"Space armies," "smart missiles," "drones," "ferocious and fast" — these are the forms of warfare that jumped to the minds of those following U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin's speech as he announced that the age of conventional warfare is "over." The United States will engage in a "very different war" in the future, which may change military doctrines worldwide. During his visit to the U.S. Pacific Command in Hawaii, Austin hinted at relying on unconventional tools amid discussions of a potential conflict unlike the "old wars" previously fought by his country.
He emphasized the need to harness technological advancements and improve the integration of military operations globally to "understand faster, make decisions faster, and act faster." In statements published by American media on Saturday, he noted that he spent "most of the last two decades executing the last old wars and learning lessons he will never forget." Therefore, "future wars will be very different and will rely on technological advancements."
Notably, Austin's inaugural speech aligns with the U.S. strategy outlined in the national security document released two months ago, shortly after Joe Biden assumed the presidency. It stated, "Defending America means setting clear priorities within the defense budget... We will maintain readiness and ensure that U.S. armed forces remain in their best condition; the best-trained and equipped force in the world, facing increasingly strategic challenges, including a determined China and Russia's attempts to destabilize."
Although Austin did not name the powers against which the United States might engage in a "potential conflict," nor did he specify the nature of the unconventional and new means, the U.S. national security document confirmed that the military presence of the United States in the Middle East will be "at the necessary level to disrupt international terror networks and deter Iran." Its presence will be stronger in India, the Pacific, and Europe.
Political analysts picked up on what they believed he meant, including Tom Harb, Director of the U.S.-Middle East Democracy Alliance, who argues that the situation is undoubtedly escalating between Washington and Beijing, amid the latter's growing military, economic, and technological capabilities, which impact the global system and U.S. interests.
Harb explained to "Sky News Arabia" that China, through its political and commercial activity, touches on several sensitive points for the United States, including its control over the South China Sea—vital and strategic corridors for several countries—and its entry into the Middle East through Iran after signing a 25-year strategic and commercial cooperation agreement, exacerbating complexities between them.
According to Harb, the wars referenced by the U.S. Secretary of Defense represent a notable trend within the U.S. administration, which began during Donald Trump's era when he announced the establishment of a military body specialized in space, termed the "U.S. Space Force." The United States initiated the formation of a space army at the end of 2019, expected to be fiercer than traditional old wars and quicker in outcomes; drones and other smart missiles, supported by scientific and technological advancements, will alter the nature of battlefield conflicts, similar to the airstrike on Iranian Quds Force leader Qassem Soleimani using a U.S. drone at Baghdad airport.
In tandem with Austin's speech, his deputy, Kathleen Hicks, made similar statements during an online seminar when asked if armed conflict with China is unavoidable according to the Pentagon: "No, I don't see that." Hicks added, "There are many other areas where the U.S. and China will compete: international norms, economics, and others. There are also areas and opportunities for cooperation. However, regarding the military dimension, we must first and foremost... avoid unnecessary escalation while simultaneously showing readiness to contain aggression that harms our national interests."
Afghanistan has revealed vulnerabilities. Dr. Ayman Salama, a lecturer at the Nasser Military Academy in Egypt, noted that the United States is among the prominent powers moving to develop its military concepts according to changes, aimed at protecting its interests and national security. He explained to "Sky News Arabia" that "the military intervention in Afghanistan cast a heavy shadow on the concept of prolonged wars and military presence abroad, leading to a comprehensive review of the nature of the required roles and tasks, exploring ways to control and govern to amplify qualitative military capabilities while minimizing threats from enemies to near zero."
According to the lecturer at the Nasser Military Academy, Austin acknowledged in his speech the existence of "serious structural problems in the U.S. armed forces, which were revealed by the war in Afghanistan," including the loss of the right scientific blend between military doctrinal concepts and the effective use of high-efficiency technology, as well as the lack of immediate response in emergency situations, such as using electronic warfare to counter threats or direct aggression against U.S. naval forces hundreds of miles away.
Salama also highlighted that the best means to curb the capabilities of U.S. enemies and adversaries, as mentioned in the Secretary of Defense's address, are rapid responses, flexibility, agility, and comprehensive computational governance over all military operations of the U.S. armed forces.
The researcher's view aligns with that of Malik Al-Othamena, a specialist in Middle East affairs residing in Belgium. He believes that the revolution in information technology that has produced an unprecedented flood of information, combined with the advancement of tiny technologies in most innovations and their accelerating repercussions, has created a change throughout the world and at all levels of human development. This evolution makes the military machine itself part of the fundamental change, reflecting on the nature of conflicts and the wars that resolve those conflicts.
Al-Othamena explained to "Sky News Arabia": "Military tanks, with their bulk and combat efficiency, were once a field of competition among huge powers, as were the sizes of bombs causing comprehensive destruction. However, today we stand in front of minuscule killing machines capable of flying without the potential for human cost, carrying lethal weapons without heavy weights."
He added: "These changes lead military mentality today to rethink the quality of heavy artillery units, for example, in wars with no direct confrontations or wide battlefields. The traditional concepts of Waterloo or El Alamein have ended, along with the precise coordinate calculations for artillery and various Napoleonic chess theories for planning wars."
Thus, Austin's statements, articulated on behalf of military thinking globally, confirm a significant strategic change in combat doctrine and military concepts.
