The US military has enjoyed conventional dominance for the past couple of decades. However, that’s a historical assumption, often confused for a fact and barely supported by evidence.
Look closer, and you’ll see the US military suffers from delayed and unpredictable funding. And that affects the kind of equipment they use.
Old Equipment
Experts in military technology say the US army is an antique roadshow. They still have the M-1 tank and M-2 fighting vehicle; designed in the 1970s and were very popular in the 1980s. Both vehicles have minor modifications done on them, but they still have no place in the 21st-century battlefield. They would be almost useless in a war against China or Russia.
On the 4th of July this year, the airforce used a B-2 stealth bomber, which is nearly as old as the M-1. It is a useful plane with the ability to evade enemy radar. But again, it belongs in an antique collection, not in active duty.
The defense department has never thought about fighting against a capable opponent since World War 2.
Other Countries are Investing in Defense
China, for example, takes defense very seriously. They have invested in autonomous weapons and better assault vehicles, but their precision munition is the biggest threat to the US and all its allies. They can literally disable all army bases, airstrips, ports, and any other military installations anywhere in the world.
The United States Studies Center claims, “In the unfortunate event of a conflict between the US and China, a huge chunk of the American forces, including allies, would be disabled in a matter of hours.” That’s part of the reason Trump is trying to solve the current trade dispute with China amicably.
As a result of these substantial threats, the US military has encouraged Australia, their biggest ally, to build additional storage facilities, stock more missiles and invest in research and development of precision munition. The goal here is to have enough supplies to sustain a high-end conflict.
Autonomous Munition
However, it’s not all doom and gloom. The US military has developed a revolutionary army of killer robots. This project, dubbed Advanced Targeting and Lethality Automated System (ATLAS), has developed a self-driving tank which can acquire, analyse and open fire without human intervention.
This technology has raised many eyebrows, and most countries are totally against it, citing that developing a machine with the ability to fire on its own is simply reckless and morally wrong.
