Commentary

The DoD’s cyber force must partner with industry to compete at the speed of relevance

While cyber is essential to many areas of DoD operations, it is not its main function.

3 days ago

Commentary

The US defense budget’s latest casualty is readiness

To advance future capabilities that provide for long-term readiness, the armed services need well-trained, knowledgeable warfighters who have the capacity to integrate modernized systems into sustained arsenals. Instead, the budget’s reductions come at a point when the operational tempo of the force continues to increase as capacity investments are falling.

5 days ago

Commentary

Winning in Ukraine: a French perspective

Besides their military support for Kyiv, France and Germany are also mindful of leaving the door open to a negotiated settlement of the conflict.

Commentary

Why a ‘Buy Allied’ approach matters

There are at least four essential reasons why making the U.S. aerospace and defense industry exclusively “Made in America” is neither feasible nor desirable.

9 days ago

Commentary

Beware the allure of training technology

Sometimes the best and most cost-effective training tool may just be a book.

11 days ago

A maintainer deployed to the 332d Air Expeditionary Wing, checks an F-15E Strike Eagle during a routine post flight inspection Sept. 29, 2020, as the moon rises over the flightline in an undisclosed location.

Commentary

Is America’s military headed down the same path as Russia’s?

Diplomacy that is not backed by military might will fail. It all comes down to credibility behind the words. The U.S. has lost its edge in that regard from both a military capability and capacity perspective.

12 days ago

Commentary

A prolonged ceasefire may be the likely endgame in Ukraine

Shifting war aims and the prospect of protracted war could lead to a potential dilemma for Ukraine.

12 days ago

Commentary

We’re making strides, but Arctic soldiers still need help from big Army

With the service’s new Arctic strategy and the anticipated re-designation of Army Alaska as the 11th Airborne Division, the Army should also bring in more funding.

3 weeks ago

Commentary

New Mideast task force can counter Iranian arms smuggling, but more capabilities are needed

U.S. Central Command must be able to to analyze and exploit intelligence, which requires a robust cadre of analysts.

3 weeks ago

Commentary

Moskva’s sinking, the rise of anti-ship cruise missiles and what that means for the US Navy

If a relatively low-cost, short-range missile can destroy one of the largest warships in the Russian Navy, how do we ensure that ships in our fleet are not doomed to the same fate?

4 weeks ago

Commentary

Fossil fuels are the Achilles’ heel of warfare. Just ask Russia.

Fossil fuels aren’t just a vulnerability on the battlefield; they’re also a strategic straitjacket.

4 weeks ago

Commentary

Should Finland join NATO? Consider these factors.

Widespread, if not universal, support exists within NATO for Finnish membership. Unfortunately for Finland, and perhaps for the alliance, there is likely to be a significant delay.

4 weeks ago

Commentary

The anti-satellite test ban must not undermine deterrence

The U.S. must convince its adversaries they cannot destroy America's critical satellites while retaining theirs.

4 weeks ago

Commentary

Russia’s Sarmat test underscores need to modernize US nuclear triad

Russian President Putin’s behavior stands in stark contrast with the Biden administration’s decision to postpone and then cancel a launch of an unarmed Minuteman III ICBM.

4 weeks ago

Col. Todd Benson, the U.S. Air Forces Central Command director of space forces, leads airmen through their enlistment ceremony as they become members of the Space Force at Al Udeid Air Base, Qatar, on Sept. 1, 2020. The Space Force is the United States' newest service in more than 70 years. (Staff Sgt. Kayla White/U.S. Air Force)

Commentary

The Space Force has to transform to meet its goals

We should expect U.S. Space Command to meet the same expectations we hold for every other combatant command — securing military superiority within its assigned domain, while providing warfighting support as an equal member of the joint force. In addition to its work developing more resilient space architectures, the Space Force should take the lead in defining, developing, and fielding offensive and defensive space capabilities it can provide to U.S. Space Command.

5 weeks ago

Commentary

The US needs a new approach to producing weapons. Just look at Ukraine.

Thomas G. Mahnken argues it is imperative for the United States and its allies to both increase their munitions capacity and adopt innovative approaches to munitions production.

5 weeks ago

Commentary

The US military needs a modernized GPS capability to maintain superiority

The replacement of outdated GPS satellites in the constellation has not kept pace with our international competition and emerging global threats.

5 weeks ago

Commentary

The Army’s NGSW program aimed for the wrong standards

A more reasonable analysis would have set the bar at penetrating Level 4 body armor at 100-200 meters, rather than 600 meters.

5 weeks ago

Commentary

Israel has a KC-46 problem. Here’s the solution.

The U.S. and Israel urgently need to replace their aging aerial refueling fleets with the modernized KC-46A. The problem is the aircraft has been plagued by development challenges and delays.

5 weeks ago

The Ticonderoga-class guided-missile cruiser USS Princeton (CG 59) steams through the night in the South China Sea on July 15, 2020.

Commentary

The Biden administration’s new shipbuilding plan is wholly inadequate

At its core, this plan fundamentally breaks faith with the shipbuilding-industrial base.

5 weeks ago

Commentary

Bring the Reforger exercises back to Europe

The still fairly new Defender Europe exercises are too limited in scope, this author says.

6 weeks ago

Commentary

Cyberattacks don’t win wars

One of the key lessons from the Russian invasion of Ukraine for other militaries is to not abandon land-maneuvering capabilities in favor of investing too much in technology. Both abilities are needed, but not at the expense of one or the other.

7 weeks ago

Commentary

Putin is holding GPS hostage. Here’s how to get it back.

Just the threat of interfering with GPS can help Putin keep the U.S. at bay.

7 weeks ago

Commentary

Turkish drones won’t give Ukraine the edge it needs

But why is Russia not dominating this unmanned war?

8 weeks ago

Commentary

Tanks and helos: How Ukraine can inform military modernization efforts

We all started with a plan, and it’s time to take in recent information and adjust accordingly.

8 weeks ago

Commentary

Biden’s FY23 budget request fails to fully tackle inflation

This is not a case of blindly calling for “more, more, more!” Rather it is a plea for meeting needs and persistently high inflation.

2 months ago

Commentary

Ukraine should provide Japan’s wake-up call

The Ukraine crisis has demonstrated war can occur at any moment. Japan should ensure it is fully prepared for a potential Chinese threat.

2 months ago

Commentary

Biden should nudge Europeans to lead NATO

The time has come to strike a new transatlantic bargain, in which European allies assume greater responsibility for their own security and defense and the United States becomes more willing to share military leadership of the alliance.

2 months ago