1. Autonomous weapons
These are robotic vehicles, under
development, that search and destroy enemy troops and equipment on the
ground or in the air, without risk to friendly troops - theoretically.
How they work: Onboard computers interpret sensor data to identify and target hostile forces
with built-in weapons. Robots may query human controllers at remote
sites for the go-ahead to fire, and friendly forces may carry
transponders that identify them as "friends".
Limitations: Difficulty of quickly
and reliably discriminating between hostile forces and neutral or
friendly parties or objects, such as civilians, cows, trees, and
tractors. Systems that check with human controllers are vulnerable to
communication failures. Malfunctioning robots could fire wildly at
anything.
2. High-energy lasers
These are powerful energy beams that travel
through air or space in straight lines. They travel at the speed of
light and can strike over distances of thousands of kilometres.
How they work: Large mirrors focus powerful
laser beams onto a small spot on the target. The heat produced burns
through the surface of the target, disrupting flight, disabling
warheads, or igniting fuels or explosives.
Limitations: It needs much more
energy to do damage than bullets, which destroy targets with their
momentum. Powerful lasers need fuel or electrical power and are also very bulky (the US Airborne Laser fills a Boeing 747). Travelling through air and turbulence can disperse the energy of the beam.
3. Space-based weapons
Space is the ultimate high ground, so weapons
in orbit would have the ability to see and zap anything on the ground,
in the air, or nearby in space.
How they work: The main mission of
space-based weapons would be to defend against ballistic missiles fired
at targets on Earth. Fleets of interceptors or battle stations would be
stationed in orbit, poised to fire at any attacking missiles. The
leading approach now is solid projectiles - such as tungsten rods - that would impact missiles. But laser battle stations are also under consideration.
Limitations: The technology is
immature. Reaction times must be very fast. Interceptors must hit
warheads to destroy them, which is difficult. Lasers also need chemical
fuel or electrical power which is not readily available in space.
4. Hypersonic aircraft
Launched from a standard runway, a hypersonic aircraft
could fly faster than Mach 5 to strike anywhere in the world within two
hours. It would also have enough thrust to deliver a satellite to
low-Earth orbit.
How they work: To get off the
ground from a runway, a hypersonic plane would either hitch a ride on a
conventional plane, or have its own conventional jet engine. That engine
would carry the hypersonic craft to an altitude where air density and
resistance are less. Here it would reach supersonic speeds and then
shift to its scramjet engine. The scramjet scoops up air and mixes it
with fuel so it burns as the mixture flows through the engine at supersonic speeds.
This means scramjets can achieve some of the speed of a rocket without
having to carry heavy oxidiser (to mix with fuel), as rockets do.
Limitations: The technology is
immature, with many engineering issues unresolved. Scramjets engines can
not start until the plane flies faster than the speed of sound. Plus,
hypersonic flight has so far only been demonstrated for small unpiloted
craft carried to high speed by other vehicles - and other planned
experimental craft are too small to carry a pilot.
5. Active Denial System
Millimetre-wave or microwave beams supposedly make people flee without injuring them. They might typically be powered by a generator fitted to a Humvee, in crowd control situations.
How it works:A 2-metre antenna and
mobile generator produce and aim a beam of 95-gigahertz (3-millimetre)
radiation. The top 0.3 mm of skin absorbs millimetre waves, causing
intense pain within five seconds, so people flee quickly, if they can.
Limitations: Serious injury is
possible if people cannot escape from the beam; skin burns within
minutes. The beam also superheats metal objects like coins, earrings, or
spectacle frames, which can then burn skin.
6. Nuclear missiles
Nuclear missiles are able to deliver
unmatched destructive power anywhere in the world, making them the
ultimate level of military power.
How they work: One or more nuclear warheads
are mounted on a ballistic missile, and launched vertically. The rocket
burns out in the upper atmosphere, then coasts to its programmed
destination where the bomb descends and explodes.
Limitations:These weapons are so
frighteningly destructive that they have never been used in war (the
Hiroshima and Nagasaki bombs - which had much less destructive power -
were dropped from aircraft). Plus, the launch site and trajectory are
easy to identify, inviting retaliation in kind from the target nation.
7. Stun guns (Tasers)
Tasers disable people with bursts of high-voltage electricity, allowing police to subdue them without lasting injury.
How it works: A special gun fires darts on
wires. These deliver a pulse of electricity that temporarily disrupts
control of voluntary muscles. Police target body or legs to avoid
vulnerable areas such as head and neck. Without muscle control, people
fall to the ground.
Limitations: Tasered people may be
injured when they fall to ground. Darts can injure the throat, eyes, or
genitals. Pulses can cause muscle spasms or seizures, and deaths have
been reported. One pulse does not stop all people, and there have been
allegations of misuse of stunguns, and claims of their use in torture.
8. E-bombs
High-power microwave pulses can knock out computers, electronics, and electrical power, crippling military and civilian systems.
How they work:A rapid increase in electromagnetic field strength during a pulse, induces surges of electric current
in conductors. This burns out electrical equipment - semiconductor
chips are particularly vulnerable. Special bombs generate the most
intense pulses covering large areas, but unmanned aircraft carrying
smaller generators can pinpoint targets.
Limitations: The effects can depend
on local conditions, and are hard to predict. Sensitive enemy military
equipment can be shielded, and microwaves also disable friendly
electronics within range.
9. Layered missile defence
Layered missile defence offers the best chance to shoot down attacking ballistic missiles.
How it works:
Multiple anti-missile systems are deployed to target ballistic missiles
during different stages of the attacking missile's flight: (1) The
boost phase, while the rockets firing engines makes it easy to spot; (2)
Mid-course, while the warhead coasts in space, and; (3) The terminal
phase, as it approaches the target. Each phase, or layer, of defence
increases the chance of successful destruction of the missile.
Limitations: Depends on efficiency
of each layer. The system is very expensive to build, test, deploy, and
maintain. The initial boost phase is easiest to target, but requires
extremely fast reaction times.
10. Information warfare
This technique interferes with the flow of
information vital to enemy operations, while defending friendly channels
of communication.
How it works: Information warfare
specifically targets communication networks and computers. Expert
computer hackers, called crackers, might break into or overload military
computers and networks, or spread computer viruses. Jammers might also
block radio and television transmissions. Misinformation is circulated
deliberately.
Limitations: The US relies more on
computers and communications than most of their potential adversaries -
making the technique a potential threat to them, and of limted use
against low-tech opponents. Both side are also vulnerable to
mis-information.
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