Ready for Battle

Winning conflicts requires multiple levels of intelligence-operational, tactical, strategic, cultural, and environmental, to name a few. There is also 'technological intelligence'-knowledge about the tools, instruments, devices, and techniques one's adversary possesses or is developing. In this book, an 'adapted translation' from Hebrew, Lorber thoroughly explores technological intelligence using past examples such as the British deciphering of Germany's Enigma machine and the US breaking of Japanese code, as well as British engagements against Zulu warriors in Africa and Israeli air defense struggles. Each historical example is well presented, leaving readers convinced that winning a conflict requires embracing all aspects of the enemy. Two chapters focus on military intelligence failures. Prejudices, preconceptions, and assumptions regarding an enemy's capabilities must be set aside. Intelligence must be gathered using all methods, ranging from the simplest boots-on-the-ground approach to sophisticated eyes in the sky. Winners will think faster, analyze all possibilities for action, and work increasingly outside the box to ensure an adversary cannot gain a tactical, operational, strategic, or technological edge. Lorber makes a convincing demonstration and argument for the need of robust technological intelligence in this interesting work. Summing Up: Recommended. Academic and general military history and history of technology collections. * CHOICE *

Azriel Lorber served as infantry and in the reserves of the armor corp of the Israeli Defense Forces, from which he retired as a Major. He holds degrees in mechanical engineering from the University of Pittsburgh and in aerospace and ocean engineering from the Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University. He worked in the Israeli aircraft and military industries and for the Israeli government. In addition to his labors as a consultant and instructor on various topics in military technology, he has authored some fifty papers and articles in the professional and military journals and authored several book-length works on military technology.

Introduction: Weapon Systems and Technological Intelligence Chapter 1: Quality & Quantity - Technology as a major Component of Quality Chapter 2: Technological Gap and Technological Failure Chapter 3: Technological Surprise and Technological Inferiority Chapter 4: What did the "Experts" Say? Chapter 5: Technological and Scientific Intelligence Chapter 6: The "Hierarchy" of Technological Secrets Chapter 7: Intelligence Failures - the Writing on the Wall Chapter 8: Intelligence Failures - Arrogance and Disdain for the Enemy Chapter 9: Additional Aspects of Collecting and Analyzing Technological Intelligence Chapter 10: The Technological Deception Notes and References Bibliography Index