INFORMATION REVOLUTION

Has the Information Revolution changed the nature of warfare?

Has the Information Revolution changed the nature of warfare?

Introduction

The term information revolution defines the technological, economic and social trends beyond the industrial revolution. Information revolution is the new role that the science and technology is playing within the society. The prime element of information revolution is the economic, technological and social role of the information. Information, as a matter of fact, is the central theme for many new sciences which emerged with the passage of time. However, with that emergence, like many other things, the nature of warfare is also changed. Advancement in information technology made people rely more on the easy communication as well as the information which is readily available in personal and life of nation. Most of the time, we welcomed these changes being a part of our life. On the other hand, the information, which as available to one, is also available to a friend or enemy; a system whose reliance is over the communication, cab becomes obsolete if is interfered or destroyed (Khalilzad & White, 1999, pp. 7-14).

The reliance over the information is so general and attack over that system, can have devastating results whose implications are widespread in society as well as in the military. The attacks, as a matter of fact, can take diversified routes and it sometime becomes difficult to even forecast. However, it can be said that the information revolution has changed the nature the warfare.

Discussion

There is a general notion that the advancement in the field of communication and information technology shifted the paradigms of military in the nature of warfare. The origin of these changes can be linked to the period after the industrial revolution in Europe. However, as the world moved from the conventional production methods to the modern use of machinery for the purpose of production. In similar way, the tactics of warfare also modified as per the needs of time as well as the nature of the target. The starting point of this shift has deep relation with the methods of finding the enemy. The persistent development of capabilities to trace the enemy faster and to decide the course of action in an agile pace is what this revolution is about. Military these days have enough tactics to precisely target the enemy without making any collateral damage; this further helps to forecast the results of the actions and hence brings the new quality to the concept of warfare (Alberts et. Al., 2001).

As a matter of fact, when we link the concept of information with the overall organizations changes as well as the conventional doctrines, the result will be revolution in the affairs of military. There are many schools of thought that deal with the notion of warfare. However, the one which is pivotal in this particular case is that which talks about the revolution of information and warfare (Floridi, 2002, pp. 123-145).

The term speed and precision is significant when there is warfare and ...