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The Challenge of a Rising, Nuclear-Armed China
No full textThis article by Dr. Kathleen Ellis, in the INSS Center for the Study of Weapons of Mass Destruction, examines recent developments in China’s nuclear arsenal and assesses their implications for U.S. national security. It analyzes advancements in nuclear force structure, delivery systems, and operational posture, situating these changes within Beijing’s broader strategic objectives and increasingly assertive foreign policy. The article argues that China’s evolving nuclear capabilities reflect a shift away from a traditionally minimal deterrence posture toward a more complex and flexible force, raising concerns for strategic stability and deterrence dynamics. By evaluating these developments in the context of U.S. defense planning and global security trends, the article highlights the challenges China’s nuclear modernization poses for U.S. policymakers and the international security environment
Drone Delivery of Bioweapons: Responsibilities for Force Readiness
No full textThis Strategic Forum by Dr. James Giordano and Dr. Diane DiEuliis explores the convergence of drone technology and emerging biotechnologies. This includes synthetic biology, gene editing, and nanoscale biomaterials, and their implications for military readiness and national security. It examines how these dual-use technologies could enable novel delivery methods for biological agents, expanding the threat landscape and lowering technical barriers. The analysis emphasizes the need for proactive defense planning, enhanced detection and countermeasures, and integrated strategies to mitigate risks, ensuring force readiness in the face of evolving biological threats.https://digitalcommons.ndu.edu/strategic-forums/1139/thumbnail.jp
Is the PLA Overestimating the Potential of Artificial Intelligence?
No full textThe People’s Liberation Army (PLA) is incorporating artificial intelligence (AI) into its military modernization strategy, or intelligentization, aiming to develop a world-class military capable of designing future warfare. This article reviews over 370 PLA Daily articles to assess how the PLA envisions AI transforming key areas of warfare, including situational awareness, decisionmaking, unmanned weapons, and cognitive domain operations. While the PLA anticipates significant advantages, it also acknowledges the risks of system malfunctions, biased data, ethical dilemmas, and adversarial manipulation. Despite these limitations, the PLA remains committed to leveraging AI to create new forms of warfare, emphasizing the importance of proactive design over reactive strategies. The article highlights the implications of the PLA’s ambitions for global security, urging the U.S. and its allies to monitor China’s developments and develop complementary military strategies
Both Joint and Not: Medical Support at Okinawa, 1945
No full textIn 1945, the U.S. Army, Navy, and Marine Corps invaded Okinawa. Heavy casualties were projected, and medical planning was thorough and multi-layered. Medical support was as joint as anything the period could offer, although quite different from today. In a dispersed, low-bandwidth environment, planners did not try to increase jointness but had services work in parallel and opted to reduce overlap.
This article looks at the medical planning and how medical support unfolded. Medical care was good, as good as possible in the period. Medical and surgical patients received plenty of care, but psychological patients could receive less care, although many could have returned to duty. However, shortages of hospitals in which patients could recuperate reduced the number of patients who returned to duty.
With dispersed low-bandwidth operations possible in the future, we may have to consider how to organize joint operations. Moreover, with long-range fires presenting challenges to evacuation and reinforcement, we need to remember that casualties are also a source of combat power, and consider the force structure needed to return them to duty
ROK-U.S. Alliance: The Near Future—A Dialogue with Dr. Clint Work
No full textThe ROK–U.S. alliance is entering a decisive window. With Seoul signaling momentum on wartime operational control (OPCON) transfer and Washington emphasizing “alliance modernization,” the question is no longer whether change is coming—but what form it will take. In the Daniel K. Inouye Asia-Pacific Center for Security Studies (APCSS) Dialogue podcast, Dr. Clint Work in the Institute for National Strategic Studies (INSS) Center for Strategy and Military Power, offered a historically grounded, candid assessment of what lies ahead.https://digitalcommons.ndu.edu/podcasts/1006/thumbnail.jp
Executive Summary
No full textThis issue of Joint Force Quarterly explores the fall of Bashar al-Asad’s regime in Syria, marking a major geopolitical shift with significant implications for the Middle East and beyond. It examines the role of U.S. and NATO strategies in this outcome and raises critical questions about post-conflict support and the future military posture in the region.
