa" and modern mythologizing around weapons that can end the world.

In this Christmas-themed newsletter, a look at how a wrong number led to an easy myth for explaining missile risk, sort of.

4 years ago

Does the Pentagon even have the metaphorical language to describe data?

In this latest issue of the Tomorrow Wars newsletter, a look at metaphors for data in the Pentagon.

4 years ago

Tomorrow Wars: Re-thinking vulnerability

There are more lessons for present security from a "cyberattack" in 1834 than you might imagine.

4 years ago