Swarming on the Battlefield: Past, Present, and Future

by Sean J.A. Edwards

The military application of emerging technologies for communications and information processing is likely to change the way military force is managed and applied. Oftentimes, a dramatic improvement in technology brings about an equally dramatic change in military doctrine and organization. One possibility is a doctrine based on swarming, whereby military units organized as networks use dispersed yet integrated operations. Swarming has occurred throughout military history, and the lessons of this past experience may offer insights into a possible future application of swarming. This monograph analyzes ten swarming cases and applies the conclusions to a discussion of future swarming. History suggests that elusiveness, standoff firepower, and situational awareness are essential to the success of swarming armies. However, because swarming doctrine requires radical force-structure changes, this study recommends that a portion of the U.S. light or

Genres: War, Military History

108 pages, Paperback

First published March 13, 2000