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The Long Pivot: The Development of the Joint Warfighting Concept
No full textIn the wake of America’s long wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, the U.S. military faced an urgent need to pivot from counterinsurgency back to conventional warfighting, especially against peer competitors like China and Russia. This article traces the decade-long struggle to realign Department of Defense priorities, culminating in the development of the Joint Warfighting Concept (JWC). Early efforts, such as the Third Offset Strategy, highlighted technological innovation but lacked a unifying vision for how to fight future wars. The Services led their own modernization efforts, while analytical tools like Support for Strategic Analysis (SSA) fell short in shaping a cohesive joint force.
By 2019, a revitalized approach emerged through the Joint Force Operating Scenario and the Joint Staff’s leadership of the “Theories of Victory” initiative. The result was the JWC, first published in 2021 and refined through multiple iterations to guide force structure, capability development, and future doctrine through 2030. Backed by senior leadership and incorporated into formal doctrine, the JWC became the most influential joint concept since the disbandment of U.S. Joint Forces Command. It reasserted the Joint Staff’s role in shaping the future of American warfighting, though questions remain about whether it can continue leading from the front or will once again be overtaken by Service-specific visions
The Variables of OPCON: The Sovereignty Narrative
No full textThis article, the third in a series for The Diplomat by Dr. Clint Work, examines the challenges of advancing wartime operational control (OPCON) transition from the United States to the Republic of Korea (ROK) under the Lee administration. It analyzes the potential risks of pursuing a de facto timeline, circumventing bilaterally agreed conditions, or scaling down alliance exercises critical for assessing South Korea’s readiness. The article highlights how these dynamics could generate discord within the U.S.-ROK alliance, while exploring the tension between Seoul’s pursuit of greater sovereignty and the practical requirements for alliance stability and regional security. By situating these developments within the broader strategic context of North Korea, U.S. extended deterrence, and evolving alliance priorities, the study illuminates the delicate balance policymakers must strike to achieve a stable and mutually beneficial OPCON transition
Defusing Weaponized Interdependence: A New Approach to Measuring Country Reliability
No full textEisenhower School faculty members Michael Harsch and Shaun Lee have developed an interesting analysis method for assessing the willingness of one nation to partner with another. This article explores how growing geopolitical risks are challenging the way countries manage global trade and supply chains. Relying solely on economic efficiency and comparative advantage is no longer enough to protect critical industries from disruption. At the same time, bringing all supply chains back to the United States is often too expensive or unrealistic due to limited domestic resources and infrastructure. As a solution, the authors highlight friend-shoring—working with trusted partner countries—as a way to strengthen supply chain security. To support this approach, the article introduces a new tool called the Measure of Country Reliability (MCR) index. The MCR provides a clear and consistent way to evaluate the reliability of potential trade partners. The authors argue that the MCR can be a valuable tool for policymakers and analysts as they build stronger, more resilient economic partnerships, especially in sectors like biotechnology
Celtic Security in the Atlantic: How Does Ireland Secure Europe’s Western Flank?
No full textIreland plays a crucial role in protecting Europe’s western flank, but growing Russian aggression has exposed serious gaps in its security. With a small, outdated naval fleet, limited air capabilities, and inadequate radar systems, Ireland struggles to defend its airspace, waters, and critical undersea cables—vital infrastructure that carries 97% of transatlantic data and underpins global communication and security. These vulnerabilities have made Ireland a target for Russian sabotage and incursions, posing risks to Europe and the transatlantic alliance.
The article explores two paths for Ireland to address these security challenges: joining NATO or seeking Major Non-NATO Ally (MNNA) status with the United States. NATO membership would provide immediate access to collective defense systems, such as advanced air and missile defense, maritime patrols, and infrastructure protection, significantly boosting Ireland’s ability to deter threats. Alternatively, MNNA status would allow Ireland to strengthen its defenses through a bilateral agreement with the U.S. while maintaining its policy of neutrality.
