FUTURE U.S. MILITARY

TECHNOLOGIES

John Lawrence***

INTRO TO TECH WRITING***

NOVEMBER 20, 2002

Audience Analysis Goal: EDUCATIONAL /INFORMATIVE PIECE Targeting Popular science

– PopSci frequently reports on military tech– Intelligent, Curious, Semi technical people– Laypersons may also be interested– Complex phrases/text and ideas are broken down to an

easy to read format for everyone– PopSci a magazine not a journal

Tech Writing class – 2nd audience– Some may be highly technical, others may be laypersons

Due December 4, 2002

Overview/Introduction In the future, the U.S. military will be drastically

different from today. The Army and the other Armed Forces have already mapped their plans for the rest of this century. Due to the changing landscape of warfare (urban environments, desserts, caves), the changing nature of many modern missions toward peacekeeping, and increasingly more sophisticated technological advances and tactics from its enemies, the military has no choice other than to adapt. Some technologies are just now beginning to be implemented while others are still under development. Some technologies are: self-healing nanotech soldier exoskeletons, unmanned and thought controlled aircraft, space-based weapons and defenses, and virtual reality holographic simulations for training. Of course, these new technologies do not come without a price. Already there have been friendly fire casualties from unmanned aircraft and future vulnerabilities are possible.

Outline Aircraft Tanks Soldier Space Training Fictional inspirations

Unmanned Predator

Thought Controlled Aircraft Other Alternative Controls

Aircraft

Tanks NEW Tanks

– Small– Lightweight: 20 tons– Light armored– Unable to withstand

small blasts– Relies on other Army

tech to supplement light armor

– Increased mobility Carried in C-130 Smaller, vehicles

deploy from within

Old tanks– Huge– Heavy: 70 tons– Heavily armored– Limited mobility

Unable to travel over some bridges

Special aircraft required

Future Soldier 2025

motorcycle like helmet with HUD

weapons pod mounted on forearm

body armor power supply air conditioning water supply chameleon like battle

dress

Space Space “control” Many small satellites in clusters

instead of large satellites Satellites transmit GPS

coordinates to PREDATOR SMV’s launch on Demand, carry

variety of payloads Missile defense

NCSA “Game Cave”– Resembles fictional

“Holodeck”– $ 1 Million Dollars– Eyepiece still required– Used for first-person

computer games

Military working on similar TECH– $ 6 million budget– In future, no eyepiece

required– Networked to thousands of

soldiers

Holographic Environments

Fiction Fiction inspires real tech

– Television– Movies– Comic Books– Video Games

Questions? Is there anything else you’d like

to see included? Navy? Subs? Do you prefer more details on a

particular aspect or a general overview of all technologies?

Any other Questions?