US lawmakers highlight AI, cyber, and autonomous systems as future of warfare

A US congressional hearing on special operations forces offered a glimpse into the future of warfare one driven by artificial intelligence cyber operations and autonomous systems highlighting lessons closely watched in India as it reshapes its military to address emerging threatsLawmakers and military leaders stated that the battlefield is rapidly evolving with technology lowering the barrier for both state and nonstate actors to deploy advanced capabilities such as drones cyber tools and AIdriven systemsldquoThe bar to access advanced technology like AI drones and complex cyber tools has never been lowerrdquo Congressman Jason Crow said warning that such tools now allow smaller groups to ldquopunch above their weightrdquoAssistant Secretary of Defence Derrick Anderson said the current security environment is marked by ldquosimultaneity convergence and speedrdquo with adversaries increasingly aligned and ldquotechnologically enabledrdquoHe described US Special Operations Forces SOF as uniquely positioned for this shift providing ldquoscalable tailorable and asymmetric options across the full spectrum of competition and conflictrdquoAdmiral Frank Bradley commander of US Special Operations Command said the military must adapt quickly to remain effective in this environment ldquoWe must adapt faster than our adversariesrdquo he said underlining the need to ldquoaccelerate capability developmentrdquo and integrate emerging technologiesBradley identified cyber and the digital domain as central to future conflict ldquoThe cyber and the virtual domain are critical manoeuvre spaces that we must take advantage ofrdquo he said adding that the growing ldquoubiquitous information environmentrdquo presents both risks and opportunitiesHe also pointed to the rise of autonomous systems describing ldquothe emergence of abundant lethal autonomyrdquo as a defining feature of modern warfare However he stressed that human control remains central saying the law of war requires ldquoa human thatrsquos making that decisionrdquo on the use of lethal forceDespite this technological push both lawmakers and military leaders warned that resources have not kept pace with demand Chairman Ronny Jackson said Socomrsquos ldquopurchasing power has been reduced by 14 per cent since 2019 despite increasing demand for support worldwiderdquoBradley added that growing operational demands have forced the command to divert funds from future capabilities ldquoThat pace of growing usage but diminishing resources was causing us to have to eat into our modernisation budgetrdquo he saidLawmakers said this shift requires rethinking how forces are structured and equipped including greater emphasis on cyber capabilities information warfare and partnerships with alliesFor India the hearing underscores a broader shift in how major powers are preparing for future conflicts moving away from largescale troop deployments towards technologydriven agile and specialised forces capable of operating across multiple domainsUS special operations forces have been central to American military campaigns since the early 2000s particularly in counterterrorism missions in Afghanistan and Iraq Now their role has expanded to include competition with China and Russia cyberenabled operations and support for partner nationsThe discussion in Washington reflects a growing consensus that future conflicts will be shaped less by conventional force size and more by speed technology and information dominance an evolution that is increasingly influencing defence planning across the world including in IndiaThis story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed agencies Midday accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability trustworthiness reliability and data of the text Midday managementmiddaycom reserves the sole right to alter delete or remove without notice the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever