Technological Change and the Naval Culture in the Era of the Battleship
Revolution took place in the 19th century as the land welfare was changed by the utilization of new weapons. Steam powered ships, however, became sophisticated that paved the way to the revolution of naval battles comprised of board vessel, ram opposing ship, overtaking crew via traditional combat, whereas new methods comprises of disabling or sinking ship via use of the cannon fire. Additionally, ship can be used for transporting weapons for profit motives. However, the mechanization of the ships of navy ineradicably modified the culture of navy. Navy, however, had tradition, which was reduced to automatic procedures with the introduction of technology.
Weapons and the Modern World
Conduct of the war started to change in a dramatic manner. The technological supremacy of the Western Europe was clearly observed in the opium wars 1839-1842. British gunboats’ cannons, however, battered down fortresses of China. Moreover, by the second half of nineteenth century, the military gap prevailing between Europe and the rest of world became wider. Machine gun was the most effectual weapon and instrument of European Imperial advance. Machine gun was developed in the late nineteenth and twentieth centuries. However, European thoughts that the gun could be a weapon, which could be used against man’s lesser breeds. They realized particularly during World War 1 that the machine gun changed warfare usually within horrific consequences. Submarines helped in transforming navies in the same manner as machine gun helped in transforming armies. All traditional and prevailing rules of the naval battle tradition were broken by firing torpedoes under the water, and it allowed prisoners to board their ships before the enemy that was sinking. Airplane, however, wrecked havoc and caused damage to civilian population. Bombers attacked and killed thousands of people during World War II. Above 25,000 people were killed in a single air raid in Berlin (Volti, 2014). Further, despite the bombings in the World War II, the morale of the civilian life was never broken down, and it is evident from the analysis that there was no decisive role of bombings in getting success in the war. Bombing paved the way to smaller military consequences, even smaller than expected. Nuclear war comprises of proportions or shares of which all other wars amalgamated pale in contrast. One megaton bomb is effective enough to dig about 1000 feet wide crater having a depth of about 200 feet (Volti, 2014). Advancements in military technology have paved the way to opening of psychological distance between warriors and victims of warrior. Battle is, however, impersonal.
Smart Bombs
During World War II, Germany developed FX-1400 ‘Firtz’, which is a four-winged glide bomb, and it targeted the armored ships (Volti, 2014). The advancement in solid state electronics during 1950s, new opportunities were created for remote control ordnance. PGMs or Precision Guided Munitions, which is also a first smart bomb, used camera of television in order to give a bomb’s eye view. Then GPS or Global Positioning System helped in overcoming deficiencies in the bomb. An example of defective intelligence and smart weaponry was observed in the year 1988, when attacks were unsuccessful, and missile attacked the civilian Airbus A300, killed 66 children, 290 passengers as well as crew.
High-Tech Surveillance
Satellites development helped in provision of highly detailed view of the surface of earth. However, digital imaginary made it much easier to get more information. The satellite program of America comprised of the objective of surveillance of Soviet Union, and it was also meant for collection of scientific data. But, as matter of fact, disagreement occurred regarding handling of satellite surveillance to private firms.
Drones
In order to get minute images of specific locations, military stared use of low flying unmanned aircraft that are known as unmanned Aerial vehicles or UAVs, and are also called drones, they are lighter as compared to manned planes because of absence of support system and pilot. Vietnam War is an indicative of use of reconnaissance drones. However, drones have been effectually utilized as anti-tank weapons. More specifically, they have been used in Yemen, Somalia, Afghanistan, and tribal areas of Pakistan for killing suspected Taliban and Al-Qaida.
The United States is allocating sufficient budget for high technology weapons. For example, in the Fiscal year 2012, it has allocated about $646 billion, which is 4.8% of GDP of the country. The production and development cost for 74,000 bombs in the United States is $4.65 billion. Many engineers as well as scientists are involved in defense Research and Development. Funding is also obtained from the Federal Government, State Government, Local Government, and insurance companies.
Asymmetrical Warfare
Warfare success cannot be merely achieved by advanced technologies, but assymetrical warfare engagements are also required. For example, IED or improved explosive device was used in Iraq and Afghanistan. Further, the United States has been engaged in several conflicts that are also known as asymmetrical warfare engagements since Korean war. In such arrangements, the country has superiority in quality as well as in quantity. The supremacy in quantity can be expressed by the fact that America managed to drop more bomb tonnage on Cambodia and North Vietnam as compared to whole duration of World War II.
References
Volti, Rudi (2014) Society and Technological Change, 7th edition. Worth Publishers, New York
