Digital Commons Network^™

Charting A Course: Strategic Choices For A New Administration, R.D. Hooker , Jr., David Auerswald, Charles L. Barry, John P. Caves , Jr., R. Kim Cragin, Craig A. Deare, Janice M. Hamby, T.X. Hammes, F.G. Hoffman, Christpher J. Lamb, Julian Lindley-French, Thomas F. Lynch Iii, Hilary Matfess, Michael J. Meese, Denise Natali, James J. Przystup, Theresa Sabonis-Helf, Phillip C. Saunders, Thomas C. Wingfield, Peter B. Zwack

Books and Book Chapters

The new administration takes office in a time of great complexity. Our new President faces a national security environment shaped by strong currents: globalization; the proliferation of new, poor, and weak states, as well as nonstate actors; an enduring landscape of violent extremist organizations; slow economic growth; the rise of China and a revanchist Russia; a collapsing Middle East; and a domestic politics wracked by division and mistrust. While in absolute terms the Nation and the world are safer than in the last century, today the United States finds itself almost on a permanent war footing, engaged in military operations …

Prism Vol. 6, No. 3, Center For Complex Operations

PRISM (Full PDF Issues)

No abstract provided.

Joint Force Quarterly 79 (4th Quarter, October 2015), National Defense University Press

Joint Force Quarterly ARCHIVES

No abstract provided.

An Empirical Analysis Of Claimant Tactics In The South China Sea, Christopher D. Yung, Patrick Mcnulty

Strategic Forums

China, Taiwan, Vietnam, the Philippines, Malaysia, and Brunei all claim some or all of the land features and maritime territory in the South China Sea. One notable aspect of the South China Sea dispute is that its advocates argue past one another with little reference to a common set of facts. Another is the absence of comprehensive data on the actions claimants have taken to advance or protect their claims. The Center for the Study of Chinese Military Affairs at the National Defense University (NDU) set out to create a comprehensive database documenting the various tactics pursued by South China …

Joint Force Quarterly 78 (3rd Quarter, July 2015), National Defense University Press

Joint Force Quarterly ARCHIVES

No abstract provided.

Joint Force Quarterly 77 (2nd Quarter, April 2015), National Defense University Press

Joint Force Quarterly ARCHIVES

No abstract provided.

China Moves Out: Stepping Stones Toward A New Maritime Strategy, Christopher H. Sharman

China Strategic Perspectives

Over the last decade, the People’s Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) has increased the frequency, duration, complexity, and distance from the mainland of its operations. Not only does China maintain a permanent counterpiracy escort flotilla in the Indian Ocean, it also now routinely conducts naval exercises and operations beyond the first island chain throughout the year. This normalization of PLAN operations in the Western Pacific and beyond is an important step toward an emerging new maritime strategy that will incorporate far seas defense.

Far seas defense involves extending PLAN combat capabilities into waters farther from China. The concept is consistent with …

Global Knowledge Networking: Smart Strategies For Promoting Innovative Learning And Leader Development, Walter L. Christman, Frank C. Digiovanni, Linton Wells Ii

Defense Horizons

Today’s security challenges require partners who can learn, adapt, and act together. The Global Knowledge Networking (GKN) initiative connects people, ideas, and tools to make knowledge more accessible and actionable for decisionmakers. At its core is a flexible, “composable” approach that brings together organizations, technologies, and expertise as needed. This supports better collaboration across countries, agencies, and cultures. GKN also strengthens training, education, and interoperability, helping partners build shared understanding and respond more effectively to complex challenges. The initiative aims to develop more agile, resilient leaders prepared for an increasingly interconnected security environment.

Responding To Russia After The Nato Summit: Unmanned Aerial Systems Overmatch In The Black Sea, Connor Sullivan, Schuyler Standley, James M. Keagle

Defense Horizons

The Ukraine conflict poses unique and asymmetric challenges to the international community. Since the earliest days of the Crimean crisis, Russian support of “separatists” within Ukraine has ranged from plainclothes thugs to more traditional uniformed troops, munitions, and other forms of aid. Some of the individuals involved may have had links to the Russian military or its intelligence community. While much of the aid comes through the porous border between Russia and Ukraine, Russia also leverages the opportunity to use Black Sea smugglers as a way to supply ongoing rebellions or to initiate new revolts. Two Black Sea–bordering regions, Odessa …

The U.S.-Japan Alliance: Review Of The Guidelines For Defense Cooperation, James J. Przystup

INSS Strategic Perspectives

This paper is focused on the U.S.-Japan alliance as reflected in the evolution of the U.S.-Japan Guidelines for Defense Cooperation. It begins with consideration of the October 3, 2013, 2+2 Statement released by Secretary of State John Kerry, Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel, Foreign Minister Fumio Kishida, and Minister of Defense Itsunori Onodera. The statement reaffirmed the critical importance of the alliance to international stability and security, the U.S. commitment to the security of Japan, and a common strategic vision based on shared values. The statement also tasked the two governments to review the existing 1997 U.S.-Japan Guidelines for Defense …

Joint Force Quarterly 76 (1st Quarter, January 2015), National Defense University Press

Joint Force Quarterly ARCHIVES

No abstract provided.

