One hundred thirty years of armed conflict: Challenges and opportunities in technology adoption

This article aims to comprehend the processes of forecasting and adopting new technologies by the armies of modern states. In this regard, we studied the relevant literature regarding a series of wars where new technologies were widely implemented, ranging from the American Civil War to the Gulf War. The identification of successful and failed examples of forecasting and adoption has led us to identify certain timeless trends that persist despite the passing of years, technological evolutions and manners of conducting combat. These trends, which include the fact that individuals who make the most accurate forecasts often differ from those who influence the implementation of novel technologies, the importance of a high educational level within both military and social ecosystems for the emergence, recognition and effective implementation of technological innovations and the influence of political systems and military administrative structures, are presented in the conclusion of the article.