From the physical brute force and direct contact, warfare has sailed through the indirect contact with physical military might to No Contact Warfare by Irregular Soldiers to the warfare with Invisible Weapons. In fact, the slow and steady shift has been from ‘Brawn Force Wars’ to ‘Brain Force Wars’. The generations of warfare that have evolved through the centuries are divided into different categories as under:
FIRST GENERATION
The use of physical brute force by humans with bows, arrows, swords, and spears including horses and elephants is termed the first-generation warfare. Opposing forces used to get on a chosen battle field in a massed human formation. American civil war and all other human wars — right from MAHABHARAT and even before – are dubbed as First Generation Warfare. Key was the physical force of a human being, supported and multiplied by hand-held weapons. Body armour was the shield from the physical force. It was the CONTACT COMBAT.
SECOND GENERATION
It was the development of BIGGER SHIELD in the form of trenches to secure soldiers against muskets and gun fires. Prior to Trenches there used to be Forts. It came to be known as Trench warfare of the First World War. Though it was not a ‘contact fight’, but Close Combat — Face to face with the enemy. Fortress defences also were to be physically assaulted in a close combat mode.
THIRD GENERATION
It was the MOBILE WARFARE and ‘Indirect approach’ to impregnate the fortified defences. Tanks and heavy artillery, along with aircraft, dealt with the enemy indirectly. Surprise and deception were the key principles. Concentrated punch was given where victory was expected. It was the use of brute force as a concentrated punch at the weakest point selected.
FURTH GENERATION
With the advent of nuclear weapons and WMD, it became increasingly difficult to fight your ‘military equals’. Thus, proxy war, Sponsored Violence and Insurgencies became the mode of achieving political objectives against adversaries. Wars in Afghanistan, Syria, Iraq, Kashmir and Kosovo are some examples. This gave rise to WAR BY OTHER MEANS (WOM) — when you do not use, or use minimum own force, but exploit enemy’s vulnerabilities through militants/insurgents/
FIFTH GENERATION
It is the combination of the use of ‘irregular soldiers’ along with the use of Misinformation (media) to give a spin to one’s lies along with psychological operations together became the new mode of fighting. This is also called Hybrid warfare. This is what Pakistan’s Green Book-2020 is advocating, as quoted above. Financial sanctions are part of this generation of warfare. This warfare used SEMI-VISIBLE means to defeat the enemy. Monkey dancing across the borders is not an option. The purpose was to DEMOLISH YOUR ENEMY FROM WITHIN.
SIXTH GENERATION
A reminder to sleeping military thinkers of India that the mighty Soviet Union did not collapse under the weight of the USA or NATO forces but by indigenous enemies. The same could be said of Yugoslavia and Czechoslovakia
Move from Brute Force to Brain Force, also called Invisible warfare, which entails the use of ‘invisible weapons’ that render the adversary’s war potential irrelevant. But it is done without firing a weapon. Covid-19 is its initial face. It is the WAR WITHOUT RULES or ETHICS. Bio-weapons and microbes do the needful. Pandemic wars will dominate the future. Armies will have to orientate towards fighting these invisible weapons.
SEVENTH GENERATION
It will be the war in space. ‘A-Sat’ and ‘Laser Killers’ will dominate. It may appear a science fiction now but by the end of this century, the space wars will replace economic wars.
SUBTLE DIFFERENCE
All said and done, there is a very subtle difference between various generations of warfare when you see them one after the other. But if you see them alternatively, then you will understand the difference. To cite an example, when you discuss the first and second generation, you will find hardly a difference but if you look at the first and third or second and fourth together, you will see the change that had taken place.
REVOLUTIONS IN MILITARY AFFAIRS (RMAs)
When we talk about RMA, we ought to consider the war-making machinery in a holistic sense. While doing so, one has to review the following:
- Ongoing advancement in weapon systems, inclusive of armament and ammunition. It includes range, accuracy and lethality.
- Command and control of weapon systems as well as soldiers and formations.
- Communications and real-time procurement of information and intelligence. It includes Artificial Intelligence (AI).
- Improved delivery system of the armament and ammunition.
- Logistics, which would vitalise the effectiveness of arms and ammunition.
These five aspects make the RMA. We got to see how technology has been reshaping our military doctrines. At the same time, we have to consider where technology and strategies merge. It is the marriage of the two that describes the pantheon of RMA.
TRANSFORMING PROFILE OF THE WORLD!
As you look at the world today, nanotechnology has jumpstarted the INVISIBLE WARS — we see in the form of advancement of bio-weapons. In communications — nanotechnology has produced drones of the kind of bumblebees that would roam unnoticed in your defences – strategic and tactical locations. Besides, the SWARM weapon systems have further improved the KILL PROBABILITY and TERMINAL ACCURACY.
Laser and Anti-sat weapons along with drones and missiles have given a tremendous impetus to delivery systems.
WARFARE WITHOUT RULES!
Finally, the mayhem created by Covid-19 must tell you that you are in the midst of the wars that follow no rules. RMA has gone much beyond the 4th and 5th generation warfare. The old concept of technology deciding the military strategy has given way to the strategy defining military technology. This is the paradigm shift in the way the 21st-century wars have to be fought. Make no mistake Corona assault is the result of the US-CHINA trade war.
UNRESTRICTED WARFARE or WARFARE WITHOUT RULES has dictated the creation of monstrous Corona as an invisible weapon.
RMA, driven by nanotechnology has given new meaning to (WAR BY OTHER MEANS) WOM, whose nuisance has yet not been grasped by the military and political leaders alike in India.
WARFARE OF THE MINDS/BRAINS
The army should be ready to fight pandemic wars more deadly and more frequently. Ashraf Jahangir Qazi, a Pakistani scholar, observed in his article in The Dawn of 11 April 2020: “Covid-19 and its succeeding pandemics are likely to occur with shorter and shorter intervals between them.”
Hybrid warfare is a double-edged weapon. India must use it with the same intensity against Pakistan. Message must go straight and simple: WHAT YOU CAN DO, WE CAN DO MANIFOLDS BETTER
This is what the future wars will be — WOM, which will render your white elephants of current military machines useless – it will not be done by your tanks, guns, nukes, missiles etc. Your aircraft carriers like Theodore Roosevelt and nuclear submarines will be rendered useless. No bullets will be fired, no nukes will be launched. But the armies will be disarmed.
The game has changed – Note what Winston Churchill had said: FUTURE WARS WILL NOT BE OF WEAPONS BUT OF THE MINDS. Those who have the minds to design a controllable INVISIBLE WAR will rule the roost. Design yourself for a DESIGNER WAR. This is the call of the RMAs of the 21st Century.
Final reminder to sleeping military thinkers of India that the mighty Soviet Union did not collapse under the weight of the USA or NATO forces but by indigenous enemies. The same could be said of Yugoslavia and Czechoslovakia. Hybrid warfare is a double-edged weapon. India must use it with the same intensity against Pakistan. The message must go straight and simple: WHAT YOU CAN DO, WE CAN DO MANIFOLDS BETTER.
-An ex-NDA and Wellington Staff College graduate, Col Rajinder Singh is a renowned author and security analyst. He has authored four books, two individually and two in collaboration. His best-selling books are Kashmir – A Different Perspective and The ULFA Insurgency. The views expressed are of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of Raksha Anirveda
