USAF Video Demands Great Thinkers for the “Age of Surprise”

Written by Dabney B. on Friday, September 21st, 2012

The United States military isn’t known for having a very artistic streak, so it’s always surprising when they come out with something inspirational or beautiful. The United States Air Force Center for Strategy and Technology at The Air University recently released a video entitled “Welcome to 2035… the Age of Surprise.”

It’s not quite what you would expect out of the USAF, but before we dive into the analysis take a look for yourself:

 

The video charts the progress of technology (especially aviation) from the Wright Brothers’ early attempts at flight, to the atomic bomb, the moon landing, and then on to Facebook, Twitter, and other modern pieces of technology. The premise of the video is pretty simple: technology is advancing faster and faster, so it’s nearly impossible to predict what the future can hold.

This is not a new concept. Many people call this phenomenon the “Countdown to Singularity,” which holds that technology advances so quickly that it will eventually hit a kind of critical mass. At that point, every new year there will be twice as many inventions as the year before it. It’s empowering to think that we’re constantly on the verge of the next great technological revolution, but at the same time the infinite buy cialis online cheap possibilities of tomorrow can make the military nervous. After all, it’s impossible to prepare for the next great weapon when it hasn’t been invented yet.

You might be wondering, though: should the USAF really compare Facebook to the atomic bomb? Well, yeah. Weapons of mass destruction aren’t quite the same as social media, but Facebook has incredible ramifications. Just look at the Arab Spring, which was largely fueled by the Internet and social media. Similarly, the Chinese government has to constantly grapple with controlling information as new social media technology makes censorship harder and harder.

The fact of the matter is that this Countdown to Singularity could drastically change how the military operates. For centuries the most effective technique has been to defend against existing technology. Now (or in the near future), the best approach could be to prepare for technology that’s about to exist. That would mean that any military force that could accurately predict future technology would have a dramatic advantage.   Consultants and experts like those in Strike Fighter Consulting Inc. or Blue Horizons could be more valuable than bombs and guns. If knowledge is power, then our ability to foresee the future will help us win tomorrow’s wars.

If you want advice about the world of military aviation, there’s no better people to turn to than men and women who have sat in the cockpit and flown some of the world’s most advanced aircraft. With over 50 current and ex-warfighters on call, Strike Fighter Consulting Inc. can give you access to up-to-date, first-hand technical and tactical expertise.