Ideas

How big will China’s nuclear arsenal get?

No one knows, but we can game out potential endpoints of Beijing’s buildup.

Ideas

Consolidate NORTHCOM and SOUTHCOM

The arbitrary division of the Western Hemisphere creates an exploitable seam we can no longer afford.

Ideas

How to write a defense strategy that sticks

Seek clarity always, specificity sometimes—and produce a yardstick that can be used to measure decisions.

Ideas

China's burgeoning drone arsenal shows power of civil-military fusion

Trump's recent executive orders are just one step in a race against a competitor with a very long lead.

Ideas

Ukraine and the future of deception in war

If the U.S. military and its partners cannot master today’s emerging tools, they may fall behind in a critical field.

Ideas

In Yemen, Trump risks falling into an ‘airpower trap’

Bombing campaigns are cheaper than ground incursions—but history shows that the former can lead to the latter.

Science & Tech

Defense One Radio, Ep. 173: Testing the Army’s new fighting strategy on Ukraine's doorstep

A 10th Mountain Division brigade commander talks electronic-warfare, innovation, and something he'd never experienced in the Army.

Policy

Hegseth: Pentagon must return to long-term planning against strategic adversaries

In a Pentagon town hall, new defense secretary vowed to make longer-term plans, deploy tech faster, and have fewer flag officers and smaller staffs.

Threats

Defense One Radio, Ep. 165: Mark Montgomery’s insights from Ukraine

A retired U.S. admiral shares what he learned from a recent trip to the wartorn country.