Are Nations Prepared for the Changing Nature of Warfare?

Overview

The digital global age has heralded both beginnings and ends.

Nations: its government, industries, organizations, academia and individuals (NGIOA-I) today stand on the verge of the most transformative period in all of nations history as information, communication and digitization technology, along with genetics, nanotechnology, robotics, biotechnology and artificial intelligence merge and converge to make the once unfeasible imagination, feasible for each of nations components—individually and collectively.

While technology plays an important role in shaping nations future, it also brings an opportunity to play a decisive role in managing the complex challenges facing nations.

Over the years, science and technology has facilitated the human and non-human (i.e. machine) intelligence in coming together and creating unthinkable possibilities and turning it into a potential reality for the good of humanity (mostly!). In addition, the blurring boundaries between cyberspace, geospace and space (CGS) along with the closer integration of nations: its government, industries, organizations, academia and individuals (NGIOA-I) are fundamentally transforming everything around us.

The changes are already under way in CGS and they seem to be very fast-moving for individuals and entities across NGIOA to cope with! The rapid pace of technological change coming nations way has brought such deep impact that each NGIOA, individually and collectively: its expectations and experiences, are being irreversibly transformed. This will undoubtedly change the whole global dynamics, security and power structure in CGS.

Moreover, nations are currently witnessing the end of its governments, industries, organizations, academia and individuals living in isolation and the beginning of an interconnected NGIOA world and interdependent global economy that has moved beyond geospace, and is now vehemently contesting the commons like cyberspace and space. It is not only the battlefield that has expanded from geospace to cyberspace-geospace and space (CGS), it has fundamentally changed how nations fight wars too.

While the essential goals of warfare have not changed since the beginning of times (from stone age to digital global age), over the years the way wars are fought within, between and across nations certainly have.

Because nations witness widespread impact of technology across its government, industries, organizations and academia (NGIOA), it is important to understand and evaluate how the wars are fought not only today, but will also in the coming tomorrow, and who will fight the wars — and what rules will govern the conduct of warfare in CGS.

Since technology always drives the transformational change in the warfare, the number of individuals, groups, nation/state engaged in this new warfare in cyberspace is complicating the very dynamics of warfare: strategy, planning, offense as well as defense. So the question is:

• How are nations preparing themselves for this changing nature of warfare?
• How is the introduction of not only cyber weapons, but bio-weapons, nano-weapons—along with human and non-human intelligence and methods changing warfare strategy towards warfare: defense and offense?

To watch or listen Brigadier General (retired) Blaine D. Holt’s (currently the President of Million Air Inc., an aerospace company based in Houston) views on “Changing Nature of Warfare”, please watch the video or hear the audio podcast. 

Risk Roundup: video/audio podcasts are available on YouTube, iTunes, Android, Google Play, Stitcher Radio, Risk Group, professional social media and Risk Group networks.

About the Author

Jayshree Pandya (née Bhatt) is a visionary leader, who is working passionately with imagination, insight and boldness to achieve Global Peace through Risk Management. It is her strong belief that collaboration between and across nations: its government, industries, organizations and academia (NGIOA) will be mutually beneficial to all—for not only in the identification and understanding of critical risks facing one nation, but also for managing the interconnected and interdependent risks facing all nations. She calls on nations to build a shared sense of identity and purpose, for how the NGIOA framework is structured will determine the survival and success of nations in the digital global age. She sees the big picture, thinks strategically and works with the power of intentionality and alignment for a higher purpose—for her eyes are not just on the near at hand but on the future of humanity! At Risk Group, Jayshree is defining the language of risks and currently developing thought leadership, researching needed practices, tools, framework and systems to manage Strategic and Shared Risks facing nations in a Global Age. She believes that Cyberspace cannot be secured if NGIOA works in silo within and across its geographical boundaries. As Cyber-security requires an integrated NGIOA approach with a common language, she has recently launched Cyber-Security Risk Research Center that will merge the boundaries of Geo-Security, Cyber-Security and Space-Security. Previously, she launched and managed Risk Management Matters, an online Risk Journal and one of the first Risk Publications, publishing Industry Risk Reports of Biotechnology, Energy, Healthcare, Nanotechnology, and Natural Disasters over the course of five years. Jayshree’s inaugural book, The Global Age: NGIOA @ Risk, was published by Springer in 2012.

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