NCJ Number
190999
Date Published
1996
Length
23 pages
Annotation
This essay looks at the potential impact of the information revolution on conflict.
Abstract
The transition from an industrial to a postindustrial military economy occurred in parallel with changing concepts about the character of the wars being fought: from multiyear, attrition-oriented campaigns to shorter wars fought with smaller numbers of inventory weapons and forces. This change had a profound impact on the relationships of the military to the national economic base and had equally profound implications concerning the need to secure and protect the Nation in order to wage war. This transition to a postindustrial society also fundamentally altered the relationships between wealth and power on the one hand and physical resources and capabilities on the other. The three levels of impact of the information revolution are the military technical revolution, revolution in military affairs, and revolution in security affairs. The military technical revolution involves the enhancements to tools. The revolution in military affairs involved changes in conduct of operations. The revolution in security affairs focused on changes in objectives. It was argued that the term “information warfare” was a misnomer. It would be more useful to consider this diverse array of phenomena to be one that flows from the “information revolution.” The term “conflict in the information age” should be adopted as the unifying structure. The notion of a broader “revolution in security affairs” arising from the “information revolution” is to be accepted because it will occur outside the military domain and drive inward. 27 notes