5 Reasons Drones And Self Driving Cars Will Revolutionize The Military

5 Reasons Drones And Self Driving Cars Will Revolutionize The Military
The drone has been a controversial weapon in recent American politics because it is so chillingly effective that it opens up a whole new type of warfare. The ability to survey and strike enemies from hundreds of miles away reduces both risk and the chance of human error, and the additional development of self-driving automobiles seems poised to fundamentally change ground operations are carried out. These are five of the most drastic ways automated technology will revolutionize the military.

More Opportunities for Women
The most persuasive argument against allowing women in active combat roles has been the need for physical strength in emergency situations. Once the majority of combat has moved into a remote setting, women will be less disadvantaged in that area and more likely to gain acceptance and recognition within the military. If nothing else, the transition from a masculine culture to one with more feminine influence could have massive implications for the armed forces.

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Greater Precision
Currently, drones are criticized for their potential to harm innocents in the pursuit of a target. That weakness is as old as armies themselves, but drones can narrow down the battlefield with pinpoint accuracy, taking fights out of public streets and into specific buildings or remote fortresses. Drones also make it easier to identify threats before they act, though whether or not to target an individual based on mere suspicion is a serious moral question that must be answered in the future.

Fewer Soldiers on the Ground
Both self-driving vehicles and drones lower the need to place soldiers on the ground in enemy territory. Drones act as surveillance and weapons, capable of carrying out complex military maneuvers, while self-piloting vehicles may one day take over the job of delivering supplies to the front lines.

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Besides the obvious benefit of sending machines into the most dangerous war zones, it also reduces the logistical challenges of moving and feeding large groups of people stretched over thousands of miles. The technology is still being developed, and building a fleet of either will be expensive, but over the long haul a smaller military may be a more efficient one.

Fewer Casualties
Most major shifts in military structure are designed to save lives or eliminate more enemies. Drones are capable of both, able to reach otherwise isolated targets without sending in vulnerable troops. Similarly, precise strikes could lower the rates of injured and killed civilians caught in the crossfire. Considering the fact that the vast majority of casualties in the Middle Eastern wars have been innocent bystanders, diminished bloodshed on either side is an imperative goal.

Self-driving cars also hold the promise of saving lives. Over half of all service-member deaths in Afghanistan are the result of detonating roadside bombs. Removing soldiers from vehicles takes them out of the most hazardous job in the military, hopefully saving thousands of lives in the process.

A New Kind of Soldier
Self-piloting cars and drones are notable advancements by themselves, but they mark a larger trend in the military toward less brute force and more fine-tuned intelligence. Rather than employing foot soldiers trained to shoot a gun when ordered, officials now prefer to bring in specialists adept at technology and other skilled jobs. The American military’s might rests inside the mind of an engineer just as much as on the shoulders of an infantryman, and together they will lead the army into the future of warfare.

Detective Roger Garner has served as one of America’s finest and often writes about new advances in military technology, his personal military experiences, as well as crime and justice. Roger is also a writer at MilitaryEducation.org, a terrific resource for veterans and enlisted men.