BATTLEFIELD OF THE FUTURE
Battlefield of the Future - Air University Press
Battlefield of the Future - Air University Press
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<strong>THE</strong> REVOLUTION IN MILITARY AFFAIRS<br />
understanding of the heart and soul (or national character) of<br />
the countries under consideration . By "national character" we<br />
mean what makes them tick-what factors (current and future)<br />
would push them along the path from niche, to regional, to peer<br />
competitor .<br />
Such considerations might include, but are not limited to,<br />
the following :<br />
" Historical context<br />
" Cultural and social beliefs (mores, etc .)<br />
" Demographics (rate of change, age of population)<br />
" Geography (landlocked, access to ports, agriculture)<br />
" Economic development (trade, industrial baseindigenous/other)<br />
" Political system (democratic, autocratic, stability)<br />
" Access to foreign markets and technologies (sunrise/<br />
sunset systems, information technologies and capability)<br />
" Military force structure (disposition, training)<br />
" Nature of alliances (cooperative agreements, traditional/<br />
nontraditional adversaries)<br />
In other words, it is essential that we understand what a nation<br />
or region is to more accurately reflect what it may become.<br />
Understanding the national character and proclivities of a<br />
nation is only part of the equation . Equally important is an<br />
appreciation of national, regional, and/or global trends that may<br />
act in synergy with national character to propel a nation to<br />
competitive status . Trends associated with economics, the pace<br />
of technological innovation, the development of military weapon<br />
systems, the growth of new operational and organizational<br />
approaches, and the proliferation and diffusion of military<br />
systems and technologies will all interact with the national<br />
character and daily events of virtually every nation in the world .<br />
While some analysts may view the birth of competitor states<br />
(China or Japan for instance), as being quite predictable, we<br />
should be cautious in ascribing too much certainty to such<br />
predictions . Trends may cause nations to transform in<br />
unanticipated ways, thereby giving rise to a number of surprise<br />
competitors . Nevertheless, evaluating trends in the context of<br />
national character may help to narrow the field of who these<br />
competitor states may be .<br />
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