Revolutionising Modern warfare: The Strategic Imperative of Mosaic warfare

The ‘kill web’ enables the rapid collection and analysis of information, the identification of targets, and the execution of precise and effective strikes.

By LT COL MANOJ K CHANNAN, VETERAN

In the evolving landscape of modern warfare, where conflict dynamics continually shift and expand, a revolutionary approach known as Mosaic Warfare has emerged as a beacon of strategic innovation. This new operational concept distinguishes itself by harnessing many advanced technologies, integration techniques, and strategic doctrines to forge a comprehensive and dynamic method of conducting warfare. Unlike traditional military strategies that often operate within rigid frameworks and specific domains, Mosaic Warfare offers a fluid and adaptable methodology, emphasising a holistic integration across all spectrums of conflict.

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By leveraging the synergy between humans and machines, cutting-edge technology, and a multi-domain operational model, this strategy aims to outmanoeuvre and decisively defeat adversaries in the complex battlefields of the future.ALSO READE-commerce needs a bulwarkBumps on the road: New BoT terms for highway construction may throw pvt investors into risk-aversion modeSensex@75K: Equities as a share of net household financial assets have zoomed to 14.7% in FY23 from just 4.5% in FY21Narratives of hope vs despair

The core principles, strategic implications, and transformative potential of Mosaic Warfare should be the focus of the Indian Defence Services. The Mosaic Warfare strategy is different from other operational concepts in several ways.ALSO READTechnology is important in modern warfare: Air Chief – Defence News | The Financial Express

Conceptual Framework: The Mosaic Warfare strategy is based on a conceptual framework that integrates all battle platforms to establish a complete picture of a quick and decisive victory. It emphasises the use of a system-of-systems network to achieve this goal.

System-of-Systems Approach: Mosaic Warfare adopts a system-of-systems approach, which means that it brings together various military capabilities and platforms to work together in a coordinated and integrated manner. This approach allows for massing firepower and exploiting vulnerabilities in the opponent’s defence.

Future Smart Military Bases: Mosaic Warfare envisions the development of future intelligent military bases equipped with advanced technologies and capabilities. These bases will serve as hubs for coordinating and integrating various military assets, including surveillance and detection sensors, high-precision combat platforms, and decision-making systems.

Focus on Technological Developments: Mosaic Warfare strongly emphasises exploring the latest technological developments. It highlights the importance of quantic technology, artificial intelligence, robot support to combatants, innovations in space capabilities, and human performance modification. These technological advancements are critical for achieving a decisive advantage in future conflicts.

Emphasis on Effects: Mosaic Warfare seeks quick, decisive, and lethal effects across the battlespace. It aims to fix and fracture the adversary by combining information warfare with guided munitions accuracy and low cost. The focus is on achieving effects that make any military response politically unpalatable for the enemy.

Mosaic Warfare: In A Multi-Spectrum Conflict

Mosaic Warfare helps in a multi-spectrum conflict by integrating and coordinating all aspects, including land, sea, air, cyber-security, information warfare, and perception management.

Land: Mosaic Warfare utilises high-tech combat platforms, such as advanced ground combat vehicles, to achieve precision strikes and maintain superiority on the ground. It also incorporates autonomous systems and AI to enhance decision-making and coordination among land forces.

Sea: Mosaic Warfare includes technologically advanced combat ships and submarines with high-precision weapons and sensors to dominate the maritime

domain. It also leverages autonomous systems and AI for enhanced situational awareness and decision-making at sea.

Air: Mosaic Warfare utilises advanced fighter aircraft, drones, and high-energy laser systems to achieve air superiority. It incorporates AI and autonomous systems to enhance air operations, including target identification, tracking, and engagement.

Cyber-security: Mosaic Warfare recognises the importance of cyber-security in modern conflicts and incorporates advanced cyber defence capabilities. It includes AI-based systems for threat detection, network protection, and cyber-attack response.

Information Warfare: Mosaic Warfare acknowledges the significance of information warfare and includes capabilities for perception management, propaganda, and psychological operations. It leverages AI and data analytics to analyse and influence information flows in the battlespace.

