Is technology more important than leadership in the modern army?
By Will Barber Taylor
What is the most effective element in any army? It is a timeless question and yet one that should be asked more than ever. As technology becomes more crucial to the defence of the realm, it is vital that we understand whether it is more important to rely on the technological marvels that are being currently developed or if we should instead focus on encouraging more inspiring leadership into our armed forces.
The value of great leadership has been remarked upon down the ages. The names of Alexander the Great, Julius Caesar, Napoleon Bonaparte and The Duke of Wellington are carried down to us because of their skill as commanders and their notable successes. Yet, would they have been truly effective had it not been for the technology they used? Hannibal’s crossing of the Alps would not have been possible without his use of elephants and the chemical compound used to melt the ice laden path before him. Would Napoleon have been as effective without the cannon to clear his path to Moscow? Perhaps not.
Yet the question as to whether technology of ingenious leadership is vital to the success of our armed forces is one, with the development of greater technology, that can be answered more easily now than ever.
It is well known that the British military, though one of the most disciplined and professional armys in the world, is ready for deployment as soon as is necessary often the technology to help them is not up to scratch. The scandal of how underequipped troops often were during the Iraq War is one well known example. Even now, the British armed forces is chronically underfunded compared to its US or French counterparts. Yet we are still investing in new technology — new miniature drones with greater flight capacity; an update version of the SA80 means it is easier to use during night time operations and the proposed Arrowhead 140 frigate — though whether the frigate will be constructed due to the cost of it is still circumspect. So, technology is vitally important and will ensure a faster and more effective British Armed Forces. But is it more important than leadership?
Ultimately, no matter how useful our technology is, if the leadership understands how to use it that will make the armed forces much more successful than it is now. Take Germany, whose last Defence Minister has made several disastrous decisions including sending a battalion on a Nato exercise with a painted broomstick instead of guns in 2014; the Gorch Foch training ship which was sent for repairs in 2016 and has yet to return to active service; the F-125 Baden Wurttemberg frigates which have yet to be launched and German soldiers forced to use private mobile phones to communicate because they lacked radios. Germany’s example should be one we can all learn from — technology can only work when used effectively and by someone who understands how to deploy it.
The UK, for it to be truly successful has to ensure it has competent and forward-thinking leadership. Army recruitment is at an all-time low — there are nearly 3,000 fewer troops in infantry regiments than five years ago. The British Army needs to make up for the lack of potential leaders of the future and the UK government has to work with the army to ensure that this happens.
The recently sacked Penny Mordaunt was an excellent Defence Secretary, in the same mould as the late great Denis Healey but her recent sacking puts the political leadership in somewhat jeopardy. The current Defence Secretary has already got himself into Number 10, so one wonders whether he will be bold enough to insist on greater funding for the Armed Forces. Wallace certainly has experience but whether he will be able to lead the armed forces into a new era is still up in the air.
In conclusion, technology is vital to the future of the armed forces but without the leadership to guide it, it can hardly be as effective as some might hope. We may be able to develop faster drones and more accurate rifles but if we don’t have the leadership to direct their use then the technology will become ineffective and useless. Leadership is not only necessary for the accurate deployment of technology but also to ensure that it is advanced; without the forward thinking of leaders in the army and in government to push for greater technological application to the armed forces, the technology won’t exist in the first place to be used by the army.
To ensure that the armed forces are as effective as possible we must try to ensure that it has the right leadership because without it, it will have a bleak future and for the sake of us all we must ensure that doesn’t happen.
