Customer Reviews

Digital Soldiers: The Evolution of High-Tech Weaponry and Tomorrow's Brave New Battlefeld

5 star:		(1)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

I always look forward to new books on modern military affairs and I was excited when I saw James Dunnigan's DIGITAL SOLDIERS. However I was greatly disappointed by the book. The author's informal style of writing does not promote his professional credentials. Very few weapons systems are even mentioned, and the author jumps around all through the book from subject to subject. I would recommend Tom Clancy's series of non-fiction books such as SUBMARINE and FIGHTER WING. Jane's and Brassey's produce many excellent publications, although they are often very expensive.

I anxiously awaited reading this book after coming across it. Unfortunately, the book jumps all over the place. Dunnigan spends a few pages on the history of a service, then a few more on the current reality, then about one page on the future. The author manages to refer to his past successes as a well known war gamer, and even details a project he did for the National Parks Service. I just wish this three year Army vet had gone into more detail on the future digital services........

Author makes it clear that term "digital" include all of the electronics technologies and not digital technology exclusively. James Dunnigan vividely explains the link between politicians' interests and the fate of our soldiers in the battlefields. Unbelievable but real details of India's and China's missile power explained in detail. You would be amazed (scared?) to know the quantity and power of long range missiles China possesses. I enjoyed reading this easy-to-read but informative book and believe that even science fiction fans would love it and realize that non-fiction raeding also can be fun. Author is fully qualified and knowledgeable, although I had some difficulty to accept that Gulf war was a good test ground for our new weapons. In a war against to a higher tech nation in a large and mountainous terrain the test data could vary.

Mr Dunnigan's book is a rehash of discussion that has been going around military circles since the end of the Gulf War. In his striving to make a somewhat specialized subject more accessible, by an informal writing style, he simplifies and generalizes issues. Ironically, this is exactly what he blames the "media" for. Also, although the copyright date on my copy is 1996, the manuscript seems to have been written a couple years earlier. Two examples: He endorses the Air Force decision to get rid of its EF-111's (this decision was opposed by those in DoD who worked in electronic warfare) since they were not as capable of jamming radars as the Navy EA-6. The more complicated reality is that there was a sofware and hardware package designed to update the EF-111, but a decision by the then Air Force Chief of Staff diverted the money to other projects. Ergo, the EF couldn't do the same job as the EA-6. Almost at the same time, the decision was made to retire all F-111's from service. This would make the EF logistically unsupportable. Not quite the same story as Mr Dunnigan gives us.

Another example is a disparaging comment about the Iraqis gaining considerable intelligence from "all" Coalition aircraft not maintaing radio discipline. What he doesn't bother to explain is that US Air Force and Navy aircraft had (and have) both encrypted and anti-jam radios. HOWEVER, our coalition partners did not have the same capability, that the Iraqis did exploit. Again a simplification that doesn't give the reader the full story.

The best part of the book is the conclusion section where he puts forward some recommendations for the US military, which is why I gave this book two stars.

I always look forward to new books on modern military affairs and I was excited when I saw James Dunnigan's DIGITAL SOLDIERS. However I was greatly disappointed by the book. The author's informal style of writing does not promote his professional credentials. Very few weapons systems are even mentioned, and the author jumps around all through the book from subject to subject. I would recommend Tom Clancy's series of non-fiction books such as SUBMARINE and FIGHTER WING. Jane's and Brassey's produce many excellent publications, although they are often very expensive.

It's no masterwork, but Digital Soldiers provides a decent overview of the evolution of modern weaponry and the driving forces behind the production of weapons today. Sure, it's informal, but it's hardly dull or utterly embarrassing.