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Articles 31 - 60 of 569
Full-Text Articles in Entire DC Network
Influence By Design: A Network Strategy For Integrated Deterrence, Robert S. Hinck
Influence By Design: A Network Strategy For Integrated Deterrence, Robert S. Hinck
Joint Force Quarterly
Confronting the complexity of the future security environment requires new concepts to coordinate efforts for maximum effect. The 2022 National Defense Strategy appropriately identifies integrated deterrence as the centerpiece of these efforts but criticisms regarding its strategic application remain. While integrated deterrence is associated with one set of national security strategies, its points of emphasis will endure. This essay addresses current limitations of the concept by offering a tangible and theoretically grounded approach connecting the ends, ways, and means by which the Joint Force and interagency, in combination with US allies and partners, can enact integrated deterrence across the spectrum …
Joint Force Quarterly, Issue 119, 4th Quarter 2025, National Defense University Press
Joint Force Quarterly, Issue 119, 4th Quarter 2025, National Defense University Press
Joint Force Quarterly
Joint Force Quarterly (JFQ) 119 examines the evolving challenges and innovations shaping the U.S. joint force and professional military education. Key themes include tactical-level manufacturing (“Fabrication at the Tactical Edge”), the ongoing debate over curriculum focus in professional military education (“Breadth or Depth in PME”), and the transformative role of artificial intelligence in decisionmaking for military operations. Together, these articles and others highlight the dynamic intersection of technology, strategy, and education in modern defense. This issue highlights how digital transformation, industrial capability, and intellectual agility are vital to maintaining strategic advantage across domains of competition and conflict.
Precision In Words, Precision In Warfare: Terminology And Control In Military Discourse On Unmanned Systems, Elise Annett, John Bitterman, James Giordano
Precision In Words, Precision In Warfare: Terminology And Control In Military Discourse On Unmanned Systems, Elise Annett, John Bitterman, James Giordano
Strategic Insights
This commentary is about how inconsistent terminology surrounding unmanned and intelligent systems can create confusion in military planning and policy discussions. Terms such as automatic, remote, and autonomous are often used interchangeably in defense discourse, despite describing distinct technological capabilities and levels of human control. This ambiguity can hinder effective evaluation, governance, and operational use of unmanned systems in modern warfare. As machines increasingly support sensing, decision-making, and action on the battlefield, precise terminology becomes essential for doctrine development, training, command authority, and ethical oversight. Clearer definitions and conceptual frameworks can ensure that emerging technologies are understood and integrated into …
Neuromodulating Mammals For Military Operations: Ethical Responsibility And Governance In Security Domains, Elise Annett, James Giordano
Neuromodulating Mammals For Military Operations: Ethical Responsibility And Governance In Security Domains, Elise Annett, James Giordano
Strategic Insights
This commentary examines ethical and governance challenges associated with the potential use of neurotechnology to influence the behavior of marine mammals for military purposes. While the use of dolphins and sea lions in naval operations has historical precedent, reports suggesting that advanced neurotechnologies may be used to modulate or control the behavior of orcas represent a significant ethical and legal inflection point. Invasive neuromodulation techniques, such as implantable neural interfaces, pharmacological modulation, or remote stimulation raise serious concerns about animal welfare, agency, and the potential dual-use implications of neurotechnology. Stronger governance frameworks, including international dialogue, Department of War policy guidance, …
A Framework For Biological Weapons Deterrence, Center For The Study Of Weapons Of Mass Destruction
A Framework For Biological Weapons Deterrence, Center For The Study Of Weapons Of Mass Destruction
Research and Case Studies
The United States faces a growing range of biological threats, including the potential use of increasingly sophisticated biological weapons. As advances in science and technology expand the scope of these risks, deterring biological attacks has become an urgent national security challenge. This study examines the U.S. Government's current approach to biological weapons deterrence, assesses existing tools and capabilities, and identifies key challenges to developing a more effective strategy. Drawing on research, expert interviews, and roundtable discussions, the paper argues that deterring biological threats requires a coordinated whole-of-government approach that integrates the capabilities and expertise of multiple federal agencies. This NDU …
