Military Transformation and the Limits of Uncertainty: 2 Views

H.R. McMaster

Military Transformation has been a hot buzzword over the past decade, fueled by underlying trends that are driving a regular drumbeat of quantum leaps in electronics capability, and by an confluence of international trends that have severely weakened the nation-state. As force planners try to look ahead and assess how to adapt, the question naturally arises – how should the military change?

One view revolves around the concept of Net-Centric Warfare, which can be crudely described as information/awareness dominance leading to military dominance. Under one interpretation of that concept, smaller, lighter networked forces with advanced electronics and precision munitions would be used to outmaneuver and destroy heavier, less advanced forces. Hence the USA’s $160+ billion Future Combat Systems program, with its 27-20 ton tanks and armored vehicles, as the expected backbone of America’s future Army.

That approach does not enjoy universal acceptance. Experiences like Objective Peach in Iraq, war experiences before and since in Afghanistan and Iraq, and Israel’s 2006 war in Lebanon, are causing some officers to question it. DID brings our reader a pair of thought-provoking essays on this topic. One looks at current US Army transformation plans in light of recent combat experience. The other looks for lessons from the last revolution in military affairs – before World War 2…

Military Efficiency Project Roundup, Oct. 2008

Most people don’t think of the US military when they think of conservation and alternative energy sources. They probably should, because the military has strong financial and operational incentives to invest in these areas. Their future planning also sees energy becoming an even bigger issue in future. DID’s “Fuel & Power” topic archive contains a number of articles covering various aspects of the US military’s relationship with energy, and with new energy sources.

Today, Environmental Leader is running a “Military Efficiency Projects Of Note” compendium that may be of interest to our readers.