STAR 21 Strategic Technologies for the Army of the Twenty-First Century (1992) / Chapter Skim
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Executive Summary
Executive Summary
Pages 1-23
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From page 1... ...
The main report also presents the analyses and conclusions of a particular group, the Study Committee on STAR, concerning not just the subjects addressed in the detailed auxiliary reports but also certain broader issues. Finally, in addition to identifying which technology areas will most likely be important to ground warfare, it recommends a technology management strategy and projects some probable consequences of technology for the Army's force structure and strategy.
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INTRODUCTION: THE FUTURE ENVIRONMENT {CHAPTER 1 ~ How the Army uses technology in the future will be influenced by five major factors: · an expanding number of technology options, as the pace of scientific and technological progress continues to accelerate; · changing military obligations, as the past scenario of mid-European conflict with the Soviet Union is replaced by a broad spectrum of possible contingency operations in any region of the world, ranging from small actions like that in Grenada to major confrontations with a heavily armed army like the Persian Gulf war with Iraq; · diminishing funds for advanced technologies, as shifts in national priorities and a changing world economy increase the pressure to curtail military spending; · closer interservice cooperation in developing military technology and systems, in response to all three of the preceding factors; and · globalization of commerce, which means the United States can no longer take for granted an unchallengeable technological advantage on the battlefield.
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Preprocessing of sensor data within "smart" sensors, wideband communications at terahertz speeds, data-compression techniques, and network management will be among the technologies needed to keep up with this communications load. For the command and control segment of C3I/RISTA, battlefield management software will give commanders a familiar language and graphic context in which to view information, make command decisions, and have implementing orders distributed to appropriate units.
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Systems to Enhance Combat Power and Mobility Long-range transport mobility will continue to rely on transport aircraft for quick deployment of light-to-medium forces and displacement ships for transport of heavy forces. To move adequate ground forces quickly to remote contingency operations, the Army must plan, design, and organize so that more of its combat power is air transportable.
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Directed energy weapons with sufficient power to attack the hull of even light-skinned aircraft and missiles are highly unlikely to be tactical battlefield weapons within the next 30 years. In both mine and countermine operations, new sensor technology and sensor data fusion will be key.
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Systems for Combat Services Support Health and medical technology developed for the military context, such as vaccines for indigenous diseases, better prosthetic devices, and artificial tissues (e.g., skin and blood) , will yield benefits for civilian medicine as well.
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an indirect-fire system that is light enough to accompany the forces initially deployed on a contingency operation; (5) an integrated system of theater air and missile defenses; and (6)
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. A ninth report, called the Long-Term Forecast of Research, surveys research that will open new vistas for future technology applications beyond the time horizon of the eight detailed TFAs.
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Ground-based robots will emerge as "intelligent mines" with advanced sensor capabilities, sensor data processors, and fairly simple weapons capability. They will be designed for specific missions, not as "androids" with the intelligence, skill, or versatility of a human soldier.
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Smaller, more capable processors will contribute significantly to radar systems, including synthetic aperture radars, and to networks of acoustic sensor arrays. Optics, Photonics, and Directed Energy TEA In optical sensor and display technology, major advances are forecast for laser radar; multidomain sensors; sensor data fusion (performed in real time at the sensor)
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Applications that could be developed and fielded within the STAR time horizon include deployable bioproduction of military supplies, biosensor systems, enhanced immunocompetence (resistance to disease and many CTBW agents) for personnel, novel materials with designspecified properties, battlefield diagnostic and therapeutic systems, performance-enhancing compounds, and bionic systems.
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Five materials technologies were identified for special consideration by the Army: affordable resin matrix composites, reactionformed structural ceramics, light metal alloys and intermetallics, metal matrix composites, and energetic materials. These technologies are forecast to substantially alter the state of the art for many Army applications, including armor materials, ballistic protection for the individual soldier, and weight-strength relations for vehicle and propulsion system structural design.
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Two general conceptual approaches to vehicle propulsion, the Integrated Propulsion System and hybrid electric propulsion, received highly favorable assessments. The recommended configuration combines an advanced diesel or gas turbine engine with all-electric or hybridelectric power distribution.
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For continuous power generation, gas turbine engines offer more potential than the alternatives. Gas turbines for primary power and flywheels for storage would be combined with power conditioning units to supply the pulsed, short-duration power needed by high-power systems such as directed energy weapons.
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TECHNOLOGY MANAGEMENT STRATEGY {CHAPTER 5) In response to the second part of the STAR statement of task, Chapter 5 recommends that the Army's technology management have a clear strategic focus and an implementation policy for how that focus can be achieved.
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Other candidates for focal interests were selected from among the advanced systems concepts discussed in Chapter 2. Implementation Policy The STAR Committee recommends that the Army orient the predominant share of available resources toward those technologies and applications that are not receiving sufficient private sector investment to meet anticipated Army interest.
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· Improve incentives for the private sector to invest in DOD-unique technologies, applications, and specialized facilities. In addition to recommendations for a strategic focus and its implementation policy, the STAR Committee recommends changes in two specific areas: the Army's in-house R&D infrastructure and the Concept-Based Requirements System.
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The mode of attack could range from urban guerilla bombing missions, as occurred in Beirut, to the use of CTBW agents, tactical ballistic missiles, lowflying aircraft and missiles, or overwhelming force. Preparatory actions include priority implementation of the Soldier-as-a-System initiative, expanded use of human intelligence and counterintelligence
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· Training methods will use computer simulation technology and networked wargame simulations to ensure the readiness of both active units and reserves. Experimental test units, similar to Navy
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· Evolve a "medium-force" tier by upgrading the combat capabilities of existing first-to-be-deployed light forces and substantially reducing the transport weight of heavy forces. · Allocate the predominant share of Army technological resources to areas not likely to be well supported by the private sector for commercial development, while fostering cooperative efforts with the civilian sector to maintain talent and provide training (as in Army medical personnel serving at civilian trauma centers)
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EXECUTIVE SUMMARY 23 nities to improve joint operations with other services (e.g., airlift and sealift for first-deployed forces, C3I/RISTA systems, theater air and missile defense, and close air support)
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