Technology has helped change the way wars are fought and enemies are engaged. While it helped change the future of warfare, it remains potentially helpful in enabling and keeping peace among different nations, too. Some of the most crucial advanced and high-end instruments used in warfare these days include AI, autonomous fighters, and drones. Big data is playing an important role in transforming warfare future as well. Together with the Internet of Things, big data is transforming the future of warfare.
Taranis is an example of a technology that is now being used in combat. Its name is derived from the Celtic god of thunder, and it was developed by BAE systems as an autonomous stealth drone programmable to take a specific flight path to pinpoint a threat, target it, and deliver an alert to the operator. Reports are subject to review and approval, which is conducted in case an attack is necessary. Once approved, Taranis can fire a missile at the threat and destroy it, then fly back to base.
Drones are mainly used for surveillance, but combined with AI and big data, they can be versatile for a wide range of functions—including attacks, detection of mines, and finding the exact location of submarines and other stealth vehicles. Their size makes them stealthier and easier to deploy, especially when it comes to sending humanitarian aid to far-off places and areas that are normally inaccessible to conventional vehicles and flight vehicles. Drones are remotely controlled by operators, so pilot safety is enhanced, too.
Despite the many positive benefits of drones, AI, and big data, they can be used for conducting and causing autonomous destruction, damage, and slaughter. Hence, a lot of people have appealed to the United Nations to cease or at least minimize and regulate the use of technological warfare until human approval or intervention technology becomes certain. Another concern that is associated with how big data and AI transforms warfare is the possibility of hacking into the enemy’s systems to gain control over their weapons and making them do damage. One way to prevent this is by employing high-end security and data encryption systems designed for big data used in warfare.
