A FRAMEWORK FOR ASSESSING THE IMPACTS OF POTENTIALLY DISRUPTIVE MILITARY TECHNOLOGIES

Abstract

This paper proposes an alternative framework for assessing the impacts of potentially disruptive military technologies across all relevant dimensions. The research follows a critical thinking methodology supported by alternative analysis techniques. The proposed framework includes strategic, operational, tactical, technical and organizational dimensions. Political, economic, military, cultural, and legal factors are the variables for the strategic dimension. The variables to assess the operational dimension are performance, congruence, and opportunity. Secrecy and tactics, techniques, and procedures are the tactical variables. The technical dimension includes performance, maturity, and interconnectedness. Internal support, pacing gap and cost are the variables within the organizational dimension. The convergence of the assessed impact on variables and dimensions reveals the impact of a specific technology as null, moderate, high or revolutionary. The proposed framework for assessing the impact of potentially disruptive military technologies informs policymakers and industry leaders, as well as supports decisions about technology investment, defense capabilities and related strategies.
 Keywords: Disruptive technologies; framework; impact; military; warfare.

Description