The Expansion of Emerging Military Technologies in the International System and Its Impact on the Operational Environment of Future Warfare in the Middle East (2025–2035)

Jaber, Sabah; Saeedy Nezhad, Hamid Reza; Fatahi, Shahram

doi:10.22034/csiw.2026.734799

The Expansion of Emerging Military Technologies in the International System and Its Impact on the Operational Environment of Future Warfare in the Middle East (2025–2035)

Document Type : Research Paper

Authors

Sabah Jaber ¹

Hamid reza Saeedy Nezhad ²

Shahram Fatahi ³

¹ PhD student in Political Science (Iranian Issues Orientation), Kermanshah Branch, Islamic Azad University, Kermanshah, Iran

² Assistant Professor, Department of Political Science and International Relations, Kermanshah Branch, Islamic Azad University Kermanshah, Iran (Corresponding author)

³ Assistant Professor, Department of Political Science and International Relations, Kermanshah Branch, Islamic Azad University, Kermanshah, Iran.

10.22034/csiw.2026.734799

Abstract

One of the main issues that has attracted the attention of analysts of the international system in the field of military-security affairs, particularly from the perspective of strategic studies, concerns the direction in which the expansion of emerging technologies will shape competition in the international system and the Middle East over the coming decade. Accordingly, the central question is: What impact will the expansion of emerging technologies in the international environment have on the nature of future wars in the Middle East? It appears that the expansion of emerging technologies, in addition to contributing to the emergence of a digital Cold War between the major powers—the United States and China—will intensify competition across multiple dimensions and foster regional polarization in the Middle East, influenced by developments in the international environment. As a result, future wars are expected to evolve increasingly toward combined and fluid forms of warfare. This study adopts a futures-oriented and applied perspective and employs a qualitative method with a descriptive-analytical approach. The findings indicate that future wars will increasingly evolve toward combined and hybrid warfare with the advancement of emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence, quantum technologies, 5G, and drones.

Keywords

Future Wars

Hybrid Warfare

Fifth Generation Technologies (G5)

Artificial Intelligence

Micro-Birds