The leadership challenge here is not to become so dependent on technology that we cannot react when that technology is disrupted. A successful leader will have to adapt to any situation, and it is virtually guaranteed that our adversaries will attack the technologies we rely on most. While we should continue to develop organization, doctrine and tactics to incorporate the best emerging technologies, we must not forget that our adversaries are thinking opponents that will adapt as well. Increased reliance on simulation. Another Force XXI trend is the increased reliance on simulation to replace live-fire exercises and training.
Simulations allow troops more training time.
Although increasingly more realistic, simulations cannot fully substitute for actual hands-on experience. I recall a system I tested for North American Air Defense that was supposed to provide the National Command Authorities with timely indications of hostile missile launches against the United States and Canada. The developer tested the system thoroughly thousands of times with a sophisticated computer simulation, and the system worked flawlessly against the simulated threats. However, I managed to crash the multimillion dollar computer system in less than 2 minutes by using live inputs. It seems the various clocks at the radar sites were not perfectly synchronized.