Paul Scharre - Robotics On The Battlefield (2014-2015):
Part 01 (Range, Persistence and Daring)
Summary
The U.S. military’s conventional superiority is eroding. Anti-access weapons threaten traditional modes of U.S. power projection, and non-state nactors are acquiring advanced technologies that will increase their lethal capabilities. On its current trajectory, the U.S. military faces a future in which its freedom of maneuver will be curtailed and where precision strike weapons from state and non-state actors will make the operating environment increasingly hazardous and lethal. Uninhabited and autonomous systems have enormous untapped potential to help the U.S. military address these challenges. Because of their increased endurance and ability to take risk without placing human lives in danger, uninhabited and autonomous systems can give the military greater reach and persistence into denied areas and can enable more daring concepts of operation.
Uninhabited systems have been used to great effect in current operations but are still in their infancy in terms of their full potential. Like the tank and aircraft at the end of World War I, their use to date has been limited to niche roles, but they have tremendous
potential in future conflicts. Cultural and bureaucratic obstacles within the Department of Defense (DOD) are limiting development, however.
Just as the Navy initially resisted the transition from sail to steam-powered ships and elements of the Army dismissed air power and fought against the shift from horses to tanks, some parts of the military continue to resist the expansion of uninhabited systems into traditional combat roles. As a result, the DOD is failing to invest in game-changing technology that could increase efficiencies and save lives. Strong department leadership will be required to overcome these obstacles and ensure that DOD is investing today in these vital capabilities to counter future threats.