Perception Management: Mosaic Warfare recognises the importance of shaping the perception of adversaries, allies, and the general public. It incorporates capabilities for strategic communication, media manipulation, and influence operations to shape the narrative and gain an advantage in the information domain.

Concept: Human-Machine Binomial

The concept of the human-machine binomial in the new strategic approach refers to the integration and collaboration between humans and machines in military operations. It recognises that humans and machines have unique capabilities and strengths that, when combined, can enhance the effectiveness and efficiency of military forces. This approach aims to create a synergistic relationship where humans and machines work together to leverage their strengths and compensate for their weaknesses. It involves integrating advanced technologies, such as artificial intelligence and autonomous systems, with human decision-making, creativity, and adaptability to achieve strategic advantages in future conflicts. The goal is to maximise the effectiveness and efficiency of military operations by integrating human and machine capabilities in a networked and coordinated manner.ALSO READModern warfare: Hi-tech weapons cannot replace tanks and fighter jets, says expert – Business News | The Financial Express

Tenets of Multi-Domain Integration

Information Advantage. This tenet focuses on enabling and effecting orchestration through comprehensive and persistent sensing and understanding of environments and audiences. It emphasises the importance of having standard information across government and with allies to gain an advantage.

Strategically Postured: This tenet involves the global, domain-centric arrangement of capabilities. It emphasises the need to deploy the right military capabilities in the right places and integrate them with non-military ones and allies/partners. It also highlights the importance of integrating strategic-level multi-domain capabilities with tactical ones.

Configured For Environments: This tenet emphasises the readiness for multi-domain activity in operating areas and environments to influence the behaviour of selected audiences. It involves being prepared for multi-domain operations and having the ability to adapt to different environments.

Creating and Exploiting Synergy: This tenet focuses on generating, timing, and exploiting windows of opportunity for relative advantage by creating synergy. It highlights the importance of combining different capabilities to create a more significant impact and take advantage of opportunities.

Strategies to Address Complexity and Challenges Of Modern Warfare

Multi-Domain Operations (MDO): This strategy focuses on achieving cross-domain synergy by integrating and synchronising military capabilities across all operational domains (air, land, sea, space, and cyberspace).

Mosaic Warfare. This strategy aims to unite all battle platforms to establish a complete picture of a quick and decisive victory. Using a system-of-systems approach emphasises massing fire and effects rather than forces.

Multi-Domain Integration (MDI): This strategy integrates capabilities across all operational domains to generate advantage through better integration and coordination.

Effect-Based Operations (EBO): This strategy focuses on achieving desired effects rather than massing forces.

Quantic Technology and Artificial Intelligence: Exploration of the latest technological developments, such as quantum technology and artificial intelligence, is critical to future warfare strategies.

Cross-Domain Synergy

People Problem: The lack of desired expertise, training, and education, as well as the classification and compartmentalisation of capabilities, hinder the ability to achieve cross-domain synergy.

Stove-Piped Systems: Existing systems and programs of record are often stove-piped and federated, making cross-domain manoeuvres and fires challenging to achieve without a human solution.

Lack of Mental Models: The current mental models used in military operations, such as the conflict continuum and phasing construct, are inadequate and misinterpreted, leading to a need for revised models that can keep up with a constantly changing environment.

Complexity of Operating Environment: The modern operating environment is expanding and compressing simultaneously, making the war more complex. Lethal and non-lethal fires can be engaged from anywhere around the globe, reducing the limiting factor of distance.

Technological Advancements: Potential adversaries have developed high-tech integrated systems based on automation, machine learning, and artificial intelligence. The challenge is to go beyond existing systems and programs of record and design new solutions for manned-unmanned teaming in the future.

Interoperability: Achieving interoperability between domains and capabilities is challenging, as each domain has unique characteristics and requirements.

Information Advantage: Gaining and maintaining an information advantage across domains is crucial for achieving cross-domain synergy. This requires comprehensive and persistent sensing and understanding of environments and audiences and standard information sharing across government and with allies.

