Use of IT in military Benefits and Drawbacks

BENEFITS

 Computer training software

Simulators – virtual environment

- Allows trainees to practice following orders

- Test out their theory in practical experience

Mixed reality systems

- Provide stimulus of a real war (sights/smells/sounds) while eliminating

risk of danger
- Realistic target practice without hurting civilians or hostiles (heat /light
sensors to calculate where the shots landed ) ( moving and reacting
targets )

Virtual reality – Future Immersive Training Environment (FITE)

Tactile feedback devices

- Immersive (uses VR goggles)

- Provides a sense of realism (real weapons and equipment)
- Provides a sense of danger while minimizing any risk

Advantages

- Record videos of missions – allows soldiers study performance and

sharpen skills

- Versatile – environment, hostiles, etc. can be configured to match the

latest conditions of a real battlefield.

- VR therapy – treat soldiers with PTSD by recreating the environment and

experiences encountered by soldiers

Battlefield technology
Wired soldiers / future warrior systems
Augmented reality
- Reduces risk of dangers on a battlefield (communication between
soldiers and command units)
- Increases the effectiveness of a soldier (more information of the
battlefield)
- Reduces shooting a fellow soldier of the same side
Smart weapons
Drones
- Reduce the risk of getting exposed (discretely follows intended target)
- Minimize deaths or injuries of forces ( footage is sent to control room,
where soldiers are safe)
 - Minimize risk of leaking information (if a drone is spotted and taken
down by enemy, they cannot torture information out of it) (drone may
self destruct immediately)
Precision guided weapons
- Better accuracy ( minimize injuries/ deaths/ fatalities )

DRAWBACKS

- Give rise to cyberterrorism and cyberwarfare (virus/trojan horses/DOS

attacks )

Computer training software

- Costly to implement and maintain

- Training

Battlefield technology

- Undeveloped ergonomics – has to be lightweight yet durable

- Lags – not keeping soldiers up to date with fast changing pace of battle
- Finding the appropriate balance – information vs vision

Smart weapons

- Costly
- Reported cases of casualties