Revisiting the Tanker War
In the inky darkness of the Persian Gulf, a flight of three U.S. Army special operations helicopters, known as MH-6 “Little Birds,” encountered a small Iranian freighter. These nimble helicopters, renowned for their agility, were armed with rocket pods and…
A Cry from Gaza: Surviving War and Hunger in the Shadow of Despair
Since October 7, my life in northern Gaza has been consumed by fear, hunger, and relentless despair. Anxiety, thirst, and bone-deep cold have become my constant companions. I cannot grasp the enormity of our suffering, nor can I find words…
Bringing the Swarm to Life: New Roles and Missions for Drone Warfare
As military technology continues to evolve, the potential of drone swarms to shape future conflicts has captured the imagination of strategists worldwide. From the U.S. Department of Defense’s Project Replicator to Ukraine’s ambitious goal of producing a million low-cost drones…
Uncrewed Systems and the Evolution of U.S. Warfighting Capacity
The U.S. military of 1945, which stormed Europe and ultimately defeated Nazi forces, was unrecognizable from the military of just five years earlier. Revolutionary technologies across land, air, sea, and the electromagnetic spectrum brought transformative change, enabling joint amphibious operations,…
Networking to Win: Prioritizing Missions for Wartime Command and Control
For years, U.S. defense planning has been driven by an unwavering belief in the power of technology, especially when it comes to command and control networks. Official statements often boast that new systems will make the joint force “greater than…
China’s Long-Range Air-to-Air Missile: A Game Changer for U.S. Military Strategy
A newly released image showcasing four Chinese J-16 fighters from the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) Air Force has revealed a breakthrough in missile technology—one that may dramatically alter the balance of power in the skies. The aircraft, carrying an advanced…
Russia’s S-400 and A-50: A New Era in Air Defense Integration
In early November, reports surfaced that the Russian Armed Forces had used the advanced S-400 long-range air defense system to fire its 40N6 missiles, marking a significant combat test of this missile in the Ukrainian theater. Paired with Russia’s A-50…
Cocaine Codfish: Lessons from the War on Drugs for Fighting Illegal Fishing
In late 2022, the refrigerated carrier vessel Sun Flower 7 set off from its homeport, claiming a route to the Federated States of Micronesia to rendezvous with tuna-fishing vessels. However, fisheries surveillance officers in the Marshall Islands detected suspicious behavior—suggesting…
You Go to War With the Industrial Base You Have, Not the Industrial Base You Want
In 1924, the U.S. Army Industrial College opened its doors to tackle the lessons learned from World War I, where mobilizing the American economy for war proved a serious challenge. Seventeen years later, the U.S. found itself embroiled in World…
Lessons Learned or Lessons Observed: The U.S. Navy’s Blind Spot in Mine Warfare
Since 1945, mines have been responsible for sinking or severely damaging 15 of the 19 U.S. ships lost in combat. Despite this sobering statistic, mine warfare remains an underdeveloped and often overlooked area of focus for the U.S. Navy. Meanwhile,…
Prime Time for Software: Reimagining the Future of Defense Acquisition
It may surprise some to learn that the captains of the U.S. Navy’s most advanced and expensive combat ships — aircraft carriers — are not surface warfare officers with years of command experience on other naval vessels. Instead, they are…
How the Ukraine War Accelerates U.S. Defense Strategy
In the world of defense strategy, the wisdom of prioritization is often emphasized. Frederick the Great once said, “Little minds try to defend everything at once, but sensible people look at the main point only; they parry the worst blows…