Lessons Encountered: Learning From The Long War, Richard D. Hooker , Jr., Joseph J. Collins, Alexander Crowther, T.X. Hammes, Frank G. Hoffman, Christopher J. Lamb, Christoff Luehrs, Nicholas Rostow, Sara Thannhauser

Books and Book Chapters

Lessons Encountered: Learning from the Long War began as two questions from General Martin E. Dempsey, 18th Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff: What were the costs and benefits of the campaigns in Iraq and Afghanistan, and what were the strategic lessons of these campaigns? The Institute for National Strategic Studies at the National Defense University was tasked to answer these questions. The editors composed a volume that assesses the war and analyzes the costs, using the Institute’s considerable in-house talent and the dedication of the NDU Press team. The audience for this volume is senior officers, their staffs, …

The People’S Liberation Army And Contingency Planning In China, Andrew Scobell, Arthur S. Ding, Phillip C. Saunders, Scott W. Harold, Michael S. Chase, Dean Cheng, Mark Cozad, Jeffrey Engstrom, Kristen Gunness, Alexander Chieh-Cheng Huang, Ben Lowsen, Ma Chengkun, Lyle Morris, Mark A. Stokes, Marcelyn L. Thompson, Jonathan Walton, Catherine Welch, Thomas Woodrow, Larry M. Wortzel

Books and Book Chapters

How will China use its increasing military capabilities in the future? China faces a complicated security environment with a wide range of internal and external threats. Rapidly expanding international interests are creating demands for the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) to conduct new missions ranging from protecting Chinese shipping from Somali pirates to evacuating citizens from Libya. The most recent Chinese defense white paper states that the armed forces must “make serious preparations to cope with the most complex and difficult scenarios . . . so as to ensure proper responses . . . at any time and under any circumstances.”

Prism Vol. 5, No. 3, Center For Complex Operations

PRISM (Full PDF Issues)

No abstract provided.

Prism Vol. 5, No. 2, Center For Complex Operations

PRISM (Full PDF Issues)

No abstract provided.

Red China's "Capitalist Bomb": Inside The Chinese Neutron Bomb Program, Jonathan Ray

China Strategic Perspectives

This paper examines why China developed an enhanced radiation weapon (ERW) but did not deploy it. ERWs, better known as “neutron bombs,” are specialized nuclear weapons with reduced blast effects and enhanced radiation, making them ideal tactical and antipersonnel weapons. Declassified U.S. intelligence and Chinese press reports indicate the People’s Republic of China (PRC) was interested in an ERW in 1977 and successfully tested a device on September 29, 1988. To date, however, these sources provide no evidence of deployment. This study exploits primary source documents to reconstruct the ERW program’s history, assesses drivers behind decisions throughout the program, and …

The Grand Strategy Of The United States, R.D. Hooker

Strategic Monographs

From the earliest days of the Republic, the outlines of an evolving American grand strategy have been evident in our foreign and domestic policy. Much of that history continues to inform our strategic conduct, and therefore American grand strategy rests today on traditional foundations. Despite a welter of theory and debate, grand strategy as a practical matter is remarkably consistent from decade to decade, with its means altering as technology advances and institutions evolve but its ends and ways showing marked continuity.

Joint Force Quarterly 75 (4th Quarter, October 2014), National Defense University Press

Joint Force Quarterly ARCHIVES

No abstract provided.

A Time To Tweet, As Well As A Time To Kill: Isis’S Projection Of Power In Iraq And Syria, Heather Marie Marie Vitale, James M. Keagle

Defense Horizons

This paper looks at how the Islamic State of Iraq and al-Sham (ISIS) projects power through a combination of military operations and sophisticated use of social media. Focusing on Iraq and Syria, it analyzes how ISIS leverages digital platforms to amplify its battlefield successes, recruit foreign fighters, intimidate adversaries, and shape global perceptions. ISIS’s integration of violence, governance, and strategic communication enables it to function as both a terrorist organization and a proto-state. By exploiting sectarian divisions, weak governance, and the information environment, ISIS has demonstrated an ability to extend its influence beyond physical territory. The paper highlights the implications …

“Not An Idea We Have To Shun”: Chinese Overseas Basing Requirements In The 21st Century, Christopher D. Yung, Ross Rustici, Scott Devary, Jenny Lin

China Strategic Perspectives

China’s expanding international economic interests are likely to generate increasing demands for its navy, the People’s Liberation Army Navy (PLAN), to operate out of area to protect Chinese citizens, investments, and sea lines of communication. The frequency, intensity, type, and location of such operations will determine the associated logistics support requirements, with distance from China, size and duration, and combat intensity being especially important drivers.

