Social Media and the Military

Mindfulness: Can social media cause a threat to national security? 

Many experts believe that yes, the use of social media could possibly pose a danger to our national security. Loved ones of those deployed might innocently post a picture of their soldier abroad, or write a post about how much they miss them, and may reveal sensitive information. This quote from military.com re-states this issue in much more concise terms.

"Soldiers, Army civilians and family members need to be mindful of what they put online, with operations security at the forefront of their considerations, said Staff Sgt. Dale Sweetnam, with the Online and Social Media Division, Office of the Chief of Public Affairs.

He said this applies to whether the person is a Soldier or Army civilian communicating as an organization or as an individual on social media sites.

"Once it's out there, it's out there," he said. "You can delete it, but if the wrong person took a screen shot, that's actionable intelligence and you can't get that back."

What about the way the military could use social media against us? This video down below truly highlights the way we could be manipulated by the very platforms that some of us have built our lives around. 

Sources: http://www.military.com/deployment/maintaining-operational-security-with-social-media.html

England: The Internet of Things

IOT World Forum 2017 - London, UK

When I began looking for ways in which England is utilizing the Internet of Things, I came across a conference that took place in London. This conference focuses solely on the Internet of Things, and how these "things" can help us create better and more practical ways of implementing different hardware and infrastructures. This conference looked at how the Internet of Things could positively affect the medical field, urban grids, and manufacturing. A large concern that was addressed was the importance of privacy, and keeping consumer data confidential.

Because the Internet of Things seeks to provide easier ways for us to accomplish tasks, its technologies inevitable require a bit more trust than they had done before. The purpose of this conference that took place in London was to look for ways to build that trust within the consumer population, so they are more likely to adopt a few items that fall into the Internet of Things categories.

The Internet of Things: Data Warfare
So, what does all of that mean within the context of my blog? Well, many experts believe that the next military move will be wuthin the technological, software realm. Data Warfare is a new idea that has only recently emerged, and defines as a way of conducting war over networks by stealing or looking at secret, sensitive consumer and civilian information. In essence, data warfare is the fear that the creators of the International IOT Conference that I spoke about before have been trying to dispell through conversation. I do believe that data warfare is the next new frontier of military technology, because if valuable man-power and countless dollars did not have to be spent on the ground, why wouldn't some states seek to switch over to using networks?

This picture depicts the possible outcome of a war fought over data. Imagine, instead of say a full on nuclear attack, an enemy country simply steals private information from some of our military satellite. This technique could prove to be even more damaging to our infrastructure than a physical military attack.

Sources
https://internetofbusiness.com/us-army-iot-warfare/
http://iotinternetofthingsconference.com/

Military Technology in the Media: Fact or Fiction?

Could Robot soldiers actually become a reality? 

In this science fiction film, a futuristic city depicts the work of a mad scientist who creates a robotic woman in the form of Maria, another character. Although the science behind this part in the film may have not been very thought out, there has been a push within the modern scientific community to create sentient, robotic beings. Take a look at the 1927 version of robotic science. Another movie, the trailer posted below the older one, tells about a military robot that short circuits and causes mayhem around a town.

As I stated before, this concept of robotic creations is not entirely fiction at all. Take a look at this very real prototype of a humanoid robot. It's a bit creepy to me, but it's also interesting to see just how far we have come in the field of androids. These androids could possible be used in battle as a way to limit civilian casualties, and sustain life for a little longer. Robots could also be used as a sort of test subject for new military weapons.

It is even believed that military robots could one day replace service dogs in battlefield. I was especially happy to know this, because one of the things that always breaks my heart is hearing about dogs dying in service. These new animal-like robots, like the one down below, could replace real animals in the field while still providing companionship for soldiers. They are a bit unsettling to watch, and they are still in the first phases of their development, but it does make me wonder about the many other possibilities for these robot companions.

Sources:
http://www.cheatsheet.com/entertainment/8-science-fiction-movies-that-accurately-predicted-future-technologies.html/?a=viewall

Cost of Military Technology

What are the most expensive forms of military technology? 

1. P-8A Poseidon - $33 Billion

This plane began as a surveillance plan, and turned into a multi-use facility. Missles, mines, torpedoes, and the latest sensors can be found on this plane.