Key topics include managing risk in U.S. national security decisions, the strategic implications of Russia’s vast nonstrategic nuclear arsenal, and the rising role of artificial intelligence in military planning. Insights are provided on enhancing joint warfighting capabilities, improving military education, and modernizing command systems for future conflicts.
Commentary highlights innovative perspectives, such as the potential for Ireland to join NATO and lessons from historical conflicts like the First Punic War. Features also dive into optimizing maritime operations, securing supply chains, and refining tactical air-ground systems for modern combat
Darwin Monkey: Next Generation Neuromorphic Computing and Competition for Cognitive Capability and Control
No full textThe Darwin Monkey System marks a decisive shift from conventional AI toward synthetic cognition via neuromorphic architectures that mimic how the human brain works. These brain-inspired designs enable neuro-mimetic modeling, self-referential processing, and predictive insight into human cognition. While these capabilities could boost performance, they also pose serious ethical and strategic risks, especially when applied to cognitive warfare and influence operations. Dr. James Giordano, INSS Director of the Center for Disruptive Technology and Future Warfare, and Elise Annett urge policymakers to act by investing in parallel technology, drafting operational policies, and establishing a framework for cognitive security to manage power, control, and risk
China’s Military Ambitions: Inside the PLA with Joel Wuthnow & Phillip Saunders
No full textIn this compelling episode of The China Desk, host Steve Yates speaks with leading experts Dr. Joel Wuthnow and Dr. Phillip Saunders about the rise of China\u27s military power. Drawing from their new book China’s Quest for Military Supremacy, the discussion dives deep into the modernization of the PLA, the evolving role of the Chinese Communist Party in military affairs, and what it all means for U.S.-China relations. From nuclear strategy and joint operations to internal corruption and political control, this episode is essential listening for anyone concerned with national security and great power competition.https://digitalcommons.ndu.edu/podcasts/1008/thumbnail.jp
Joint Force Quarterly, Issue 116, 1st Quarter 2025
No full textJoint Force Quarterly 116 explores key challenges and innovations in military strategy, operations, and global security. The Forum section examines how the U.S. approaches risk in its strategy, the impact of nonstrategic nuclear weapons, and the importance of using data-driven methods in planning military operations.
In JPME Today, articles focus on how joint military campaigns succeed, the role of storytelling and persuasion in operations, and the urgent need to modernize professional military education.
The Commentary section highlights Ireland\u27s strategic role in securing Europe’s western flank and evaluates whether China’s military overestimates the potential of artificial intelligence.
The Features section dives into practical challenges, including setting clear political goals, updating air-ground coordination for large-scale combat, improving military healthcare support with wargaming, and strengthening supply chains critical to national security.
The Recall section reflects on lessons from the First Punic War and how they apply to modern joint operations. Meanwhile, Book Reviews cover topics such as China’s strategies for armed coercion, the impact of emerging technologies, and the history of space-based military programs. Finally, the Joint Doctrine section explores the future of stealth technology in military operations
Revive: Getting Medical Supplies and Expertise Right in Distributed Maritime Operations
No full textAs the U.S. Navy prepares for possible large-scale conflict in the Indo-Pacific, ensuring wounded warfighters get the care they need and fast, has become more urgent than ever. In this Joint Force Quarterly article, “Revive” is introduced as a vital addition to the Navy’s contested logistics model. Beyond resupply, rearm, refuel, and repair, “revive” focuses on getting medical supplies to ships and moving injured personnel safely out of harm’s way, even across vast, dangerous seas. The article draws powerful lessons from both recent and historic conflicts, showing that survival and morale depend on agile, ready-to-move medical systems. It makes the case for using flexible Navy supply ships, like Expeditionary Fast Transports, not just for gear and ammo, but also as lifelines for the wounded. Backed by evolving logistics strategies and a forward-thinking acquisition team, this approach aims to keep our forces in the fight and bring them home alive