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Technology has radically shifted the kill gap. A more technologically advanced soldier can kill exponentially more combatants who have less technology. And t
by nickthemagicman 10y ago
Technology has radically shifted the kill gap. A more technologically advanced soldier can kill exponentially more combatants who have less technology.
And that gap is just getting bigger and bigger until we get rid of that soldier entirely and he is replaced by a robot or drone swarm.
18 U.S. soldiers to 300 enenmys dead(20 years ago)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Mogadishu_(1993) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Mogadishu_(1993)
4000 to 24,000 enemys
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iraq_War https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iraq_War
That kill gap is just getting bigger and bigger as the years go by.
American soldiers can use I.R. to 'see through walls'...how can a guy with an AK47 and a canteen compete with that.
- gohrt 10y ago> how can a guy with an AK47 and a canteen compete with that. suicide attacks (bombs, airplanes, nuclear radiation) ...which is exactly what we see today.
- crucifiction 10y agoBut that is a nuisance more than the ability to own/maintain control.
- nickthemagicman 10y agoYeah but as the military gets more automated, and we're seeing it already with drones, hellfire missiles, tomahawks, autonomous tanks, the 'wizards in a tower' will not be affected by those. http://www.defensenews.com/story/defense/show-daily/ausa-global-force/2016/03/17/army-autonomous-system-strategy/81897736/ http://www.defensenews.com/story/defense/show-daily/ausa-glo...
- pmyjavec 10y agoTo be honest, they might be impressive figures but the whole military campaign has been quite a failure. Maybe the solider is able to kill more, but it doesn't seem like much has been accomplished.
- taneq 10y agoIt's because the goal isn't killing and they're not allowed to use the vast majority of their power.
- deleted 10y ago[deleted]
- TheSpiceIsLife 10y agoWhat's going on with the numbers you quoted here. Battle of Mogadishu is a 16:1 kill ratio, where as the Iraq war is 6:1 as you've written it. I'm confused.
- nickthemagicman 10y agoSorry haha posted it in a hurry. Those were meant as equivalent examples of modern kill gaps. You see kill gaps increase historically everytime a group gets a more advanced technology, i.e. chariot, phalanx, rifleman, airplane. The problem is...back to O.P.'s comment...we're getting to the point where a battle can be won with 'wizards in a tower' the technology is so advanced soldiers wont even be needed. drone/hellfire missile, a tomahawk missile...drone swarms, remote tanks, etc. This seems pretty much unbeatable to an armed force who has to put actual human beings on the field.
- throwaway729 10y agoOne was a short battle, the other was an occupying and peace keeping force from almost day 1.
- xj9 10y agonot one person, a group acting without concern for the individual. sacrifice, die for the greater good. turn the enemy's strength against them.