21.09.2015 Views

BATTLEFIELD OF THE FUTURE

Battlefield of the Future - Air University Press

Battlefield of the Future - Air University Press

SHOW MORE
SHOW LESS

Create successful ePaper yourself

Turn your PDF publications into a flip-book with our unique Google optimized e-Paper software.

<strong>BATTLEFIELD</strong> <strong>OF</strong> <strong>THE</strong> <strong>FUTURE</strong><br />

Congress has not missed the importance of intelligence in<br />

focusing R&D . Congressional law mandates that BW defensive<br />

medical efforts be funded and prioritized based on a threat list<br />

developed by the US intelligence community. 17<br />

Two questions emerge from this process . The first is whether<br />

adequate priority and resources have been focused on<br />

collecting and analyzing BW-related intelligence and how<br />

successful these efforts have been . The second is whether the<br />

process of creating a threat list based entirely on intelligence<br />

assessments is adequate . Assessing an adversary's current<br />

BW efforts may ignore developments in biotechnology which<br />

may offer breakthrough capabilities and novel agents .<br />

Weaponizing BW<br />

The final distinction between chemical and biological<br />

weapons involves the methods of dissemination . Weaponizing<br />

of CW and BW implies three essential elements : agent,<br />

munition, and delivery system . Both can be "weaponized" into<br />

conventional munitions such as artillery rounds, cluster<br />

bombs, and missile warheads .<br />

Unlike CW, BW weaponizing implies the efficient aerosolization<br />

of viable agents in a one-to-five micron particle size . Dissemination<br />

of BW agents by conventional munitions pose certain<br />

technological difficulties, because they are sensitive to environmental<br />

stresses . Excessive heat, ultraviolet light, humidity and<br />

oxidation decrease their potency and persistence . 18 The United<br />

States overcame these difficulties in the late 1960s to produce,<br />

weaponize, and stockpile several BW agents . 19<br />

Weaponizing BW includes some unconventional delivery<br />

systems which may put the United States at risk . 2° In contrast<br />

to chemical agents, biological agents could also be easily<br />

adapted for use with commercially available agricultural<br />

sprayers . This dissemination method lends itself to both covert<br />

and clandestine applications and possible terrorist use .21<br />

Unmanned remotely piloted vehicles (RPVs) with spray tanks<br />

represent another low-observable means ofBW delivery .22<br />

A common characteristic shared by both chemical and<br />

biological agents is their dissemination on ancient meteorological<br />

234

Hooray! Your file is uploaded and ready to be published.

Saved successfully!

Ooh no, something went wrong!