“Future war demands imagination as much as analysis. This provocative book equips the military professional with both, helping to understand — not predict — the future of conflict.”Colonel Perry Bishop, British Army Concepts‘Future Warfare provides a rich in-depth study of the many ‘future machines’ that shape war, ranging from subjects as diverse as state militaries, space, and science fiction. In so doing, Mark Lacy and his fellow authors are in good company. Nearly two centuries ago, Carl von Clausewitz emphasized in On War the need to leave room for extraneous matters when approaching future war, listing inconsistencies, ideas, and the varying conditions of the time. What better way to trace and unpack future war today than to focus on the messy realities that condition war in our time, including emerging defense technology, drone saturated battlefields, cyber armies, and AI-enabled wargaming. A unique and highly relevant book for everyone from undergraduate students interested in studying war to defense professionals, policymakers, and strategists involved in its conduct.’Dan Öberg, Swedish Defence University'Future Warfare: An Introduction is a beguiling book that quickly engages. While the future of war is often discussed, this book stands out in the way it orients the reader, giving them new ideas and concepts with which to navigate the uncertain future environment they will live in. Future Warfare does not try to predict what might happen but rather provides ways to understand the major changes emerging in this time of considerable technological and societal turbulence. The book’s three areas of modern war, postmodern war and the fog of future war skillfully position the reader to discern the key aspects likely to impact the waging of wars in the unpredictable, but rapidly approaching, tomorrow.’Peter Layton, Royal United Services Institute, London, UK'Future Warfare: An Introduction is an accessible and essential guide to the changing dimensions of war. It equips students with practical heuristic tools to trace transformations in warfighting, account for persistent uncertainty driven by emerging technologies, and map the complex interplay of cultural, economic, environmental, and political forces shaping conflict. Each chapter, written by leading global experts, pairs rigorous analysis with provocative future scenarios designed to engage students and sharpen critical thinking. This book teaches students how to think critically about the questions that matter for the wars of today and for the wars of tomorrow.'Kyle Grayson, University of Newcastle, UK‘This is a really helpful resource for students thinking about the way war, technology and violence will change in the future. The diversity of viewpoints from academics, practitioners and strategists all share the same starting point: the future is radically uncertain, but it will certainly be shaped by forces in our current moment. From battlefields and GPS maps to technology labs and science fiction series, Future Warfare: An Introduction offers a comprehensive and practical guide to making sense of tomorrow’s likely conflicts.‘Debbie Lisle, Queen's University, Belfast‘The future’, said the great Yogi Berra, ‘ain’t what it used to be’. Nor is war: both are increasingly defined by paradox and uncertainty. Mark Lacy and a remarkable assemblage of critical thinkers go where few IR scholars have gone before, to the cutting edge of what we know, what we do not know and what we need to know about the future of warfare. Best strap in: it’s quite a trip.'James Der Derian, Michael Hintze Professor of International Security Studies, The University of Sydney
