Military Use of IT – Battlefield Technology

This week in class we will be studying the Politics and Government topic in strand 2 of the ITGS triangle, with a focus on military use of IT. For this lesson we will investigate the latest developments in battlefield technology, which is changing rapidly. We have already studied the use of drones by the military and will now look at systems used by infantry soldiers in combat.

The links below provide a starting point for your work but you should also investigate further afield yourself – these technologies are changing rapidly!

Wired Soldiers / Future Warriors

Several countries are developing new equipment for their infantry soldiers to improve their awareness of the battlefield. The US Army has been developing its Land Warrior equipment for some time now as part of its larger Future Force Warrior system. Battlefield visualization is also often a key part of these systems. Other equipment available includes

Smart Weapons

Smart weapons incorporate information technology to increase the effectiveness of weapons and minimize the risk to friendly soldiers. Such systems include weapons that track targets, improve firing accuracy, even when fired by journalists(!).

Exoskeletons

Military Exoskeletons may sound like science fiction, but they are being actively developed by several countries. HULC exoskeleton system ready for soldier tests and US Army plans ‘Iron Man’ armour for soldiers (BBC) both deal with the development of these new ‘robotic’ suits which are designed to improve soldiers’ strength and stamina, enabling them to carry heavier loads over longer distances.