8.1 A Brief History of Weapons
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of weapons, while integration of such platforms into networks, albeit provided, did
not provide such a pronounced combat effect.
However, in the age of information technologies, their introduction in the military
sphere will help significantly to increase combat capabilities of the army not only due
to firepower, maneuvering, and other technical characteristics of individual platforms,
but also firstly due to reduction in the duration of the military management cycle
during the combat (conflict). Integration into a single network applies not only to
systems of military management, communication, intelligence, surveillance, and
computing equipment, but also the battle platforms carrying weapons.
The synergy effect due to abandonment of platform-centric concepts and transition
to implementation of network-centric ones have become priorities in the development
of armies of most developed countries. For example, Network Centric Operation,
Network Enable Capability, Network Centric Warfare, and Network-Based Defense
concepts are implemented in the Netherlands, England, Australia, and Sweden,
respectively.
However, in our amateur view, the undisputed leader (after the USA) in this issue
is China, which implements its own complex network-centric concept with a long
name: Command, Control, Communications, Recognizance and Kill.
As for Russia, publications in the open press allow us to conclude that Russian
military forces are also in the process of transitioning from the platform-centric
warfare doctrine to the network-centric one. The concept of network-centric war was
based on the assumption that guaranteed victory that can be achieved due to ensuring
communication excellence, integrating all military units into a single network. This
will increase the survivability, the effectiveness of the fire damage caused to the
enemy, and the level of self-synchronization (interaction). As far as we understand,
being amateurs, this is not a new form of war, but simply a new method of organizing
and performing military operations. Network-centric forces are the combination of
troops, weapons, and military equipment capable of participating in Network-centric
warfare (NCW). Technical basis of the information space of NCW is formed by the
global information grid (GIG)—the combination of navigation, intelligence, and
communication satellites.
Another form of information opposition is the network warfare. Unlike networkcentric warfare, in which regular military forces of states are attacked, this type of
warfare involves network technologies of organization and control in the subversive
activities (more in the diplomatic, economic, and psychological fields than in the
military sphere). These methods are widely used by terrorists, neo-Nazis, radical
Islamists, and criminal groups as well as special services (occasionally).
As evidenced by the above, the key part in the concept of network-centric war is
the use of information technologies and protected communication channels.
In this context, special prominence is given to the problem of protection from
Trojans (information technologies) and the increasing importance of the means of
information warfare (communication channels). Let us give the most basic example.
During a battle of tank divisions, one of its participants activates a hardware or
software Trojan introduced in the information system of the opponent. In this case, the
duel of two tanks in the battlefield can be described as a battle between two powerful
733
of weapons, while integration of such platforms into networks, albeit provided, did
not provide such a pronounced combat effect.
However, in the age of information technologies, their introduction in the military
sphere will help significantly to increase combat capabilities of the army not only due
to firepower, maneuvering, and other technical characteristics of individual platforms,
but also firstly due to reduction in the duration of the military management cycle
during the combat (conflict). Integration into a single network applies not only to
systems of military management, communication, intelligence, surveillance, and
computing equipment, but also the battle platforms carrying weapons.
The synergy effect due to abandonment of platform-centric concepts and transition
to implementation of network-centric ones have become priorities in the development
of armies of most developed countries. For example, Network Centric Operation,
Network Enable Capability, Network Centric Warfare, and Network-Based Defense
concepts are implemented in the Netherlands, England, Australia, and Sweden,
respectively.
However, in our amateur view, the undisputed leader (after the USA) in this issue
is China, which implements its own complex network-centric concept with a long
name: Command, Control, Communications, Recognizance and Kill.
As for Russia, publications in the open press allow us to conclude that Russian
military forces are also in the process of transitioning from the platform-centric
warfare doctrine to the network-centric one. The concept of network-centric war was
based on the assumption that guaranteed victory that can be achieved due to ensuring
communication excellence, integrating all military units into a single network. This
will increase the survivability, the effectiveness of the fire damage caused to the
enemy, and the level of self-synchronization (interaction). As far as we understand,
being amateurs, this is not a new form of war, but simply a new method of organizing
and performing military operations. Network-centric forces are the combination of
troops, weapons, and military equipment capable of participating in Network-centric
warfare (NCW). Technical basis of the information space of NCW is formed by the
global information grid (GIG)—the combination of navigation, intelligence, and
communication satellites.
Another form of information opposition is the network warfare. Unlike networkcentric warfare, in which regular military forces of states are attacked, this type of
warfare involves network technologies of organization and control in the subversive
activities (more in the diplomatic, economic, and psychological fields than in the
military sphere). These methods are widely used by terrorists, neo-Nazis, radical
Islamists, and criminal groups as well as special services (occasionally).
As evidenced by the above, the key part in the concept of network-centric war is
the use of information technologies and protected communication channels.
In this context, special prominence is given to the problem of protection from
Trojans (information technologies) and the increasing importance of the means of
information warfare (communication channels). Let us give the most basic example.
During a battle of tank divisions, one of its participants activates a hardware or
software Trojan introduced in the information system of the opponent. In this case, the
duel of two tanks in the battlefield can be described as a battle between two powerful