Laser-Focusing Defense Capabilities, James Giordano
Laser-Focusing Defense Capabilities, James Giordano
Strategic Insights
This commentary examines the growing strategic importance of high-energy laser weapons as part of modern multidomain defense and deterrence. As unmanned systems, hypersonic delivery platforms, and electronic warfare capabilities expand the speed and scale of modern conflict, traditional kinetic defenses face increasing limitations. Directed-energy systems, particularly high-energy lasers, offer scalable, precise, and cost-effective countermeasures against emerging threats. While laser weapons are not a universal solution, continued investment in power generation, beam control, artificial intelligence integration, and operational doctrine could allow these systems to play a central role in future defense architectures. Properly developed and integrated, laser technologies could strengthen deterrence, …
The Recent Rash Of Biotechnology Risks: A Call To Fortify Force Capability, James Giordano
The Recent Rash Of Biotechnology Risks: A Call To Fortify Force Capability, James Giordano
Strategic Insights
This commentary looks at recent incidents that highlight emerging national security risks posed by advances in biotechnology and synthetic biology. The discovery of suspicious biological materials stored in a residential facility in Reedley, California, and reports that a rare neurotoxin may have been used against Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny illustrate how barriers to acquiring and operationalizing biological and chemical agents are declining. Tools such as gene editing, modular DNA assembly, laboratory automation, and AI-enabled biological design are expanding the range of actors capable of producing or modifying bioagents while complicating detection and attribution. Strengthened biodefense measures, including “biosecurity-by-design,” improved …
Decision-Based Artificial Intelligence And The Strategic Reordering Of Military Power, Elise Annett
Decision-Based Artificial Intelligence And The Strategic Reordering Of Military Power, Elise Annett
Strategic Insights
This commentary examines how decision-based artificial intelligence (AI) is reshaping the structure and exercise of military power. As AI systems increasingly filter information, evaluate options, and accelerate operational decision cycles, military advantage is shifting toward control of the “decision space” itself. AI-enabled decision support allows actors to shape operational environments, constrain adversary choices, and compress the time available for political or military response. These developments are transforming command structures, cross-domain operations, and the role of human authority within military decision processes. Recognizing decision-space as a contested domain, this commentary calls for doctrinal adaptation, revised command architectures, and clear frameworks for …
Quantum Technologies, Part Two: Recognizing Risks And Threats To National Security And Defense, James Giordano
Quantum Technologies, Part Two: Recognizing Risks And Threats To National Security And Defense, James Giordano
Strategic Insights
This commentary is Pt. 2 of the Quantum Technologies series and examines the emerging national security implications of quantum technologies and the risks posed by their development and potential use by adversaries. While quantum capabilities remain in relatively early stages of maturity, this piece explains that advances in areas such as quantum computing, sensing, and communications could significantly affect military operations, intelligence, and strategic competition. The analysis emphasizes the importance of realistically assessing both the capabilities and limitations of quantum technologies to avoid exaggerated expectations or complacency. Rather than assuming quantum technologies will immediately transform warfare, the greater risk lies …
Quantum Technologies, Part One: Focusing A Bit Upon Realities, James Giordano
Quantum Technologies, Part One: Focusing A Bit Upon Realities, James Giordano
Strategic Insights
This commentary examines the current realities of quantum technologies and their implications for national security and defense. While quantum systems are often described as revolutionary, their practical military impact remains uneven and frequently overstated. This analysis reviews three key domains—quantum computing, sensing, and communications, and explains where these technologies currently outperform classical systems and where significant technical limitations remain. In particular, quantum computing is still in a “noisy, intermediate-scale” stage, meaning most applications remain experimental and dependent on advances in error correction, algorithms, and hardware. Understanding both the promise and limitations of quantum technologies is essential for shaping realistic defense …
