Revolution and Evolution: Understanding Dynamism in Military Affairs

摘要

Pundits and analysts overuse the term Revolution in Military Affairs This essay seeks to draw distinctions among three fundamentally different types of change in the nature of military affairs. Different dynamics imply different optimal responses to the challenge of change. To the extent that the term Revolution in Military Affairs can be systematically disaggregated, a better understanding of its resulting components may be possible. This enhanced comprehension could lead to more efficient allocation of scarce resources-a critical consideration in a period of rapidly expanding scientific and technical knowledge, uncertainty about national security threats, tight fiscal constraints and great enthusiasm in some circles for information warfare 2.