A Long March 6A rocket lifts off from the Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center in northern China, producing a bright plume of exhaust against a clear sky, with four lightning towers surrounding the launch pad.
A Long March 6A rocket lifts off from the Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center in northern China, carrying 18 satellites for the Qianfan/Thousand Sails constellation, Oct. 17, 2025. Credit: CASC

History demonstrates military innovation continually rewrites the rules of combat, reshaping warfare and rendering strategies from past conflicts obsolete. The introduction of repeating rifles transformed infantry combat during the 19th century. Machine guns and rapid-fire artillery fundamentally altered battlefield tactics during the first World War. Aircraft, radar, armored maneuver and radio communications revolutionized operations during the second World War. Precision-guided weapons shifted warfare from close quarters line formations to highly lethal, long-range and rapid battlefields. Stealth aircraft, satellite navigation and digital communications defined the military dominance enjoyed by the United States during the late 20th century.

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Retired Maj. Gen. Thomas “Tav” Taverney is chairman of the Schriever Chapter of the Air and Space Force Association and was Air Force Space Command vice commander prior to his 2006 retirement after 38 years of service.