2. CVN-78 Class Aircraft Carrier - $9.8 Billion

3. Virginia Class Submarine - $83.7 Billion

"The Virginia Class subs are among the most useful strategic tools in the DOD arsenal.  These nuclear submarines can carry 38 different weapons, including Tomahawk Cruise Missiles, mines and torpedoes. While eight are currently in operation, the Department of Defense has 30 of these $2.5 billion mobile undersea missile platforms budgeted." - Blaze.com


All of that being said, our military obviously spends an enormous amount of money on technology. Now, whether or not that money could be better spent in another location is up for debate. The video below may begin a dialogue within your head, and help you figure out exactly where, and how, your tax money is being spent. 

Sources
http://www.theblaze.com/news/2012/01/13/here-are-five-of-the-most-expensive-military-weapons-on-earth/

Social Media and the Military

Why exactly is this important? 


"Social Media has become an increasingly vital tool for the Armed Forces in the 21st Century. Not only in order to reach out to a wider and younger audience globally for recruitment and information purposes but as a new front in warfare. What soldiers, airmen and sailors post online can be crucial to winning the hearts and minds of local populations, weakening the enemy’s narrative and as an instrument in the proliferation of cyber warfare. Therefore today’s warriors must be competent in all social media channels as well as aware of the inherent dangers they might be put in at home and on operations when posting online." - SMI, Linking Business with Information

According to the article I read, the military is placing an increasing amount of value upon social media. Social media sites, such as twitter, provide a direct link between soldiers and civilians that simply had not existed previously. Because of this, an entire conference was created that lasted over a two day period, complete with keynote speakers and activities, that explored the impact of social media on current military tactics. 

Sources

https://www.artillerymarketing.com/fs/how-the-defense-industry-is-using-social-media

https://www.smi-online.co.uk/defence/uk/social-media-within-the-military-and-defence-sector#tab_speakers

War Without Blood

War Without Blood

Politically, new military technology cause many issues. A huge part of controversies concerning war has to do with the amount of civilian casualties caused by fighting. By international war laws concerning ethics, if a military assault is going to cause more civilian casualties than is worth, than that military assault should not happen. David Hambling, author of an essay on the politics of military technology, states this in more eloquent words. 

"The insurgents have no chance in pitched battles, even on the smallest scale. Precision weapons and good communications mean that the Coalition can call up devastating firepower at will.  But the insurgents realise that killing even small numbers of Coalition troops might undermine the West’s political will to continue.  Equally, the Coalition forces know that keeping their casualties to a minimum is an absolute priority, as no other factor is likely to force them out. So it is the improvement in defensive technology that is most significant in ensuring that they can continue operations."

As this video states, technology and politics go hand in hand. China is a growing superpower within the military technology sector, even though it has not come close to spending the amount of money the U.S. does. Nonetheless, China is still on its' way to becoming more technologically advanced than the U.S. when it comes to military technology. 

Sources: 
http://www.e-ir.info/2008/08/15/the-politics-of-military-technology-war-without-our-blood/

Wearable Military Technology

Heads Up Display (HUD)

      The HUD, similar to the technology of the Google Glass, is a type of military helmet that rests just above the wearers eyes, displaying a range of real-time situational information within their view. Think Iron Man's helmet, without the artificially intelligent British narrator controlling the sensors. These battlefield heads, often called "Q Warriors", have the ability to set and remove directional markers, monitor the movements and positions of targets and allies, and provide the soldier details about incoming air attacks and ground vehicle threats.

Power Suits

      Although this next piece of technology is merely a concept at the moment, steps are currently underway to eventually make it into a reality. Power suits, also known as power exoskeletons, have the potential to be used in several ways. These suits could be created specially to fit an entire body, making the wearer more of a threat to potential shooters and less susceptible to the environmental wear. These suits could also be used to cover part of the body in an attempt to heighten one of two skills of an individual, like arm strength or speed. The article I read emphasized the importance of knowing that these suits would not add skills to someone who had not already possessed them, but would instead accentuate skills already harnessed. These body suits have endless uses, because they could be used for many issues such as allowing an elderly person the freedom to walk and run again or a surgeon to operate with steady hands.

The XOS Exoskeleton

Sources

http://gizmodo.com/how-close-are-we-to-elysium-style-exosuits-993706204

http://gizmodo.com/this-battlefield-heads-up-display-turns-us-troops-into-1530596634