| The militaries of the United States and Europe are presently in the middle of a transformation, coined the Revolution in Military Affairs (RMA). The invention and application of the microprocessor is propelling western society and western militaries into the Information Age. Precision Guided Munitions, and advanced intelligence and command and control technologies characterise this transformation. New organisational doctrines have also been created to maximise the utility of these new technologies. However, a new era also implies new threats, and the RMA has varying effectiveness depending on whether the threat is a rogue state, peer competitor or an asymmetric threat (international terrorism, cyberterrorism and weapons of mass destruction). The RMA will also fundamentally define the operational transatlantic relationship. With US military's hyperpower, the technology gap between the US and European militaries, the burden-sharing debate, and European efforts to create a European Security and Defence Identity (ESDI), the transatlantic relationship may be increasing be defined as a bi-polar relationship. |