Artificial Intelligence And A Reconfiguration Of Military Power, Elise Annett, James Giordano
Artificial Intelligence And A Reconfiguration Of Military Power, Elise Annett, James Giordano
Strategic Insights
This commentary examines how artificial intelligence (AI) is reshaping military power and decision-making. AI is becoming a central element in how militaries gather information, analyze data, and support operational decisions. As AI systems increasingly filter and prioritize information for commanders, they influence the pace of operations and the environment in which strategic choices are made. The integration of AI into defense systems, such as command-and-control networks and broader modernization initiatives, may enhance operational effectiveness but also introduces new risks, including vulnerabilities to data manipulation and algorithmic exploitation. AI’s growing role requires clear doctrine, governance, and ethical accountability to ensure that …
Fortifying Technologic Innovation In National Defense: Strategic Security Imperatives For Research And Acquisition, Diane Dieuliis, James Giordano
Fortifying Technologic Innovation In National Defense: Strategic Security Imperatives For Research And Acquisition, Diane Dieuliis, James Giordano
Strategic Insights
This commentary examines new Department of War initiatives designed to strengthen security protections for defense-funded research within the U.S. defense industrial base. The authors argue that safeguarding innovation is now as critical as accelerating it, particularly as strategic competition intensifies in fields such as artificial intelligence, biotechnology, quantum information science, and advanced materials. The article highlights the importance of a “security-by-design” approach that integrates risk assessment, monitoring of foreign influence, and protection of intellectual property throughout the research and development process. It also emphasizes collaboration among government, academia, and industry to protect sensitive technologies while preserving scientific openness. Strengthening research …
Cognitive Warfare 2026: Nato’S Chief Scientist Report As Sentinel Call For Operational Readiness, James Giordano
Cognitive Warfare 2026: Nato’S Chief Scientist Report As Sentinel Call For Operational Readiness, James Giordano
Strategic Insights
This commentary examines emerging concepts in cognitive warfare, the use of information, perception shaping, and psychological influence as instruments of strategic competition. It also highlights insights from the 2026 NATO Chief Scientist Report. Dr. Giordano explains that cognitive effects extend traditional information operations by targeting how people think, make decisions, and act in complex environments. Drawing from NATO analysis, he argues that military organizations must integrate cognitive considerations into doctrine, planning, and training to enhance resilience and competitive advantage. Improved operational frameworks, interdisciplinary research, and ethical governance could help allied forces recognize, anticipate, and counter cognitive threats while preserving human …
Understanding Space Frontier Areas: Strategy In Cislunar Space And Beyond, Todd W. Pennington
Understanding Space Frontier Areas: Strategy In Cislunar Space And Beyond, Todd W. Pennington
INSS Strategic Perspectives
Space beyond geostationary Earth orbit, particularly cislunar space, is emerging as a strategically significant domain for national security, governance, and long-term competition. This paper introduces the concept of "Space Frontier Areas" to describe regions of space, including xGEO and the Earth–Moon system, where operations remain limited in scale but increasingly consequential. It argues that current strategic thinking about these areas is overly bipolar, framing activities as either near-term security concerns or long-term economic opportunities, thereby constraining nuanced policy choices. To address this limitation, the paper proposes an analytical framework organized around four strategic purposes—prestige, governance, security, and resources—that can be …
Biotechnologies And The Treaty Gap: Why Biological Weapons Governance Is Falling Behind; And Some Thoughts On How To Fix It, James Giordano
Biotechnologies And The Treaty Gap: Why Biological Weapons Governance Is Falling Behind; And Some Thoughts On How To Fix It, James Giordano
Strategic Insights
This commentary examines how rapid advances in biotechnology are outpacing the ability of existing international agreements, especially the Biological Weapons Convention (BWC), to effectively govern emerging risks. Dr. Giordano explains that technologies such as synthetic biology, gene editing, and AI-assisted biological design are creating capabilities that blur the line between legitimate research and potential misuse, leaving enforcement and oversight systems outdated. These developments expose a “treaty gap” in which governance does not match technological reality, undermining global norms against biological weaponization. Strengthening international governance frameworks, improving transparency and verification mechanisms, and incorporating emerging science into treaty language will be essential …
