Improving the Infantryłs Inventory
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IMPROVING THE INFANTRY’S INVENTORY: Can New Technologies Transform Military Operations in Urban Terrain? Aidan Harris University of Lancaster, UK Lancaster University March 2003 Ver.2 9.5.03 IMPROVING THE INFANTRY’S INVENTORY: Can New Technologies Transform Military Operations in Urban Terrain? Aidan Harris March 2003 . Contents Contents..................................................................................................................................................iii Glossary of Abbreviations and Acronyms................................................................................................ V PART ONE: URBAN OPERATIONS AND THE REVOLUTION IN MILITARY AFFAIRS Introduction to the RMA Debate....................................................................................................2 Defining the Generic .....................................................................................................................2 Defining the Specific.....................................................................................................................3 An Evolution in Military Affairs...................................................................................................4 Definitions and Limitations of Enquiry.........................................................................................8 Why Urban Operations? .................................................................................................................9 The Primacy of Cities....................................................................................................................9 Frequency of Involvement...........................................................................................................10 Types of MOUT .....................................................................................................................10 Difficulties of MOUT..................................................................................................................12 Vehicular Manoeuvre .............................................................................................................13 Aerial Support ........................................................................................................................13 Infantry Impediments .............................................................................................................14 PART TWO: IMPROVING THE INFANTRY'S INVENTORY: AN ASSESSMENT OF NEW AND EMERGING TECHNOLOGIES Communications ............................................................................................................................17 Shrinking Radios and Expanding Bandwidths ............................................................................17 Aerial Relays ..........................................................................................................................17 Towards Networked Soldiers .................................................................................................18 A Communications Revolution? ............................................................................................18 Innovations in Situational Awareness ..........................................................................................20 Sensors ........................................................................................................................................20 Acoustic..................................................................................................................................20 Electro-chromatography .........................................................................................................21 Global Positioning System .....................................................................................................21 Identify Friend or Foe.............................................................................................................22 Drones, Remotes and Robots ......................................................................................................22 Unmanned Ground Vehicles (UGVs).....................................................................................22 Unmanned Aerial Vehicles.....................................................................................................23 Vivisystems ............................................................................................................................23 Networks and Webs ....................................................................................................................24 . Improving the Infantry’s Inventory Casualty Aversion and Non-Lethality..........................................................................................25 The Rules of Engagement ...........................................................................................................25 Non-Lethal Technologies............................................................................................................26 Anti-personnel.............................................................................................................................27 Directed Energy Weapons......................................................................................................28 High Powered Microwave......................................................................................................28 Pulsed Energy Projectile.........................................................................................................29 Acoustics ................................................................................................................................29 Blue-on-Blue Blunders................................................................................................................30 The Barriers and Dangers of Non-Lethality................................................................................30 PART THREE: ACHIEVING A REVOLUTION IN URBAN MILITARY AFFAIRS: NON-TECHNOLOGICAL INNOVATION AND CONCLUSIONS Structural Adjustments .................................................................................................................34 Research, Development and Acquisition ....................................................................................34 Doctrine.......................................................................................................................................35 Urban Operations Outlook............................................................................................................39 Communicating in Cities........................................................................................................39 Extending Sensorial Range and Depth ...................................................................................40 Non-Lethal Weapons: Panacea or Paper Tiger? .....................................................................40 Prospects for the Future of Urban Operations ........................................................................41 BIBLIOGRAPHY.........................................................................................................................................43 Index of Tables and Figures Table 1: Characteristics of Selected Historical RMAs............................................................................3 Table 2: Comparison of Improvements in Aircraft and Infantry 1945-1991 ........................................15 Table 3: Examples of Selected Non-Lethal Technologies....................................................................27 Table 4: Scope of Current MOUT Doctrinal Manuals..........................................................................36 Table 5: Summary of Probable MOUT Innovations.............................................................................41 Figure 1: Information Processes behind Dominant Battlespace Knowledge in the RMA ......................4 Figure 2: A Two-Phased Model of the RMA Process ............................................................................6 Figure 3: The Hypothetical Rise and Fall of RMAs 1860-2020.............................................................7 Figure 4: World Population Trends 1950-2030 ....................................................................................10 Figure 5: Force Posture and Strength Trends in Relation to Military Affairs 1980-2020.....................36 iv Improving the Infantry’s Inventory Glossary of Abbreviations and Acronyms ADS Active Denial System BDA battle damage assessment C2 command and control CENTCOM US Central Command CNN Cable Network News DAGR Defense Advanced GPS Receiver DARPA Defense Advanced Projects Agency DEW directed energy weapon DoD Department of Defense DoE Department of Energy DSR Directed Stick Radiator EW electronic warfare EMA evolution in military affairs GPS Global Positioning System HPM high-powered microwave IFF Identify Friend or Foe JNLWD Joint Non-Lethal Weapons Directorate Lidar light detection and ranging MOUT military operations in urban terrain NLW non-lethal weapon P2P peer-to-peer PEP pulsed energy projectile PSYOPS psychological operations RMA revolution in military affairs ROE rules of engagement SSW Smart Sensor Web SUOSAS Small Unit Operations Situational Awareness System TNT tri-nitrotoluene [high explosive] UAV unmanned aerial vehicle UGV unmanned ground vehicle UHF ultra-high frequency VHF very-high frequency v PART ONE: Urban Operations