The emphasis in modern warfare is away from the macro towards the micro. Hence technological support towards the land warrior, whether battling the Taliban in Afghanistan, fighting from house-to-house in Iraq or peacekeeping in West Africa, is becoming far more important on a practical level than massive submarines, surface vessels and aircraft which in many cases can be used nowadays only for the safe and secure transportation of personnel and their equipment, as important as that is
For the individual soldier, we may be talking about the latest weaponry, ballistic and CBRN protection systems, night vision goggles and cameras, tactical radio and GPS facilities, personal data terminals and so forth, always ergonomic and lightweight enough not to restrict speed and mobility. Accordingly, it is very good to hear that the US Army’s leadership is now seeking over $100m to fund a Land Warrior equipped Brigade Combat Team (BCT) in 2009 and is about to embark on the Future Combat Systems (FCS) aligned Ground Soldier System (GSS) program later this year. But, from day one, such initiatives definitely need to be co-ordinated with related programs and systems suppliers accessible in NATO countries such as the UK, Holland and Italy, because multinational Western forces are deployed in so many theatres of war in these challenging times. So let’s work together and plan together to protect our future soldiers and equip them with the best available technology to carry out all their vital duties. |
