The Briefing Room

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David Aaronovitch presents in-depth explainers on big issues in the news.

David Aaronovitch and a panel of experts and insiders present in-depth explainers on big issues in the news.

David Aaronovitch and a panel of experts and insiders present in-depth explainers on big issues in the news

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The Briefing Room: How is technology changing warfare?

How is technology changing warfare?

BBC Radio 4 - The Briefing Room, How is technology changing warfare?

What have we learnt from recent conflicts and how might things change in the wars to come?

David Aaronovitch and guests discuss how new technology is changing the way wars are fought. They also consider how automation and AI might impact the conflicts are conducted.

In 1964, pre-historic remains were discovered at Jabal Aṣ-Ṣaḥābah - or Mountain of the Companions - in the Nile Valley near what is now the border of northern Sudan and Egypt. That site contained evidence of the earliest known warfare believed to have taken place around 13,500 years ago. It’s thought that climate change led to that conflict; as crop yields became smaller, more groups had to compete with each other for what food sources were available. 

Spears and possibly arrows were the high-tech weapons of choice in the Nile Valley. Flash forward to today and it’s AI-enabled drones that have been - literally - levelling the playing field for Ukraine in their battle against Russia.  

But as technological advancement continues apace what lessons have we learned from recent conflicts and how might things change in the wars yet to begin? 

Guests: 
Shashank Joshi, defence editor at The Economist, 
Dr Jack Watling, Senior Research Fellow for Land Warfare at the Royal United Services Institute
Dr Emma Salisbury, associate fellow in military innovation at the Council on Geostrategy

Production team: Ben Carter and Kirsteen Knight
Editor: Richard Vadon
Production Co-ordinator: Gemma Ashman
Sound engineer: Neil Churchill

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