Information-Based Warfare: A Third Wave Perspective,
Abstract
The information revolution provided the technology to process vast amounts of data and make it accessible instantaneously and simultaneously to anyone anywhere in the world. This capability has impacted the world economy in particular. Nations have moved from a domestic to a global focus and nations have become more interdependent. The Tofflers' proposed a model which depicts a trisected world with societies categorized by how they make wealth. The most advanced wave, the Third Wave, creates wealth through knowledge. Consistent with the Tofflers' model, economies of Third Wave societies are becoming more and more dependent upon knowledge. Increased economic competition among the wealthy nations, and increased disparity between the haves and have-nots have intensified economic conflict as nations attempt to ensure prosperity. The effects of the information revolution on the global economy have made the wealthy nations more vulnerable to information-based warfare against the economic instruments. If the Tofflers' model accurately depicts the wealth generation methods of the Third-Wave, then the most likely future war-form is information-based warfare against the economic instruments. Third Wave societies are ill-prepared to defend against this new war-form. The advanced nations must recognize their vulnerabilities and develop the policies and means to protect themselves against these new threats.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- May 01, 1995
- Accession Number
- ADA328862
Entities
People
- David M. Komar
Organizations
- Air War College