How is IT used in the military?

The military is one of the largest investors in technology. In the early 20th century, the military was only used to training with real-life markers and ammo. This used a lot of resources that could have beenused to fight a war and secure different regions of conflict. The cost of ammo, targets, training space and instructors became overwhelming, especially in the later years of the 20th century. The military then saw the unique benefits of technology for their training and command purposes. Using computer simulations, all branches of the military are able to train soldiers in an artificial, yet interactive environment 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. The benefit of continual training hours isn't the only benefit sims have to offer. They also dramatically reduce the overall cost of training. Instead of field training and using live ammo, simulations supplement the true feeling of war without using precious materials. The only true cost of the system is the electrical bill and maintanence.

The military has also upgraded their arsenal with weapons that can almost think for themselves, also known as smart weapons. Particularly in the Navy and Air Force, guided missles and Fly-by-Wire technologies have made huge strides in combat aviation. They allow the pilot to focus more on the battle rather than their instruments for flying. They also employ a special fire-and-forget system, where they can fire a missle from miles away and leave the scene before the interception becomes a dogfight.

Planes and army vehicles have also been digitally redisgned to simulate the best air frame for all weather conditions and natural stresses as well. Planes have been created with smaller RADAR crosshair signatures, greater structural integrity, more advanced avionics, and stronger powerplants. These advancements have led to the worlds most advanced aircraft, and their most limiting factor has now become the human body. Army vehicles have also been digitally tested to survive explosions, gun fights and fires.



Communication IT Systems

Communications has always been key for the military's organization and tactics since the dawn of time. Coordinated attacks and defenses have always proven superior to chaos and mayhem. Better communication systems such as satellite communication, laser targeting and digital imaging have helped modern militaries remain dominant in the world.

Applications such as modeling and simulations are key to development of military strategy and technology. These programs allow concepts to be tested under various experiment conditions without spending lots of money on physical models and laboratory testing. These systems also save much more time in the testing phase of military production. Overall, these systems save money, time and ultimately lives.

Integrated systems such as Artificial Intelligence have also become the supporting factor in modern military superiority. Smart weapons have allowed fire-and-forget and fly-by-wire systems to become a reality, which have saved the lives of soldiers by quickly and safely responding to most threats.



Advantages & Disadvantages

Advantages:

• Better military strategy
• Better use of time and resources
• More lives are saved every day
• Faster testing periods in military production
• Faster and less expensive wars
• Better protection in combat
• Better coordination

Disadvantages:

• These systems can go down
• Technology could get viruses and cause problems
• Technology could be easily matched by other opponents
• More advanced systems cost more money per unit
• Less units would be made
• Systems could mess up and cause an unnecessary loss of life

Social & Ethical Issues

Control becomes a major issues especially when dealing with weapons and equipment. The military with the best and most current technology usually goes to great lengths to keep the detail secret, so no other country can use their weapons against them. Keeping the upper hand in combat is key. The technologies used by the modern military have become so sophisticated that they almost control the human being as well. The smart weapons basically decide for themselves where, when and what they are going to hit. In the end however, the person on the other end of the gun is still at the complete mercy of the one holding it.

Policies & Standards are also another governing factor of military technology. Different policies must be enacted to secure the information about the technology, as well as the authorized access of them. The weapons used must also be standardized in order to keep consistency. If a particular smart cannon uses a particular caliber of projectile, then every projectile that it fires must be of the same size and weight.

People & Machines ultimately mix within the military. Soldiers are trained and equiped with various forms of technology, from communications equipment to smart weapons. This synthesis of humans and technology present evermore lethal and capable soldiers and thus reduces the loss of life for the side with the best technology and training.

Sources: http://www.army-technology.com/