ROLE OF TECHNOLOGY INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS

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Role of Technology in International Affairs
is the increasing use of outer space capabilities for enhanced performance and
stand-off ranges. Ever since the announcement of the Strategic Defense
Initiative (SDI) 14 by the then US President Ronald Reagan in 1983, the impact
of technology on defence strategies and operational doctrines has changed
dramatically. With vastly superior technologies of long range high-precision
missiles and space based Ballistic Missile Defence (BMD) the US was able to
have enormous deterrence capacity to which the very powerful Soviets had
to give-in. Advances in military space capabilities have sharpened situational
awareness to a level that major powers of today are able to anticipate most
dangers to their security and take preventive steps to nullify the threat. The
US’ use of Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) technology for targeting small
specific terrorist groups, sitting in secure command centres on the US
mainland—represents a quantum leap in technological capabilities in the
future war scenario. However, it must be borne in mind that some amount
of technology diffusion is inevitable and future concerns must include the
possibility of such advanced technologies being available to rebel groups or
State-sponsored fundamentalists.
Many of the science fiction projections of the yester-years are close to
realisation and the impact of these technologies on future security strategies
is likely to be very profound and long-lasting. Space is already being used
extensively for military purposes and robotics, and artificial intelligence
advances are enhancing the capabilities of robotic systems. Aerospace vehicles
that can rise directly to space orbits are near maturity. The robotic space plane
XB-37 has already made successful long duration flights. The introduction
of directed energy weapons and possible increase in the military exploitation
of satellite systems for combat purposes will revolutionise the future trial of
strength between powerful nations.
The latest trends in technology development for military purposes also
indicate a move towards miniaturisation, improved efficiency and greater
flexibility. As weapons become smaller and more efficient, deployment
strategies and operational scenarios become more flexible, making a large
variety of options available to the user. The shrinking size and weight of
strategic warheads are a classic example of how technology has made the
attacker’s job easier and the defender’s job more difficult—creating more
demand for newer technology options to meet the new level of threat. It is
also interesting that, with the increasing accuracy of weapon delivery
technology and the increasing lethality of new warheads, there is growing
interest in the development of non-nuclear strategic weapons. Technology