Drones, algorithms redefine 'Strong Warrior' standards

 The grammar of warfare is changing. In the Russia-Ukraine war, we witnessed the effectiveness of small drone units in neutralizing expensive tanks. We also confirmed the exceptional ability of IT experts to analyze real-time satellite data and block enemy supply routes. While past wars were physical conflicts symbolized by brute strength and aggression, modern warfare has transitioned into a multi-domain operational theater dominated by technology, information, and data. This shift raises a fundamental question: Who is the "strong warrior" that creates victory on today’s battlefield?

Lee Young-joo, Korea Military Academy Professor·Lieutenant Colonel

For a long time, the core values sustaining military organizations were robust physical strength and combat-centric cohesion. Traditionally emphasizing physical capabilities and unity has played a critical role on actual battlefields. Even today, these factors cannot be underestimated. However, the world has changed. The sight of drone controllers and laptops neutralizing enemy forces on the battlefield demonstrates that traditional physical-centric warrior concepts are no longer sufficient.

In today’s battlefields, where cyber warfare and electronic warfare have become routine, the changes are even more pronounced. In modern warfare, which combines precision strikes, information warfare, and psychological operations, combat is not waged solely through physical conditions. The size of one’s physique or sheer physical strength is not the sole determinant. Equally critical are technical proficiency, judgment, and responsible decision-making abilities that decide victory or defeat. Additionally, the capacity to comprehensively understand complex battlefield environments and connect diverse assets is increasingly vital. Such capabilities cannot be secured through simple training alone; they require systematic education and accumulated experience. Warfare no longer remains solely a "competition of strength."

Now, the concept of a warrior must be redefined more broadly. Robust physical strength and combat capabilities remain important. However, the era now demands complex combat capabilities that include technological understanding, information analysis skills, and rapid adaptability. This is not a rejection of tradition but a proposal to expand the scope of combat power in line with the changed battlefield environment. Particularly, considering the declining population and shrinking military manpower, personnel management relying solely on specific physical conditions is no longer sustainable. In this reality, effectively utilizing talent with diverse backgrounds and capabilities directly translates to combat power. The key question is not "who is closer to the traditional warrior" but "who can perform actual missions more effectively."

Alongside this, military organizations require an "ambidextrous strategy." They must maintain the traditional toughness of the battlefield while simultaneously cultivating flexibility to respond to new technologies and changes. If the center of gravity on the battlefield is shifting from "the strength to handle equipment" to "the ability to understand systems," the military’s talent criteria must also evolve accordingly.

Redefining the standards of a warrior is not an ideological issue. It is a pragmatic choice to respond to rapidly changing warfare patterns and secure maximum combat power with limited manpower. A military that lags behind these changes can never become a strong military. The future battlefield is a space where victory is determined not by muscle mass but by systems and judgment. For our military to remain a truly strong force, it must possess both broader inclusivity and deeper expertise. That is the most pragmatic path we must choose today.