Ideas

For 250 years, it’s been ‘change or lose’ for our military. Here’s what needs changing now

A former commandant and a futurist take stock of Spider’s Web, Rising Lion, and more.

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.

Threats

How China’s tech giants wired the Gulf

Ubiquitous Chinese gear, infrastructure, and deals belie the narrative of close U.S.-Gulf cooperation—and raise grave security concerns.

Business

A closer look at the Chinese space company accused of helping the Houthis

The ostensibly private Chang Guang Satellite Technology emerged from and benefited from state funding.

Science & Tech

China’s counter-UAV efforts reveal more than technological advancement

They also show the PLA’s dedication to learning from conflict and tech trends and its determination to dominate the electromagnetic battlespace.

Science & Tech

China’s military aims to harness the coming ‘ChatGPT for robotics’

Analogues to large language models for movements and tasks could usher humanoid robots onto the battlefield.

Threats

New products show China’s quest to automate battle

One system tested in a recent PLA exercise automatically dispatches drones, tracks targets, and assigns strikes.

Ideas

To China, DeepSeek is more than an app—it's a strategic turning point

Beijing views the AI tool as a breakthrough that reinforces its strategic autonomy and reshapes the U.S.-China balance of power.

Ideas

The future of China's new information support force

In a bid to dominate the information environment, the PLA created a force to build a resilient network system and drive innovation of cutting-edge tech.

Ideas

China’s plan to rule the heavens

A look at Beijing's strategy to relegate the United States to second place in space.

Ideas

How China is adopting battlefield lessons from Ukraine

A drone-assisted ambush of a Ukrainian tank drew particular notice by PLA analysts.

Ideas

China’s chip chokepoints

The U.S. and its allies have leverage in the competition to build advanced microchips.

Ideas

How Russia, China envision nuking US satellites: from above and below

As the Pentagon builds huge constellations to shrug off conventional ASAT weapons, potential adversaries are taking things to a terrifying new level.

Ideas

What reports got wrong about China’s ‘sunken nuclear submarine’

Western news organizations often miss crucial context—and even the real news—about Chinese military modernization.

Ideas

China claims breakthroughs in autonomous vehicles

If Chinese companies succeed in solidifying their dominance of the autonomous vehicle and LiDAR markets, the security implications are profound.

Ideas

Send private-security contractors into Gaza? That’s a terrible idea

Here are some basic questions to ask before this not-even-half-baked notion becomes a policy failure.

Ideas

China’s latest aircraft carrier is much more than a big ship

Along with technical and operational advances, the Fujian represents a response to 19th-century humiliation.

Threats

A new breakthrough could deepen US troops' dependence on Chinese batteries

The Qingdao Institute reports a new manufacturing technique that enables cells to charge quicker and age slower.