Unmanned Systems Acquisition and Technology Development: Is a More Integrated Approach Required

Abstract

Over the course of the last 100 years, historic trends show there has been a clear and steady move towards the use of unmanned systems limited only by the technologies available to make the systems effective compared to manned systems. There is the potential that unmanned systems constitute a disruptive technology that may change the way wars are fought. An analysis of the current acquisition and technology development process and of the potential impact of unmanned systems on warfare shows that the U.S. should develop a more integrated approach for unmanned system development. The military's acquisition and technology development process consists of a top down approach, a bottom up approach, and the development of high risk, high pay off technologies. These are the Joint Capabilities Integration and Development System (JCIDS), the Joint Urgent Operational Needs (JUON) process, and through initiatives by the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA). Though each of these fills a much needed role, there is little that is done to integrate these different processes. Unmanned systems are potentially a disruptive technology and may change how wars are fought. They may have an increasing impact on operational art and friction. Operational reach, tempo, sequencing, and matching ends and means may be profoundly affected. The qualitative nature of friction could also change. Additionally, many of the ways unmanned systems are different are due to value judgments that U.S. policy makers must make. There are other strategic considerations in how their use is interpreted by a global audience, what type of characteristics we will need in our future soldiers, airmen, and sailors, and how they will affect the overall likelihood of war or peace.

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Nov 01, 2010
Accession Number
ADA536682

Entities

People

  • Eric J. Gilge

Organizations

  • United States Army Command and General Staff College

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Autonomy

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Air Force
  • Aircrafts
  • Autonomous Weapons
  • Control Systems
  • Disruptive Technology
  • Employment
  • Military Applications
  • Military Science
  • National Security
  • Personnel Management
  • Remotely Piloted Vehicles
  • Unmanned Aerial Systems
  • Unmanned Aerial Vehicles
  • Unmanned Ground Systems
  • Unmanned Systems
  • War Colleges
  • Warfare

Readers

  • Military History / Militaries and War Studies
  • Military Science and Technology Research and Modernization.
  • Systems Analysis and Design

Technology Areas

  • Autonomy