How will the PLAN employ overseas bases and facilities to support these expanding operational requirements? The assessment in this study is based on Chinese writings, comments by Chinese military officers and analysts, observations of PLAN …

Policy Challenges Of Accelerating Technological Change: Security Policy And Strategy Implications Of Parallel Scientific Revolutions, James Kadtke, Linton Wells Ii

Defense and Technology Papers

This paper examines policy, legal, ethical, and strategy implications for national security of the accelerating science, technology, and engineering (ST&E) revolutions underway in five broad areas: biology, robotics, information, nanotechnology, and energy (BRINE), with a particular emphasis on how they are interacting. The paper considers the timeframe between now and 2030 but emphasizes policy and related choices that need to be made in the next few years to shape the future competitive space favorably, and focuses on those decisions that are within U.S. Department of Defense’s (DOD) purview. The pace and complexity of technological change mean that linear predictions of …

A Strategic Vision And A New Management Approach For The Department Of The Navy’S Research, Development, Test And Evaluation (Rdt&E) Portfolio, Joseph P. Lawrence

Defense and Technology Papers

This paper considers the Department of the Navy Research, Development, Test, and Evaluation (RDT&E) program holistically. The underlying premise, that will be expanded on here, is that the Department is not doing a good enough job of strategically managing its RDT&E portfolio and that, at least partly as a result, the Department is spending too much and taking too long in getting new technology-driven capabilities into the hands of our warfighters. The goal of this paper is to identify a workable RDT&E process that better enables the Department of the Navy to identify, develop, and maintain the capabilities of our …

Joint Force Quarterly 74 (3rd Quarterly, July 2014), National Defense University Press

Joint Force Quarterly ARCHIVES

No abstract provided.

The Nightmare Years To Come?, Regis W. Matlak

Strategic Monographs

We have entered a particularly dangerous era in the Near East and South Asia— that is, the Greater Middle East. The context of today’s situation is more alarming than respective current crises—as bad as they may be. Rather, there is an increasingly radicalized and violent sectarian environment made up of crosscutting crises occurring in the midst of proliferation; precision weapons; cyber war; increased ungoverned territory vulnerable to global, regional, and local jihadist exploitation; majoritarian authoritarianism; uncompromising sectarianism; ethnic, tribal, and sectarian-driven civil wars; massive popular anger and frustration over the lack of essential services and a diminishing quality of life, …

The Future Of Weapons Of Mass Destruction: Their Nature And Role In 2030, John P. Caves Jr., W. Seth Carus

WMD Occasional Papers

The longstanding efforts of the international community writ large to exclude weapons of mass destruction (WMD) from international competition and conflict could be undermined in 2030. The proliferation of these weapons is likely to be harder to prevent and thus potentially more prevalent. Nuclear weapons are likely to play a more significant role in the international security environment, and current constraints on the proliferation and use of chemical and biological weapons could diminish. There will be greater scope for WMD terrorism, though it is not possible to predict the frequency or severity of any future employment of WMD. New forms …

Joint Force Quarterly 73 (2nd Quarter, April 2014), National Defense University Press

Joint Force Quarterly ARCHIVES

No abstract provided.

Joint Force Quarterly 72 (1st Quarter, January 2014), National Defense University Press

Joint Force Quarterly ARCHIVES

No abstract provided.

A Low-Visibility Force Multiplier: Assessing China’S Cruise Missile Ambitions, Dennis M. Gormley, Andrew S. Erickson, Jingdong Yuan

Books and Book Chapters

China’s military modernization is focused on building modern ground, naval, air, and missile forces capable of fighting and winning local wars under informationized conditions. The principal planning scenario has been a military campaign against Taiwan, which would require the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) to deter or defeat U.S. intervention. The PLA has sought to acquire asymmetric “assassin’s mace” technologies and systems to overcome a superior adversary and couple them to the command, control, communications, computers, intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (C4ISR) systems necessary for swift and precise execution of short-duration, high-intensity wars.

The Flawed Strategic Debate On Syria, Richard H.M. Outzen

Strategic Forums

Dating from Bashar al-Asad’s first suppression of mass demonstrations in April 2011, the war in Syria is now 3 years old, has killed more than 130,000 Syrians, and displaced nine million Syrians, two million as refugees into neighboring countries.1 Foreign intervention has increasingly shaped the course of the fighting and will continue to have substantial regional consequences. The complexity of this bitter, nominally internal struggle has dampened American enthusiasm for joining the fray or even paying much attention to Syria, notwithstanding the chemical weapon attacks on Gouta, east of Damascus, last August, which captured the attention of the American people, …

Prism Syria Supplemental, Center For Complex Operations

PRISM (Full PDF Issues)

This issue provides an in-depth analysis of the ongoing Syrian conflict. Through a collection of expert essays, policy recommendations, and interviews, the issue explores the humanitarian crisis, the role of Salafi networks, and the socio-economic impact on Syria’s urban poor. Contributors offer insights on supporting the opposition, advancing transitional justice, and addressing the challenges of post-conflict reconciliation. Featuring perspectives from diplomats, scholars, and field practitioners, this volume serves as a guide for policymakers navigating the Syrian crisis.