Four Ways to Fight Against an Intelligent Combat System

Issue 37, 4 July 2022

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I. Military and Warfare

How to Fight Against Intelligent Combat Systems

So far, we have read about the nature of intelligent combat systems and their various aspects. Many of these concepts describe how one can develop intelligent combat capabilities. But what if the enemy is using intelligent combat systems?

This week, Li Wei and Liang Xiaoping write about how one can carry out anti-intelligent operations. Authors write, "To implement anti-intelligence operations, we must adopt a strategy offensive in defense, offensive and defensive strategy, and combining attack and defense, and use various methods to take the initiative." (实施反智能化作战必须采取攻中有防、防中有攻、攻防结合的策略，综合运用各种方法手段方能占据主动。)

First, to break the advantages of intelligent combat clusters, one needs to control the power in the whole domain, especially the control of network power and electromagnetic power. One also has to put on an intellectual offensive by cracking open opponent's algorithms and controlling the efficiency of their algorithms and thereby controlling the intelligence of the systems. This way, an intelligent program of the opponent's weapons and equipment will make wrong judgments and the system algorithm logic will be out of control, or the function will fail.

The second way to fight against intelligent combat clusters is to break the network chain and interrupt the power supply chain. Intelligent systems, be it 'lone wolf' or 'swarm', need to be connected with other clustered intelligent weapons, human-computer interaction platforms, various types of sensors, and electronic warfare systems through satellites and communication links. Hence, breaking this network is necessary. The authors suggest, "it is necessary to use the disruptive network information link to implement soft kill, and comprehensively adopt the tactics of active decoy, passive interference, a combination of deception and attack, and integration of attack and defense, so as to break the enemy's information chain, command chain, strike chain, and security chain." (对此，应运用扰断网信链路实施软杀伤，综合采取有源诱骗、无源干扰、扰骗结合、攻防一体的战法，断破敌信息链、指挥链、打击链和保障链。)

The third way is the destruction of nodes in an intelligent combat confrontation system. Authors suggest that elite troops and weapons can be deployed, and information and fire can be integrated to implement precise physical damage to critical systems. Thus, destroying the battlefield backbone of the opponent's intelligent combat system.

Lastly, the authors suggest cluster destruction of the intelligent combat action patterns. Intelligent operations emphasize multi-intelligence integration and group intelligence cooperation. Hence authors suggest targeted measures must be taken based on the judgment of the battlefield situation. Based on the multi-dimensional situation of the battlefield:

• One can perceive and describe the opponent's intelligent cluster action pattern

• Use terrain and other environments to restrict the enemy's action pattern and offensive and defensive paths

• Deploy weapons of different combat types as a whole to form a complete multi-domain anti-intelligent operation

Additional Reading

•  Intelligent integration of military command and decision-making

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Megha Pardhi is a Research Analyst at The Takshashila Institution. She tweets at @pardhimegha21.