Unto the Fifth Generation of War

Unto the Fifth Generation of War

Blog Post published by Mark Safranski on 07-17-2005
Site: ZenPundit
Permalink: "Unto the Fifth Generation of War"

Summary:

Early and detailed consideration of aspects which might constitute fifth generation warfare, beginning with concepts of 4GW and building from there.

Key trends mentioned:

  • Superempowerment
  • Fluidity
  • Multidimensional Battlespace
  • Autonomous Surrogates

Key technologies and sciences mentioned:

  • Artificial Intelligence
  • Genomics
  • Alternative Fuels
  • Quantum Computing
  • Human Brain Research
  • Complexity and Chaos Theory
  • Nanotechnology
  • String Theory

In addition, the concept of "driving deeper" is specifically noted:

"A strong possibility exists that given successive generations of warfare tend to drive "deeper" into enemy territory, that 5GW will mean systemic liquidation of enemy networks and their sympathizers, essentially a total war on a society or subsection of a society."

An alternative conceptualization of potential fifth generation warfare is suggested with an early reference to Thomas P. M. Barnett's " 'System Administration' based Global Transaction Strategy" as a type of 5GW.

Colonel Thomas X. Hammes' The Sling and the Stone is also quoted.

Added by Curtis Gale Weeks on August 24, 2007 7:40 AM Comments (0)

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