The virtual battle field

The virtual battle field is it a possibility?
no humans on the battle field at all

Tanks controlled from bases in their home country
Planes (well Preditors and so on already are) controlled from bases
and last of all armed robots controled from home bases,

how far away are we from a complete virtual battle field where the only risk is to the country on the defencive?

It's already a reality. They have robots that act as bomb defuses, bombs, scouts. It wont be long before robotics are developed far enough that they will have created AI that simulates soldiers on the battlefield. Wars in cyberspace aren't that far away either. Look at how technology/computers have developed in the last 10 years. It wont be long before they have a universe on every teenagers computer. A giant virtual battlefield, interlinking all continents. Wars will be fought sitting in your arm chair.

Jack in, kick some ass. Doesn't sound as bad as, "Get your ass over to Iraq", does it.

[edit on (12/30/0707 by Hexidecimal]

It makes sense to automate tasks on the battlefield wherever possible, so as technologies advance and become cheaper they will inevitably be introduced into the military.

As for taking the soldier off the battlefield, I think that is unlikely in the near future because human brains are wonderful bits of kit and difficult to copy. An AI soldier would have to be as intelligent as a human, or live soldiers would run rings round it.

Personally I think the things that make humans unsuitable for war fighting such as being made of soft flesh and tiring out easily will be augmented by technology. Things like light and effective body armour and power assistance for limbs spring to mind, with robotics taking up dangerous reconnaissance and logistics roles.

Don’t forget that if a lowly truck can drive it self then the driver is obsolete, he doesn’t need paying or feeding so the cook and the clerk are also obsolete. That truck can move supplies in dangerous terrain meaning casualties are lower. The military can therefore be smaller and cheaper without losing effectiveness, or larger and more effective for the same cost.