What is Smart Weapon

The subject of the article is the Information-Based Revolution in Military Affairs (RMA). The concept of RMA is identified as a way to increase combat capabilities based on a synergy between three spheres: information acquisition, information processing and transfer, and making use of information in order to enhance firepower. RMA includes following key elements, that is, technological change, doctrinal, strategic, operational and tactical change, and transformation of military organizational structure. Paradoxically, military transformation takes place while the pace of military technology development decreases, which poses a significant inhibitor. Consequently, only the first RMA stage – computerization – might be recognized as a relatively advanced one, whereas its second stage – networking – is far from this level. The paper's aim is to present the RMA concept and its practical application in transformation of military forces. The paper examines also to what extent expectations emerging from RMA have been fulfilled in armed conflicts over the last two decades.