Future weapon systems

[Darth Vader]

Was thinking what weapon system we will see in work lets say in 4 to 5 Decade
our War capability ( as humans ) has progressed more in last 50 years than in last 1000 Years.
Gunpowder is one of the biggest invention of last millennia

What are the few weapons we will see or specially if pakistan wants to stay relevant should work upon. A modern health defence industry can help Pakistan alot e.g
we dont need to reinvent wheel for everything use techonologies which are already in place are being tested and biggest advantage with private companines mostly working on cutting edge tech any one with funds can join in it.

Few of the suggestion might seem too far feteched but just 100 years ago if we told people that we will have drones they would have called crazy so lets think what kind of impact these systems will have in wars and human society.

1st
Mechs
Tanks are becoming obsolete while mechs can be called the evolution humans and tanks into one piece in near future they will be slow problem prones and one of the biggest problem will be the power source as what kind of energy source we can provide which can power these beats and future weapons
E.g Lasers , Shielding
Now it depends on evolution of human techonolgy will they be drones or could have humans to pilot them
they can carry bigger and heaver armor , much more diverse in area of use and its capabilites.
2nd
Nano tech
Nano tech is the future for cureing humans or destroying anything you want.
Best part about them you can design them can give them specific objectives.
E.G kill cancer cells , dont harm specific targets so no colletral unlike current generations of weapon systems.
3
Cybernatics
one of the most important need for humanity connecting humans with machines if we are somehow able to actually succed in it that will literattly change how humans live.

4 AI & Quantum computing
Point 3 and point 4 are releated while all 3 are different things but can be summed up in term computing
We need Quantum computers & AI to help us solve the problems which super computer & human resources will take ages specially the place where currently humanity needs some big help to solve all the problems
5 Propulsion
our current propulsion system is obselte no matter where we use it be it space or in atmosphere
Jets needs a merge of Jet proplusion with rotary engines which will change how the planes fly and turn and helicopters will be the thing of past.
6
Energy source
Our current energy source are obsolete for future wars and for the survival of humanity
Our Renewable resources are not being developed properly to support current and future human needs and our best option Atomic is too harmful for us humans that we can just tottaly replace everything with it.
Solar was the thing which humans should have switched in 60s and 70s but we can still give it
7
Space weapon systems
this might be too expensive for near future using satellites as weapons hitting them with enemy satellites to limit the communication of enemy or hitting specific sites on land with them
Smaller asteriods , Satellites can be used for the kientic energy but seems too exepnsive but could be good for sneaky attacks

 

[313ghazi]

I think we'll see stealthy UCAVS with speeds and manoeuvrability well beyond modern fighter jets. If you don't have to protect a human inside a fighter jet you can push it a lot harder.

I expect scramjet engines to be common.

I expect energy based land weapons (like air defence).

 

[Hamartia Antidote]

It will simply be impossible to walk on the battlefield as bird sized drone swarms patrol 24 hours a day waiting to pounce on anything that moves.

 

[Darth Vader]

I think we'll see stealthy UCAVS with speeds and manoeuvrability well beyond modern fighter jets. If you don't have to protect a human inside a fighter jet you can push it a lot harder.

I expect scramjet engines to be common.

I expect energy based land weapons (like air defence).

Drones

Aerial , ground , sea based drones are the true armies of future
And for that to actually work you need AI systems , encrypted and fast network real time communication for this actually to be work able
We need to switch from radio to laser comms
Laser communication is the way forward

It will simply be impossible to walk on the battlefield as bird sized drone swarms patrol 24 hours a day waiting to pounce on anything that moves.

Tech is the way forward
Cheaper in long term
Needs less supplies than humans , less down time
Less human losses

 

[ps3linux]

It’s a very good topic, one where what would be could be considered in depth. I have a few thoughts along the line and I will try and analyze them in the order of possibility.


1) Mechs, I think these are the first thing which are likely to appear, although there are obstacles which need to be overcome. Durable, lightweight armor having abundance in nature or easy to produce (some science fiction writers think about it as plasti-steel), maneuverability and most importantly power. Looking at the nature of the weapons system, internal combustion is out of question. Solar power currently is very limited in scope, battery power is ok but storage capacity is limited, there has been a breakthrough in that direction recently but I think it will take a few year for the end product to be available in the market. Fission based energy would too dangerous right now, and we are still to solve containment issues for a large sized fusion power system and a miniature version still too far. Beyond that harnessing the power of quantum realm is a distant possibility. Antimatter related power gen is another possibility, but the limitation are mass production, harnessing of energy and producing miniature version of power production modules would be the challenges. Another possibility is if we “humans” could solve carbon allotropes challenges and begin mass producing them, we can have high density batteries, tough, durable, lightweight armor in a much shorter span of time.

I have already seen first gen mechs being used by US Army, albeit for assisting in lifting heavy weights.


2) Nano Tech, I think the next couple of decades we will see breakthroughs in this area, military application is a definite yes, besides medical and building applications. The challenge would be, if we succeed in producing such nanos, say availability of raw material to repair battle damage of a tank.


3) Cybernetics: like mechs the challenges are almost the same in addition to a decent high speed interface between neural synapses and cybernetic additions, although I have seen some developments in this directions.


4) A.I we are moving pretty fast in that direction, but how soon an A.I which does pass the “Turing Test” is available, I think it is pretty close we might see them very soon and military application particularly cyber warfare will take a new form.


Usage of quantum computing in military applications is definitely possible, but due to challenges of temperature tolerance probably another decade or so.



5) Propulsion: For sure our existing propulsion systems are not only limited but outdated as well, once we do solve the problem of allotropes, high density batteries we might see totally electrical based propulsion systems. As scientist have now seen evidence of gravitational waves I think in the decades and centuries to come there will be development in the direction of gravitonic navigation, and anti-grav systems. I think there was some research going on in the later direction.


6) Energy, I have analyzed the same in first point.



7) Space Weapons, that’s one scary mother. There are already theories that countries having advanced space program (USA, China and Russia) have not only stashed nuclear weapons in the space but tungsten rod firing satellites as well. Weapons grade lasers, plasma too are possibilities.

8) Cyber warfare, having picked up bits and pieces from the dark net, countries like U.S, U.K, Israel, Russia, China, Iran have taken strides in that direction. There is no need for missiles and army if you could shut down the power grids, transport system and the financial system of an entire country through the web. It is scary as hell and very much a current reality.


If I think about it from Pakistani perspective, although we have HR capital, but I don’t think there is any serious research going on in any of these areas in our country.