Biotechnology In The Fy 2026 Ndaa: Strategic Implications — And Recommendations — For Joint Force Readiness, James Giordano
Biotechnology In The Fy 2026 Ndaa: Strategic Implications — And Recommendations — For Joint Force Readiness, James Giordano
Strategic Insights
This commentary analyzes how biotechnology provisions in the FY 2026 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) reflect emerging opportunities and challenges for U.S. national security. It explains that key investments in bioindustrial capacity, synthetic biology, bioinformatics, and related research signal a strategic shift toward integrating biological technologies into defense planning. While these advancements can strengthen biodefense, medical readiness, and operational resilience, they also raise policy, ethical, and governance questions about prioritization, oversight, and risk management. Dr. Giordano offers practical recommendations, including the need for enhanced workforce education, robust interdisciplinary coordination, and international collaboration to ensure responsible innovation. Aligning biotechnology investment with …
Artificial Intelligence: A Double-Edged Sword In Support And Subversion Of The Biological Weapons Convention; Part Two: Implications And Recommendations, Diane Dieuliis, Elise Annett, James Giordano
Artificial Intelligence: A Double-Edged Sword In Support And Subversion Of The Biological Weapons Convention; Part Two: Implications And Recommendations, Diane Dieuliis, Elise Annett, James Giordano
Strategic Insights
This commentary is Pt. 2 of the "Artificial Intelligence: A Double-Edged Sword in Support and Subversion of the Biological Weapons Convention" series. This piece analyzes how artificial intelligence (AI) interacts with the Biological Weapons Convention (BWC) in both supportive and potentially adversarial ways. The authors explain that AI can strengthen biodefense by improving detection, biosurveillance, and compliance monitoring of biological threats. For example, AI can integrate large datasets to identify anomalies in genomic sequences or global research activity that indicate misuse. However, the same capabilities can be exploited to develop, conceal, and disseminate biological agents, automate laboratory processes that lower …
Artificial Intelligence: A Double-Edged Sword In Support And Subversion Of The Biological Weapons Convention; Part One: Framing The Issues, Elise Annett, Diane Dieuliis, James Giordano
Artificial Intelligence: A Double-Edged Sword In Support And Subversion Of The Biological Weapons Convention; Part One: Framing The Issues, Elise Annett, Diane Dieuliis, James Giordano
Strategic Insights
This commentary explores how artificial intelligence (AI) is profoundly affecting the biological enterprise, serving both as a powerful tool for scientific advancement and as a potential vector for misuse. The authors explain that AI can accelerate research, improve diagnostics, and enhance biodefense, but it also lowers barriers to creating or modifying biological agents and can be exploited for harmful ends. The dual effects make AI a "double-edged sword" that challenges existing governance, detection systems, and deterrence frameworks in biosecurity. Responsible integration of AI into biology requires policies that balance innovating with safeguards, strengthened international cooperation, and adaptive oversights to ensure …
Critical Technology Areas Part 2: Implications And Recommendations For The Warfighter And Warfighting, James Giordano
Critical Technology Areas Part 2: Implications And Recommendations For The Warfighter And Warfighting, James Giordano
Strategic Insights
This commentary builds on the designation of six Critical Technology Areas defined by the U.S. Department of War: Applied Artificial Intelligence, biomanufacturing, contested logistics technologies, quantum and battlefield information dominance, scaled directed energy, and scaled hypersonics, to analyze their implications for future warfighting and to offer practical recommendations. Dr. Giordano explains how these technologies will compress decision timelines, blur attribution, and integrate across domains, fundamentally altering operational tempo and strategic risk. Preparing warfighters for these changes requires heightened technical literacy, updated education and training, organizational adaptation, and robust ethical frameworks. The article argues that doctrinal evolution, iterative experimentation, and interdisciplinary …
Convergent Critical Technologies Part 1: The Integrative Transformation Of Warfighting, James Giordano
Convergent Critical Technologies Part 1: The Integrative Transformation Of Warfighting, James Giordano
Strategic Insights
