Operationalizing Autonomy: A Geopolitical and Technical Assessment of Algorithmic Warfare and Automated Security
Structural and Technical Foundations of Automated Security The integration of artificial intelligence (AI) and robotic systems into national security frameworks represents a full-stack transformation of how sovereign states sense, classify, prioritize, authorize, and apply force. 1 This transformation is anchored in three primary technological pillars: high-velocity algorithmic targeting, decentralized edge computing, and predictive municipal surveillance. Together, these technologies compress the latency of the "find, fix, track, target, engage, and assess" (F2T2EA) cycle—commonly known as the kill chain—fundamentally reshaping the modern battlespace. Algorithmic Targeting Architectures Modern algorithmic warfare has moved its center of gravity from the weapon platform itself to the broader, interconnected targeting ecosystem. 1 Under official Air Force targeting doctrine (AFDP 3-60, Targeting, 01 May 2026), targeting is treated as a continuous cycle sitting at the interse...