The author argues that joining NATO is Ireland’s most effective and urgent option. Membership would bolster Europe’s Atlantic defenses, secure critical infrastructure, and elevate Ireland’s role as an active contributor to European and transatlantic security, ensuring its safety in an increasingly volatile geopolitical landscape
Winning Without Fighting: Irregular Warfare and Strategic Competition in the 21st Century
No full textWinning Without Fighting offers a timely and compelling framework for strategic competition in the modern era, especially against authoritarian states like China, Russia, Iran, and North Korea. Written by four seasoned scholar-practitioners, the book redefines irregular warfare as a comprehensive, non-violent competition for influence and legitimacy. Emphasizing tools like information, diplomacy, economics, and national resilience, the authors argue that the United States must evolve its strategic culture—rooted in binary war/peace thinking—toward one that embraces continuous, multi-domain competition. Drawing on Cold War lessons, they advocate for renewed investments in statecraft capabilities such as regional expertise and alliance coordination. The book concludes with actionable recommendations to prioritize non-military instruments, enhance resilience, and reshape American policy thinking to compete more effectively in today’s gray zone. The review commends the book as a critical contribution to understanding and succeeding in 21st-century strategic competition
Drones and Biotechnological Weaponry: Emerging Risks, Strategic Threats, and Viable Readiness
No full textDr. Diane DiEuliis (CSWMD), in collaboration with Dr. James Giordano (CDTFW) from INSS, delve into the formidable challenge posed by the convergence of drone technology, synthetic biology, and gene-editing. Their insightful analysis emphasizes the urgent need to invest in fostering interagency and international collaboration, advanced surveillance systems, and developing robust countermeasures to mitigate the risks associated with these emerging technologies. The article was published in Mad Scientist Laboratory
Expendable Drones: Appreciating the Evolving Technology – and Character – of War
No full textIn a US Army TRADOC’s Mad Scientist blog, John Bitterman, Elise Annett, and Dr. James Giordano address the expanding weaponized capabilities – and threats – of unmanned vehicular systems when coupled to iterative forms of artificial intelligence. This blog post explores the accelerating role of expendable drones and unmanned vehicular systems (UVS) in transforming modern warfare. Recent conflicts in Ukraine and Colombia illustrate how drones are being employed for long-range strikes, swarming attacks, intelligence, logistics, and counter-UAS operations. These developments emphasize the versatility of low-cost autonomous systems and the challenges they pose for command and control, cybersecurity, and strategic attribution. The authors examine U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth’s initiative to “unleash drone dominance,” which emphasizes modernization, deregulation, and expanded production to secure U.S. military advantage. Key considerations include building resilient supply chains for rare earth minerals, advancing predictive intelligence, and developing counter-drone technologies. Looking forward, this piece highlights a shift from prescriptive decision-making frameworks toward adaptive, autopoietic systems capable of human-machine teaming. Such a transition demands not only technological innovation but also a cultural evolution in military doctrine to ensure responsible integration, operational effectiveness, and long-term strategic dominance
Rising Dominance of the Tactical Defense
No full textT.X. Hammes published his article “Rising Dominance of the Tactical Defense” in the 57th issue of the Hellenic National Defence College (HNDC)’s Review ATHENA.
The first half of the publication is in Greek. The last half, where the article by Hammes is published, is in English.
It has become widely accepted that the convergence of technological advances is leading to a Revolution in Military Affairs. One of the unanswered questions concerning this shift is whether it will lead to continued dominance by the offense or a period of defensive dominance. As usual, the truth lies somewhere between the two extremes. This paper will explore both the continuities and discontinuities taking place at the tactical and operational levels of war in Ukraine
The Greatest Danger in the Taiwan Strait
No full textTension across the Taiwan Strait has raised fears that Beijing and Taipei could soon find themselves at war. Most observers imagine two possible avenues that could lead to conflict. In a so-called war of choice, Beijing could try to capture Taiwan by force after careful consideration of the economic, military, and political risks. Such an aggressive action without explicit provocation would reflect Chinese leaders’ judgment that the island could be taken at minimal cost. Alternately, Beijing might launch a so-called war of necessity if it felt that Taiwan had crossed a political redline that permanently threatened China’s control of the island. A formal declaration of independence in Taipei, for example, would likely trigger a military response from Beijing regardless of the costs
Sea Dragons: Special Operations and Chinese Military Strategy
No full textAs China continues to rise as a global sea power, its maritime strategy continues to evolve. Among these critical evolutions is one of the People’s Liberation Army’s naval special operations forces’ most elite units: the Sea Dragons. A small yet highly specialized unit, the Sea Dragons entered the global spotlight and international consciousness with the 2018 film Operation Red Sea, raising several questions for Chinese naval experts. What does Chinese military strategy and doctrine require of special forces, and specifically naval SOF, to be able to accomplish the mission, particularly along the Taiwan Strait and in the South China Sea? What are their capabilities and limitations? What real-world experience do they have and how might they be employed in the future? This volume attempts to answer those questions and many more regarding one of China’s more enigmatic units and its role in future peacetime and low-intensity conflicts.https://digitalcommons.ndu.edu/cscma-books/1000/thumbnail.jp