Strategic Posturing: Deploying the right military capabilities in the right places and integrating them with non-military capabilities and allies/partners is a challenge. It requires strategic control of multi-domain capabilities and the ability to integrate them at the operational level.

Tempo And Timing: Calibrating tempo to create windows of opportunity for exploiting cross-domain synergy is a challenge. It requires understanding relative domain strengths and engineering opportunities within human, physical, and information sub-environments.

Cultural and Educational Leaps: Cross-domain synergy requires cultural and educational leaps to enable the necessary technical, procedural, and cultural changes. This includes developing an agile command and control capability augmented by autonomy and automation.

Future weapon systems solve the complexity of modern operational space by incorporating the concept of Mosaic Warfare, utilising technologically developed platforms, and conducting research and development for new ones.

They also leverage advanced technologies such as artificial intelligence, autonomous systems, and high-energy laser weapons. Additionally, future weapon systems focus on multi-domain operations, networked systems, advanced sensors, space capabilities, and exploring technologies to enhance human performance.ALSO READStrengthening India’s Cybersecurity: SIA-India and ISAC Forge Partnership – Defence News | The Financial Express

Technologies being developed for Mosaic Warfare

Artificial Intelligence (AI): AI platforms are being developed to support decision-making processes and enhance situational awareness. These platforms can analyse large amounts of data, identify patterns, and provide recommendations to commanders.

Unmanned and Autonomous Systems: These systems, including drones, robots, and autonomous vehicles, are being developed to perform various tasks on the battlefield. They can be used for reconnaissance, surveillance, logistics, and combat operations.

Advanced Sensors: Sensors are being developed to provide real-time information about the battlefield, including enemy positions, movements, and threats. These sensors can be passive, such as radar and sonar systems, or active, such as laser-based systems.

Communications and Networking: Developing advanced communication systems and networks is crucial for Mosaic Warfare. These systems enable seamless communication and information sharing between different platforms and units on the battlefield.

Cyber and Electronic Warfare: Cyber and electronic warfare technologies are being developed to disrupt and turn off enemy communication systems, sensors, and command and control infrastructure. This includes offensive and defensive capabilities in the cyber domain.

Space Capabilities: Satellites play a crucial role in Mosaic Warfare by providing communication, navigation, and surveillance capabilities. Technologies for improved satellite communication and targeting are being developed to enhance the effectiveness of military operations.

Human Performance Modification: Research is being conducted to enhance the physical and cognitive performance of military personnel through medical, biological, electronic, and computational means. This includes technologies such as neural implants and brain-computer interfaces.

Bridging The Gap Between Net-Centric Multi-Domain Warfare

Several steps can be taken to bridge the gap between net-centric multi-domain warfare and mosaic warfare. These include developing a comprehensive understanding of the capabilities and limitations of net-centric multi-domain warfare, studying the principles and concepts of mosaic warfare, identifying key components and capabilities of mosaic warfare that can be integrated, developing strategies and plans for integration, conducting joint exercises and experiments, continuously evaluating and adapting the integrated approach, embracing the concept of Mosaic Warfare, developing interoperable and networked systems, investing in AI and autonomous systems, enhancing communication and information sharing, and addressing ethical and legal considerations.

Modern Communication Systems

In future wars, the US military is experimenting with various communication pathways, including decentralised wireless networks, future wireless ad-hoc networks, hyper-activated operators, network-of-networks, satellite communication, 5G technology, artificial intelligence (AI) communication, mesh networking, quantum communication, and cognitive radio. These pathways ensure efficient and secure information exchange, adaptability to changing conditions, connectivity in challenging environments, and enhanced decision-making and operational capabilities.

Kill Web

In warfare, the concept of ‘kill web’ refers to a networked system of interconnected sensors, platforms, and weapons that work together to detect, track, and engage targets with lethal effects, integrating various high-tech weapon systems, such as drones, missiles, lasers, and cyber and electronic warfare capabilities, into a cohesive and coordinated system. The ‘kill web’ enables the rapid collection and analysis of information, the identification of targets, and the execution of precise and effective strikes. It relies on advanced technologies, such as artificial intelligence and autonomous systems, to enhance situational awareness, decision-making, and the ability to engage and defeat the enemy. The ‘kill web’ aims to achieve overwhelming superiority and dominance on the battlefield by effectively combining and coordinating the capabilities of different domains to rapidly and decisively defeat the enemy.

