A significant trend has appeared since the dawn of the widespread application of high-tech in the military field, namely the growing incorporation between the science and technology on the one hand and traditional military stratagems on the other. This trend will not only provide war conductors with new material means by which to work out their strategies, but also make elevation of the traditional stratagems to a brand new level possible.

The development of modern science, especially modern information technology, including computers, man-made satellites and optical fiber communications, etc, and their application in the military field, has triggered a fundamental transformation of the performance of command equipment, which in turn has created vast room for the commanders to work out stratagems. The ever-increasing intelligence of the command means is now able to directly assist commanders in their decision-making process.

For battles under high-tech conditions, stratagems are not only derived from human brain, but also from high-tech means. Satellites, for example, can be used to collect battlefield information to facilitate the decision-making process of the commanders and the C4I system can be used in operational command.

According to the resources, in the ongoing US-led war against Iraq, the US armed forces have used more than 50 military satellites, as well as E-3s and E-8s early warning planes and several types of reconnaissance planes to collect battlefield information to facilitate their decision-making. In addition, the command network of the US ground, marine and air forces are effectively integrated.

Modern science and technology can greatly enhance the effectiveness of stratagems, therefore if a military strategist is to work out stratagems, he should take high-tech factors into full account and strive for optimum effect of these high-tech factors. This should not only be the starting point for a strategist to work out the stratagems, it should also be the new way to boost army's fighting capacity. Some military experts believe that the "differences in stratagems" lie in the "differences in technologies" under high-tech conditions.

The regional wars under high-tech conditions occurred in the past few years have proved that, in order to achieve optimum effect of stratagems, technical means should be resorted in order to take enemy by surprise. For the traditional stratagem of "defeating the enemy by catching their commander first," it is usually employed by the special forces to launch a surprise attack on the enemy.　　 However, for the "decapitation operation" in the ongoing Iraqi, the US-led allied forces have made full use of high-tech, precision-guided weapons, which have greatly enhanced the effectiveness of their stratagems. Though the allied forces failed to realize their objectives, but it is quite clear that integration of high-tech with stratagem is going to be an inevitable trend in the future.

The ever-increasing application of high-tech in stratagems has posed many new issues for commanders directing regional wars under high-tech conditions, and set higher demand upon them in terms of their capability to plan and apply stratagems. Therefore in order to meet new challenges arising from new situations, commanders must change their way of thinking, renew their knowledge and improve their capability to master automatic command systems.

In conclusion, the commanders must embrace science and technology, in order to enable their stratagems to be most effective in a regional war under high-tech conditions.

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