Seriously, this is an interesting - and a rather underappreciated - subject that was examined recently by the JASON panel: Human Performance, JSR-07-625, March 2008.
Non-medical applications of the advances of neuroscience research and medical technology also pose the potential for use by adversaries. In this context, we must consider the possibility that uses that we would consider unacceptable could be developed or applied either by a state-adversary, or by less-easily identified terrorist groups. In the following, we consider first the issues of what types of human performance modification might alter a military balance, and how those issues can be evaluated. We then address two broad areas where there are significant, and highly publicized, advances in human performance modification. These are the areas of brain plasticity (permanently changing the function of an individual’s brain, either by training or by pharmaceuticals), and the area of brain-computer interface (augmenting normal performance via an external device directly linked to the nervous system). The present status of technology in these areas is evaluated, and the context for potential threats in the future is described. As will be seen, there are no serious immediate threats, however the advance of technology and the accompanying commercial interest, are such that close attention must be paid to the future potential for threats.
In The RCR, we were lectured that a soldier was supposed to retain more or less full combat efficiency for a period of 7-10 days on 1 1/2 to 2 hours' sleep a day; the basis for this "standard" was that it had all been tested and verified by the Canadian Forces Civil and Military Medical Institute. Needless to say such a claim attracted doubts amongst soldiers, for all sorts of reasons and considerations. That said, if a foreign adversary were able to devise means by which to reduce their soldiers' (or operatives') need for sleep or at least to very substantially increase their capacity for awareness for much longer periods of time than is normal, this could make quite a difference at the tactical level, at least in the short term.