Digital Soldiers: The Gizmos, Gadgets, and Paper Bullets Behind Military High Technology

Author of the much-referenced How to Make War, Dunnigan has long had the ear of the CIA, the State Department, the Army War College and other key institutions. In recent years, moreover, he has become a familiar figure on TV, analyzing military developments around the world for the three major networks and CNN. So this engaging new work, in which Dunnigan explores ""the new revolution in warfare,"" featuring computers and robots, will be received with utmost seriousness--and is likely to spark significant controversy within hallowed halls. Few will argue with Dunnigan's contention that the defense budget has been greatly abused by politicians, or that the face of future warfare will ""seem almost like a parody of a science fiction movie."" But the author's prescription for the U.S. military, based on the realities and potentials of new means of war, is enough to make the top brass blanch: cutting troop strength by 300,000 and getting rid of major weapon systems, including the B-1 bomber, are just two of his many radical suggestions. For perspective, Dunnigan offers a marvelously entertaining view of the history of weaponry. His engaging and daring analytic prospectus should fascinate armchair warriors as well as their professional counterparts. (Oct.)