Changing Nature Warfare Topic 5 Flashcards
Hi-Tech Warfare: JDAM, JSOW, HPM and definition
Hi-tech ware is a type of warfare which consists of computerised and technical weapons such as night vision and electronic warfare and state of the art weapons and unmanned vehicles
Drones:
unmanned aerial vehicles some call them drones arms with high resolution cameras and extremely accurate missiles, guided, aims and fired by joystick pilots who work from ground control stations.
JDAM (Joint Direct Attack Munition):
is a smart bomb guided by a global positioning satellite and can hit a target in any weather.
JSOW (Joint Standoff Weapon):
Is a ‘ launch and leave‘ missile that can be fired safely from 30,000 feet up and 40 miles from a target, and can be redirected midflight to hit even mobile targets.
HPM:
High powered microwaves releases 2 billion watts of destructive electrical energy as much as the Hoover Dam generates in 24 hours. The impact of those microwaves will fry anything electrical within 1000 feet.
Extent of Success of Drones
However, high-tech warfare has not substantially reduced reliance on conventional weapons and ground troops to defeat a determined enemy, demonstrated by the first and second Gulf War.
Armoured and mechanised forces advance on Baghdad
Bombing raids on cities continued to soften the Iraqi resistance and to support the invasion by land forces
600 British commandos attack Basra - capturing 300 Iraqi prisoners and destroying tanks
US armoured forces were used to conduct a raids
US launch attacks with 40 to 50 Tomahawk cruise missiles and Stealth Bombers
Drones: MALD and HERON
MALD (miniature air launched decoy)
- Designed to fool air defence systems
- They are tiny but appear as a large aircraft on radar
- Draw anti aircraft fire away from other targets
Heron (Israeli made)
- Reconnaissance drone
- Used mostly by US and Iraq
- Observe enemy positions to collect intelligence
Drones: Reaper/ Predator
Predator (1996) and Reaper (2001)
Reaper is a more modern version of predator, which can stay in the air for longer and carry more ammunition
Combat or attack drone
Developed by US to carry out medium range attack missions
Capable of carrying precision weapons
Can fly high and fast (avoid detection from the ground)
Cause and aims of Second Gulf War
In 2003 President Bush invaded Iraq supported by Britain, Australia, Italy, Spain and Poland but without support from the UN as part of the war on terror.
Cause of invasion
It was believed that Saddam Hussein has chemical and biological weapons which could be used against west (soon became clear this wasn’t the case)
Ongoing war on terror in wake of 9/11
Coalition deployed 176 00 troops
Continuing use of civilian intimidation
Aim:
Swift decisive victory
Install friendly democratic government
Stabilise government
Reasons for failure of SGW
Achieved: Poor planning and lack of understanding of ethical, tribal and religious division led to coalition getting bogged down in a long war
When coalition pulled out in 2011 they had lost 5 000 troops and as soon as they left the islamic state group grew rapidly.
Deadly persistence missions: Reaper
2012 US had 7,494 drones
Modern combat drones e.g Reaper designed for “deadly persistence” missions- able to stay airborne for 14 hours
- Can circle over an area so it’s ready to strike when needed
- Equipped with extremely advanced surveillance technology
- Able to read car number plates from 3.2 km
- Designed for ground attack missions, can carry missiles or bombs
Statistics for UGVs
UGVs
Some countries e.g US, Britain, and Serbia have developed UGVs (unmanned ground vehicles)
-mostly used to defuse/destroy bombs
-Some can be armed with machine guns and sent into combat
-The american Talon SWORD is an example of an armed UGV, it has been deployed in Afghanistan but the government has not yet allowed it to be used.
Information about Pakistan:
2004-2005 more than 2,000 militants have been confirmed dead in drone strikes by US and UK
Intelligence gained by reconnaissance drones helped in killing Osama Bin Laden (2011)
Drone strikes have also killed over 200 civilians
Either through collateral damage (in vehicles/buildings near)
or poor decision making by pilots e.g targeting wedding groups who fire guns in the air in celebration
Drones are highly effective
Intercepted Al Qaeda communications (2012) suggest that drones played a major role in degrading the organisation + soldiers were being killed faster than they could be replaced
Drones continued to be used against IS in Syria and Iraq but continue high civilian casualties mean this way of fighting is highly controversial
Causes of War on Terror 3
They were supported by the Taliban, who although they were driven by religious extremism, (an ideology based on an extremely strict Conservative reading of the Koran) shared similar beliefs. There was a ‘War on Terror’ because of the situation in Afghanistan. The Bush administration was convinced that there were links between the Taliban Osama bin Laden and al-Qaeda leaders. In October 2001 US forces invaded Afghanistan to oust the Taliban regime.
The Bush administration passed the Authorization for Use of Military Force Against Terrorists and was made law on 14 September 2001, to authorise the use of United States Armed Forces against those responsible for the attacks on 11 September 2001.
The Americans were determined to identify, locate and demolish terrorists, along with their organisations, and defeat terrorists such as Osama bin Laden, and demolish his organisation.
3 Consequences of the War on Terror
There were no survivors of any of the flights
Did USA launched a war on terrorism which included the invasion of Afghanistan to overthrew the Taliban, who had hidden the Al Qaeda terrorist
The Second Gulf War-the invasion of the Iraq to depose Saddam Hussein who allegedly was supporting terrorism, especially Al Qaeda
Events of 9/11
Members of the Islamic terror organisation, al-Qaeda, hijacked 4 planes. Two of the planes were flown into the World Trade Centre in New York. The third plane was crashed into the Pentagon in Washington, DC. The last plane was supposed to crash into the White House but the hijackers lost control.
3000 people were killed
6000 injured
Caused around 10 billion in damage to property and infrastructure
Define Terrorism: what are the three key elements
Terrorism is the systematic use of terror especially as a means of coercion, or the use of violent acts which are intended to create fear, and deliberately target or disregard the safety of civilians.
Designed to have far-reaching psychological repercussions beyond the immediate victim or target.
Perpetrated by a subnational group or non-state entity
Conducted by an organisation with an identifiable chain of command or conspiratorial cell structure (no uniform or differentiating signia)
Smart bombs FGW
Smart bombs which guide bombs to specific targets
BUT - guided by laser beams which are often refracted or dissipated due to the smoke/dust/fog so unreliable - only 9% of bombs dropped are smart bombs in Operation desert storm
about al-qaeda
Orchestrators: al-Qaeda
Acted as a central, coordinating organisation which oversaw the activities of many smaller groups
They objected to the presence of the US troops in Muslim countries
They objected to the US supporting the state of Israel.