Technological Advancement and Innovation – Indian Defence Forces

Invest in Cutting-Edge Technologies: Prioritize the development and acquisition of advanced technologies crucial for Mosaic Warfare, such as artificial intelligence (AI), autonomous systems, cyber capabilities, space technologies, and advanced sensors. This includes investing in research and development (R&D) to foster innovation in these areas.

Enhance Cyber and Space Capabilities: Given the integral role of cyber and space domains in Mosaic Warfare, the Indian Military should significantly enhance its cyber defence mechanisms and develop robust space-based communication, reconnaissance, and navigation systems.

Develop Smart Military Bases: Upgrade existing military bases into smart bases equipped with the latest technologies for surveillance, command and control, and logistics management. These bases should serve as nodes in the Mosaic Warfare network, enabling efficient coordination and support.

Organizational and Doctrinal Changes

Adopt a System-of-Systems Approach. Restructure military forces to operate effectively in a system-of-systems framework, ensuring seamless integration and interoperability among diverse platforms and capabilities.

Revise Military Doctrines: Update military doctrines to reflect the principles of Mosaic Warfare, emphasizing agility, multi-domain operations, and the integration of human and machine capabilities.

Foster Jointness Among Armed Forces: Promote greater jointness and cooperation among the Army, Navy, and Air Force to ensure cohesive action across all domains. This includes creating joint commands and developing joint operational plans.

Strategic Partnerships and Collaboration

Enhance International Defense Partnerships: Forge strategic partnerships with advanced countries in Mosaic Warfare concepts and technologies. This can facilitate technology transfer, joint exercises, and shared R&D initiatives.

Collaborate with the Private Sector: Engage with defence industries and technology companies to tap into the latest innovations and speed up the development and deployment of new military technologies.

Participate in Multinational Exercises: Increase participation in multinational military exercises that simulate Mosaic Warfare scenarios, allowing Indian forces to gain experience and insights from allies.

Training and Human Capital Development

Specialized Training Programs: Implement specialized training programs for personnel at all levels to understand and operate within the Mosaic Warfare framework. This includes AI, cyber warfare, unmanned systems, and integrated operations courses.

Develop New Leadership Qualities: Cultivate a new generation of military leader’s adept at managing high-tech operations and making rapid, informed decisions in a fluid battlefield environment.

Encourage Innovation and Adaptability: Foster a culture of innovation and adaptability within the armed forces, encouraging personnel to think creatively and embrace new technologies and tactics.

Regulatory Framework and Ethical Considerations

Establish Regulatory Frameworks: Develop comprehensive regulatory frameworks to govern AI, autonomous systems, and other advanced technologies in military operations, ensuring ethical considerations are at the forefront.

Focus on Cybersecurity Measures: Implement robust cybersecurity measures to protect military networks and systems from potential threats and vulnerabilities in the digital domain.

Conclusion

Mosaic Warfare represents a paradigm shift in military strategy, embodying a forward-thinking approach to modern conflict that emphasises adaptability, technological superiority, and cross-domain synergy. Integrating advanced technologies with a multi-spectrum operational model offers a blueprint for achieving dominance in the increasingly complex and technology-driven battlefields of the 21st century. The strategy’s focus on system-of-systems integration, bright military bases, and the human-machine binomial underscores a comprehensive vision for future warfare, where decision-making is enhanced, vulnerabilities are exploited with precision, and effects are delivered with lethal efficiency. As military operations evolve in response to emerging threats and technological advancements, the principles of Mosaic Warfare will likely serve as a guiding framework for developing and implementing effective, adaptable, and integrated defence capabilities. In embracing this strategic approach, military forces can position themselves to navigate the challenges of future conflicts with confidence, agility, and an unyielding commitment to securing decisive victories.

The author is an Indian Army Veteran.