Transformation of warfare has been a constant throughout history. Technological advances—whether armor, longbow, catapult, machine gun, tank, or aircraft, to name but a few—have consistently spurred changes not just in the nature of conflict on the battlefield but also in the strategies and tactics that guide the deployment of combat forces.

We are currently on the brink of one of the most significant such transformations—applying software, communications, and systems technology to achieve a quantum leap in the accuracy, efficiency, mobility, and responsiveness of battlefield forces. The recent war in Iraq, and operations in Afghanistan the year earlier, provided just an initial glimpse of the potency of this transformation.

In its fullest evolution, the entire battlefield would be networked. Sensors would reside on virtually every weapon or piece of equipment populating the battlefield, information would be processed in real time using artificial-intelligence support to prioritize threats, and commanders could choose among a portfolio of weapons to attack targets.

Casualties would be minimized by the use of unmanned systems and the prevention of friendly fire

The promise of such capabilities is profound and far-reaching. The time between sensing, processing, deciding, and acting across the battlefield would fall dramatically, allowing forces to...