War 2: Today's arsenals: The modern army, navy, and air force turn to the technologies that can ensure a battlefield edge: Today's armies: Plodding toward automation

Tanks have increased army mobility, cannons and missiles have increased firepower, and radio and telephone have increased cohesion, but, in the U.S. Army, the foot soldier still makes up between one quarter and one half of the total fighting strength. And much the same is true for every other major nation's army today. Some experts contend that nuclear weapons, chemical and biological warfare, and guerilla tactics have made the traditional infantry obsolete. But wars continue to be won or lost by foot soldiers — the conflicts in the South Atlantic and between Iran and Iraq are two examples. So technologically sophisticated nations are trying to develop and field machines that will wean the common soldier from his rifle and take him off his feet.