The Transformation of Warfare: Ten Propositions

Recent wars have revived a familiar temptation to proclaim another revolution in warfare. Drones, autonomous systems, artificial intelligence (AI), commercial satellites, and long-range precision weapons have often been mentioned as ushering such a development. Indeed, they all constitute parts of a significant transformation in combat unfolding in front of our eyes in Ukraine and the Middle East. Yet, the extensive discussion focusing on their individual effects obscures the bigger story. The very character of war (though obviously not its nature) is undergoing a profound change. Manifest in the way military power is generated, organized, employed, and converted into strategic effects. The presentation will quickly review ten warfare related transformations, then reflect on their reflect on their combined, often synergistic effects and strategic consequences that can only be fully appreciated when the connective tissues between are considered.