The defence experts at a seminar in Islamabad on February 17 highlighted the need for strategic adaptation to innovations in space, cyber, AI, and more as they discussed the influence of technological advancements on the character of warfare.
The Centre for Aerospace & Security Studies (CASS), Islamabad hosted a seminar titled ‘Shifting Battlefields: Impact of Emerging Technologies on the Character of Warfare in South Asia’. The event convened distinguished experts from defence, technology, and academic sectors to discuss the transformative role of emerging technologies in modern warfare, with a particular focus on South Asia.
Air Marshal Farooq Habib (Retd), Senior Director at CASS, opened the seminar by stressing the complexity and unpredictability of technological evolution in military contexts. He emphasised the necessity for Pakistan’s defence sector to adapt and evolve in response to these advancements to maintain strategic and tactical superiority.
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Lieutenant General Aamer Riaz (Retd), former President of the National Defense University, in his keynote address, underscored the profound influence of technological advancements on the character of warfare. He predicted a technological upheaval, highlighting the need for strategic adaptation to innovations in space, cyber, AI, and more. General Riaz called for a revision of traditional warfare strategies to include emerging technologies that are redefining conflict dynamics.
Fawad Zahir, a Defence and Strategic Studies Expert, focused on the importance of airpower, enhanced by big data analysis, quantum computing, and
Machine Learning. He urged for robust civilian-military collaboration to harness technological advancements for defence purposes. He also strongly advocated strategic investment in technologies that align with Pakistan’s core defence needs given the country’s budgetary constraints. Prof. Dr Yasar Ayaz, Chairman/ CPD of the National Centre of Artificial Intelligence (NCAI), highlighted AI’s potential to revolutionise warfare, marking it the third major evolution after gunpowder and nuclear power. He stressed the importance of indigenous development of AI technologies to ensure strategic autonomy and technological sovereignty, highlighting the need for a balance between innovation and regulatory oversight.
Khawaja Mohammad Ali, a cyber security, data privacy, and digital forensics expert, delineated the critical role of cyber operations in modern conflict, advocating for the establishment of a national cybersecurity authority; extensive training and awareness programmes; cyber diplomacy; and indigenous development in cybersecurity solutions.
February 17, 2024
Source: The Nation