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When one thinks of making 'supersoldiers' the first thing that comes to mind is making soldiers physically stronger, but in modern warfare this offers little be
by gene-h 5y ago
When one thinks of making 'supersoldiers' the first thing that comes to mind is making soldiers physically stronger, but in modern warfare this offers little benefit. However, decreasing the need for sleep offers a huge benefit according to JASON scientific advisory council[0]. Part of this is that modern warfare doctrine is built around exhausting the enemy. The JASON report stated that "At present there is no clear path to a major breakthrough in [sleep management], but if such a development occurs... it could seriously alter the balance of engagement." Now that we're starting to at least understand the reason why we sleep, we're may be getting close to said breakthrough.
It is quite something to see that the Army rather than DARPA is working on this project. DARPA works on crazy ideas to see if they work at all, the Army Research Labs only tend to work on things that aren't that crazy.
[0]https://irp.fas.org/agency/dod/jason/human.pdf https://irp.fas.org/agency/dod/jason/human.pdf
- 0xdeadb00f 5y agoThere was an x-files episode about how the military had succeeded in making sleepless soldiers, but it was irreversible. The soldiers suffered and longed for death when they came back to the US. In traditional X-files fashion one of them had gained psychic powers. It's a good episode.
- dTal 5y ago>modern warfare doctrine is built around exhausting the enemy. If true, this would appear to render the military practice of keeping everyone seriously sleep deprived at all times a bit of a strategic cock-up, wouldn't it?