According to military analysts, modern and future wars will be networked. The concept of “network warfare” is a new qualitative level of understanding of the goals and objectives of modern warfare and armed conflicts. Network wars are won, as a rule, not by military means, but by network organizations. Nevertheless, the goals of network wars remain the same as in a conventional, classic war: defeat the enemy, seize his resources, establish direct control over his territory, over his most important areas.
The future will belong to those who achieve perfection in the development of network forms. In a network war, a hostile network covers the enemy from all sides. Such phenomena of war as conventional guerrilla warfare, sabotage, misinformation, provocation and insurrection are now being combined and transformed into a new form of network warfare. In a network war, a country (“victim”) is faced with the enemy’s actions in the form of a swarm of “seemingly unrelated” actions (provocations, disinformation, diplomatic demarches), actions of foundations, committees in defense of certain values and specific individuals (usually iconic ), criminal gangs, political movements, TV channels, Internet sites.
The objects of a network war can be the leadership of the country, sections of the population, the army, the Ministry of Internal Affairs, the FSB, the elite of society (all separately and simultaneously). It may include diplomacy, propaganda and psychological campaigns, political and cultural subversion, misrepresentation or interference with local media, penetration into computer networks or databases, support for dissident and opposition movements. Network warfare is a multidimensional conflict that develops in all spheres, in the whole range of economic, political, social and purely military aspects. For example, in economic network wars, all efforts are concentrated on undermining the sphere of production and distribution of goods; in the political — on the leadership and institutions of power in the country; in information on disinformation, formatting the necessary psyche, substitution of values. Forms of conducting network wars can be different: from conflict between states to conflict between the state and non-state structures. Thus, a network war can take place between the Government and illegal criminal structures involved in terrorism, drug trafficking, trade scams with weapons of mass destruction. In the late 90s, the concept of «network-centric warfare» appeared in the United States. From now on, the focus of the military command is not «combat platforms» (tanks, aircraft, warships) and their actions, but the network.
The concept of «network» includes: control networks, intelligence and communications networks; combat networks of high-precision weapons; combat and logistic support networks; «organic» networks of subdivisions, units, formations; military «social» networks that unite officers and soldiers, military and diplomats, troops and the population. All of them are brought together in a single information and communication network space, functioning in real time, which allows the troops to act much faster and more efficiently. The main character on the battlefield of the future will be the military computer operator, a computer center that can determine any surrounding parameters, such as the weather of St. Petersburg.
Instructions for the sane part of the civilian population — for the duration of any information war
1. Any war will end. That’s for sure. As a result, the politicians will come to an agreement, and you will be left with the shit that you pour over «your ideological opponents.»
2. In every nation there are different people, and not everyone participates in the war — you should not insult everyone in a row. If it is very important for you to express your attitude to politics, express it, and it is not necessary to offend anyone.
3. During the war, everyone lies. Do not distribute anonymous information and the one whose truth is less than 101%, that is, write only about what you see yourself. It’s honest. The rest is your participation in the general lies.
4. You don’t like the opinion of another person, and you are really eager to speak out — speak out about this opinion, and not about this person, because most often you don’t know him personally. Know that hating people you don’t know is a disease.
5. Relationships between people are very complex, even at the level of a family or a work collective. Between states it is even more difficult. Everything is simple and understandable only to fools. Don’t jump to conclusions — don’t be a fool. Always remain Human and re-read paragraph 1.