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New Weapons and the East-West Military Balance
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15834 |
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CURRENT ISSUES
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1 / 1989 |
2,527 Words |
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W. Seth Carus
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A new generation of military equipment now under development is expected to revolutionize warfare in the next few years. Relying on new technologies that only recently have become available, this new hardware will have the same dramatic impact on warfare that the tank and the aircraft did earlier in the century.
A variety of technological innovations are playing a role in this revolution in military affairs, but two developments are particularly important: new "sensors" and "brilliant" weapons. The new sensors can detect and identify enemy forces at long range. As a result, it will be possible for friendly forces to locate hostile units even if they are far from the battlefield.
Among the sensors that will be available are a new generation of highly sensitive radars, sophisticated reconnaissance cameras, systems for detecting and locating enemy radar and radio transmissions, and infrared sensors that can be used at night or in periods of low visibility to produce television-quality images. These systems will be used from aircraft, inexpensive tethered balloons, remotely piloted low-cost vehicles that can operate over enemy territory without being spotted, and inexpensive satellites that can be launched during periods of crisis (called "Lightsats").
Among the systems that have been developed by the United States are the ASARS II (Advanced Synthetic Aperture Radar System), mounted on high-flying TR-1 aircraft (a version of the U-2 spy plane). This radar reproduces high-quality images of objects like bridges, buildings, or air bases at distances of more than 100 miles. Similar kinds of radar are being developed in small packages that could be placed on small, remotely piloted vehicles.
One of the most sophisticated of the new sensor systems now under development is Joint STARS (the Joint Surveillance Target Attack Radar System), which consists of a large radar mounted on a converted Boeing 707 aircraft. This radar is specifically designed to detect moving vehicles at distances of more than 100 miles. The target information can be transmitted to other places as it is gathered, so that aircraft or artillery units can attack the enemy forces.
Flying Cameras
Even some more traditional sensors are undergoing changes that will dramatically enhance capabilities. U.S. Air Force reconnaissance aircraft are now being provided with video cameras that can transmit pictures to the ground while the pictures are being taken. Similarly, battlefield surveillance radars, which are used to monitor enemy troop movements near the front lines, are being improved over the heavy, primitive versions once used.
Sensor systems of this type will give American military forces an unprecedented amount of information about enemy forces. Moreover, it will be available in real time, or as it is actually happening. As a result, it will be possible to launch attacks on enemy forces with a speed never before possible.
Equally important to this process are new types of weapons, so-called brilliant munitions that can locate and attack targets without human intervention. The "smart" weapons introduced in the 1970s and 1980s need a human operator to designate
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