War in the tech age combines physical and digital threats: Experts
Experts note that a war could be signaled by a sudden loss of phone signals or internet access, potentially preventing bank payments for essentials such as fuel and food
Modern warfare increasingly involves a mix of traditional destruction and disruptive attacks on digital and physical infrastructure, experts say. In the tech age, conflicts extend beyond drones, bombs, and missiles to targeting networks and systems that underpin daily life.
Key aspects of this evolving battlefield include impacts on civil society and critical infrastructure. Experts note that a war could be signaled by a sudden loss of phone signals or internet access, potentially preventing bank payments for essentials such as fuel and food. Electricity supplies could be disrupted and food distribution affected, says the BBC.
"Modern, tech-driven societies are extremely dependent on networks that transmit data, financial transactions, and energy," analysts said. Critical networks include undersea cables and pipelines connecting nations globally. Covert activities, such as Russian spy vessels like the Yantar scouting these cables for potential sabotage, are widely suspected.
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Space and digital systems are also at risk. Attacks may include attempts to "blind" satellites, which would impede military operations and could disrupt civil society.
Hybrid or "grey-zone" warfare is another element, encompassing cyber-attacks, disinformation campaigns, and the alleged use of drones near military bases and airports in allied countries.
Drones have become integral to modern warfare at multiple levels, experts said, underscoring the intersection of physical and technological threats on contemporary battlefields.
