Digital Commons @ NDU National Defense University
Not a member yet
916 research outputs found
Sort by
DOD’s Need for a Transportable Energy Solution: The Promise of Nuclear Power
No full textoai:digitalcommons.ndu.edu:joint-force-quarterly-1009Following Hurricane Maria in 2017, the Federal Government’s use of diesel generators exposed the limitations of renewable energy for large-scale operational needs of the Department of Defense (DoD). Solar and wind are impractical and costly for such demands, and green and synthetic fuels face significant supply chain challenges unless produced on-site. Transportable nuclear reactors, proven effective by the Navy, can produce large quantities of synthetic fuel and reduce reliance on vulnerable supply chains. Expanding the DoD’s nuclear capabilities offers reliable, transportable energy, enhancing military logistics, reducing costs, and supporting emissions reduction efforts
Mission (Command) Complete: Implications of JADC2
No full textCommand and control (C2) is crucial in military operations, guiding how authority directs missions. As warfare evolves with AI, hypersonic weapons, and autonomous platforms, the U.S. military is advancing its Joint All-Domain Command and Control (JADC) initiatives. This effort aims to unify military networks for better decision-making. This article explores challenges in adapting Joint C2 networks for JADC2. It compares new technologies with current military practices, highlighting where changes are needed. Key areas include strategic planning, tactical operations, and how JADC2 affects mission command. Recommendations focus on improving readiness for future conflicts by enhancing interoperability and decision-making across military branches
2040 Vision: Designing UK Defence for Advantage in a Competitive Age
No full textConcepts are not the whole answer. But they are the first essential step to identify the characteristics and interrelationships of our complex challenges and illuminate options more clearly. They help us think all the way around the problem. Concepts embody the important creative and clear thinking that is necessary before tough choices (and sometimes compromises) are made. The plans of action must be developed and implemented swiftly thereafter. The Five Eyes’ involvement in the Globally Integrated Wargame (GIWG) series has opened a network of partnerships that encourages us to ask better and more challenging questions. Some of the most helpful and robust feedback we have received on our capstone concepts has come from Five Eyes partners, a key component of the developmental cycle necessary to iterate to our best solutions
Engines of Chaos: Counterlogistics in Competition
No full textU.S. success at the operational level of war has led to a blossoming of competition in domains below the level of open hostility. The 2023 Joint Concept for Competing (JCC) points out that our adversaries seek to “win without fighting” and that the joint force is at risk of “losing without fighting.”2 The JCC attempts to reorient the joint force to better compete below the level of high-intensity conflict
Balancing Nonresident Joint Professional Military Education With Military Life
No full textEducation has been a top focus in the United States since its earliest days. The Nation’s leaders have recognized the importance of dedicated, formal military education for over two hundred years. Although training in the field, wartime experience, and studying the military profession in foreign countries provided benefits, leaders such as George Washington, Henry Knox, and Alexander Hamilton understood more was needed. The United States would fail in the face of future challenges if its military leaders were not well-versed in the art and science of war
The Military Legacy of Alexander the Great: Lessons for the Information Age
No full textThis book review examines the relevance of Alexander the Great\u27s military strategies and leadership for contemporary national security challenges. The book addresses issues such as military organization, battle strategy, and the human dimensions of warfare. The authors illustrate how Alexander navigated political and military obstacles, emphasizing the importance of information in warfare and the consequences of mission creep during his campaigns in Central Asia and India. They highlight how his strategic choices after the Battle of Issus secured resources while underscoring the human aspect of conflict. The book also critiques Alexander\u27s failures, including his treatment of Greek mercenaries, which raised doubts about his leadership. Despite minor shortcomings, such as the lack of supplemental maps, the work serves as a comprehensive resource for understanding Alexander\u27s legacy
Executive Summary
No full textIn a world fraught with ongoing tensions and conflicts, the strategic interests of nations are shaped by the political decisions of their leaders. As we approach a critical national election, it is essential for the next President to confront global realities with pragmatic solutions. War, its causes, and its resolutions continue to dominate international relations, with military leaders tasked with formulating strategies based on national power. As history shows, starting a war may be easy, but ending it is fraught with complexity. This summary urges reflection on how to align national interests, strategies, and actions to prevent future conflicts and stresses the importance of active participation in the national decision-making process through voting
Breaking the Shield: Countering Drone Defenses
No full textThe article begins with an overview of drone defenses, with an emphasis on how they operate, and the trade-offs involved. The article then looks at countermeasures to drone defenses, surveying 11 different approaches to breaking the drone shield. The emphasis is on an overview to understand the scope of the possibilities and the potential trade-offs associated with each approach. Countering drone defenses depends entirely on which ones are employed and prove most effective, so the value of specific counter-countermeasures will change over time. We next present policy recommendations that emphasize understanding adversary drone defenses; developing, assessing, and fielding counter-countermeasure approaches tailored to adversary defenses; and carefully understanding trade-offs in counter-countermeasure development and deployment
Lethal Targeting and Adaptation Failure in Terrorist Groups
No full textThis study argues that terrorist groups’ command relationships and resources bases can hinder their ability to adapt to lethal targeting. It evaluates this argument by examining Arabic language correspondence from Usama bin Ladin’s compound relate
Converting a Political- to a Military-Strategic Objective
No full textPolitical objectives are usually achieved by using one’s military power. Converting political objectives into achievable military-strategic objectives is the primary responsibility of military-strategic leadership. This process is largely an art rather than a science. There are many potential pitfalls because much depends on the knowledge, understanding, experience, and judgment of military-strategic leaders. Most often, mistakes made are only recognized after setbacks or defeats suffered during the hostilities. Despite its critical importance, there is no consensus on the steps and methods in converting political- into military-strategic objectives. There is scant writing on the subject in either doctrinal documents or professional journals