This book debates and discusses the present and future of Disruptive Technologies in general and military Disruptive Technologies in particular. Its primary goal is to discuss various critical and advanced elucidations on strategic technologies. The focus is less on extrapolating the future of technology in a strict sense, and more on understanding the Disruptive Technology paradigm.
It is widely accepted that technology alone cannot win any military campaign or war. However, technological superiority always offers militaries an advantage. More importantly, technology also has a great deterrent value. Hence, on occasion, technology can help to avoid wars. Accordingly, it is important to effectively manage new technologies by identifying their strategic utility and role in existing military architectures and the possible contributions they could make towards improving overall military capabilities. This can also entail doctrinal changes, so as to translate these new technologies into concrete advantages.
Dr Ajey Lele is a Senior Fellow at the Institute for Defence Studies and Analyses (IDSA), New Delhi, where he also heads the institute’s Centre on Strategic Technologies. He began his professional career as an Indian Air Force Officer and took early retirement (retiring as a Group Captain) to pursue his academic interests. He holds a Master’s in Physics, as well as a Master’s and MPhil in Defence and Strategic Studies, and completed his doctorate at the School of International Studies, Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU), New Delhi. Dr Lele has contributed articles to various national and international journals, websites and newspapers. His book publications include Strategic Technologies for the Military (Sage), Asian Space Race: Rhetoric or Reality? (Springer), and Mission Mars: India’s Quest for the Red Planet (Springer).