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…
The Somme in the Sky: Lessons from the Russo-Ukrainian Air War
The conflict over Ukraine’s skies is eerily reminiscent of World War I’s Battle of the Somme. In those early days, fighters scrambled in the skies above Kyiv, but today, the air war has become a stalemate. Neither Russia nor Ukraine…
Breaking the Mannerheim Line: The Soviet Adaptation in the Finnish-Soviet Winter War
The 60th birthday of Soviet dictator Joseph Stalin on December 21, 1939, marked a low point for the Red Army’s invasion of Finland. Just weeks earlier, Andrei Zhdanov, the party head of Leningrad, had optimistically promised to deliver Finland’s surrender…
A Game-Changer for Iran: Russian Mi-28 Attack Helicopters Poised for Delivery to the Revolutionary Guard Corps?
As Russia strengthens its ties with Iran across multiple domains, particularly in defense, a new speculation has surfaced: Iran may soon acquire Russian attack helicopters, potentially the Mi-28, to modernize its aging rotary-wing fleet. This move comes after the announcement…
U.S. Expands Arctic Defense with F-35 Stealth Deployment at Greenland’s Thule Air Base
The U.S. Air Force has marked a significant milestone with its first-ever deployment of F-35 stealth fighters to Thule Air Base in Greenland. This strategically located facility, situated 1,200 km north of the Arctic Circle, serves as the Pentagon’s northernmost…
Ukraine and the New Two-War Construct: The Future of U.S. Defense Strategy
How much security is enough security? During the Cold War, the answer seemed straightforward. The U.S. had one adversary: the Soviet Union. The goal was clear — deter and, if necessary, defeat. But the last three decades have shown that…
South Korean Special Forces: The Rogue Fighters Joining the Frontlines in Ukraine
Since the outbreak of the Russian-Ukrainian War in February, military veterans from across the globe have found their way to Ukraine, some operating within the confines of official international support, while others have gone rogue to lend their aid to…
From My Balcony in Gaza: The Wailings of War Return
It began on a quiet Friday morning. I awoke to my younger brother’s frantic screams: “Fire! It’s insane! Fire!” I rushed out of bed, groggy from a large meal the night before. It was noon in Gaza, and I had…
AI, Autonomy, and the Risk of Nuclear War: Understanding the Emerging Threat
In an era of rapidly advancing technology, especially artificial intelligence (AI), the integration of AI into military operations is no longer a concept from science fiction—it is a reality. Armed forces worldwide are deeply invested in the research, development, and…
Logistics and the Indo-Pacific: A Wake-Up Call for U.S. Military Readiness
In the ongoing global security landscape, logistics have become as important as military firepower, with recent events highlighting the undeniable value of an effective logistical network. A stark reminder of this lesson comes from Russia’s disastrous invasion of Ukraine, where…
Whose Version of the War on Terror Won?
The Global War on Terror (GWOT) is widely discredited today, yet Washington still struggles to agree on why. Was the U.S. failure a result of trying to reshape foreign societies by force, or was it an overly ambitious attempt to…