Technology is present in every sphere of our lives, be it at the home or at the workplace. From all the latest gadgets like cell phones and i-pods, to the newest medical techniques and practices, the general consensus is that technological advancements have worked to make the world we live in a better place. However, this opinion can be contested when dealing with the concept using superior technology in the creation of weapons of mass destruction. Hi tech weaponry has been the subject of much debate and discussion for some understandable reasons. The question raised is whether arming oneself with superior weaponry and empowering the State is a good thing seeing as to how it also creates an atmosphere of more potential danger.

The debate regarding the morality of war is one that has gone on since the time the concept of war itself was conceived. The good and the bad have always been a topic of discussion, and the phenomenon of war has been no exception to this rule. However, with the development of various hi-tech weaponry and military systems, this debate has once again been fuelled. The commencement of this topic in the recent past can perhaps most noticeably be attributed to the events of 9/11/2001. The World Trade Centre catastrophe as it has come to be known marked the beginning of a new end.

Where the world should have taken a cue from the grief and heartbreak arising out of the terrorist attacks on that fateful day, we have plunged into a state of more war and strife. As the old saying goes, War serves no good but to create more hate, which again leads to war, the world has witnessed disaster and discord on an international scale.

This atmosphere has been further enhanced by the development and furthering of more and more advanced weapons. Making use of the latest technologies, Defense departments of countries all over the world have been working towards adding to the growing stockpile of weapons.

An apt example of the same would be the recent activities of the Department of Defense of the United States of America. With the ongoing current events and tensions, the department is reported to be working on newer technologies to further the field of hi-tech weapons. The field is that of loitering weapons, a relatively new concept. It works on the presumption of creating weapons that can be released in an area and programmed such that they wait till the desired target approaches before attacking. While this idea may sound preposterous to some, the fact is that the technology has been developed and so have some initial prototypes. What is more, they have been tested to work rather well. The basic objective of this kind of weapon is that it can help the army to identify a target before he can hide, and then to attack the “enemy” before he can find the time to defend himself. The Lockheed Martin's Loitering Attack Missile, 1.5 meters long, is one such development.

These missiles aim to destroy weapons, battle tanks and missile launchers in the enemy camp in order to lend an advantage to the side using them. The basic advantage being touted is that these missiles help the army to target an enemy and destroy it fast before it has the time to react. Hence, it is aimed that by reducing the time between finding the target and actually destroying it, one can gain an edge over the enemy in war and ultimately destroys more of their side.

While from the point of view of military tactics such weapons are a boon, the questions of morality, ethics and humanitarian values surrounding war too propound, causing one to pause and wonder if the greater good lies in defending by the means of attacking or by learning to live together.