This commentary examines how the Department of War’s six designated Critical Technology Areas: Applied Artificial Intelligence, Biomanufacturing, Contested Logistics Technologies, Quantum and Battlefield Information Dominance, Scaled Directed Energy, and Scaled Hypersonics are collectively transforming military operations. Rather than focusing only on the individual capabilities of these technologies, the author argues that their most strategic value lies in convergent integration across domains and conflict phases. When combined, these technologies can accelerate decision-making, sustain forces in contested environments, enhance sensing and strike capabilities, and optimize operational logistics. The article highlights how integrated technology effects can reshape both kinetic and non-kinetic warfare, challenge …
The Agentic Database And Military Command: A Perspective On Autonomous C2 Systems, Elise Annett, James Giordano
The Agentic Database And Military Command: A Perspective On Autonomous C2 Systems, Elise Annett, James Giordano
Strategic Insights
This commentary explores how emerging autonomous command and control (C2) systems, powered by advanced machine learning and data-driven decision engines, are transforming military decision processes. The authors introduce the concept of an “agentic database,” a framework in which autonomous systems actively sense, assess, and act upon dynamic operational data to support or augment human command decisions. While these systems offer potential benefits in speed, situational awareness, and decision quality, they also raise critical questions about accountability, trust, human oversight, and strategic risk. Meaningful integration of autonomous C2 requires doctrinal clarity, clear ethical guidelines, robust verification, and continuous human-machine collaboration to …
Beyond Mechanistic Control: Causal Decision Processing In Neuromorphic Military Artificial Intelligence, James Giordano
Beyond Mechanistic Control: Causal Decision Processing In Neuromorphic Military Artificial Intelligence, James Giordano
Commentary
This article explains how neuromorphic artificial intelligence (AI), AI designed to mimic brain-like reasoning, differs from traditional rule-based systems and what that means for military decision-making. Unlike mechanistic AI that reacts predictably to inputs, neuromorphic AI integrates data and context more like the human brain, allowing adaptive responses in complex environments. While this could improve how autonomous systems operate in uncertain conflict zones, it also raises new questions about control, predictability, accountability, and ethical use. The author argues that integrating such systems into defense operations must be guided by clear oversight, doctrine, and ethical frameworks to ensure effectiveness, safety, and …
Beyond Mechanistic Control: Causal Decision Processing In Neuromorphic Military Artificial Intelligence, James Giordano
Beyond Mechanistic Control: Causal Decision Processing In Neuromorphic Military Artificial Intelligence, James Giordano
Strategic Insights
This commentary explores how neuromorphic artificial intelligence, AI designed to mimic the causal and adaptive processing of the human brain, differs from traditional mechanistic systems and what this means for military applications. Traditional AI follows straightforward stimulus-response patterns that work well in predictable scenarios, but they struggle in complex, dynamic environments. Neuromorphic AI uses more human-like causal processing, integrating multiple streams of data and contextual cues to make decisions that better adapt to ambiguity and uncertainty. While this offers potential advantages in autonomy and operational flexibility, it also raises challenges for predictability, command and control, verification, and accountability. The article …
Autonomous Artificial Intelligence In Armed Conflict: Toward A Model Of Strategic Integration, Ethical Authority, And Operational Constraint, Elise Annett, James Giordano
Autonomous Artificial Intelligence In Armed Conflict: Toward A Model Of Strategic Integration, Ethical Authority, And Operational Constraint, Elise Annett, James Giordano
Strategic Insights
This commentary explores how autonomous artificial intelligence (AI) is changing the nature of armed conflict and what it means for military strategy. AI-enabled systems, from autonomous sensors to decision aids, can improve situational awareness, speed decision cycles, and support complex operations. But the increasing autonomy of these systems also raises ethical, legal, and strategic questions, especially about accountability, control, and escalation risk. The article proposes a model for integrating autonomous AI into strategy that balances capability gains with ethical oversight and operational restraint. It concludes that responsible adoption of autonomous AI will require clear policy frameworks, robust governance, and multinational …
Tiny Particles, Big Stakes: The Strategic Implications Of Micro‑ And Nanoplastics, James Giordano, Ashok Vaseashta
Tiny Particles, Big Stakes: The Strategic Implications Of Micro‑ And Nanoplastics, James Giordano, Ashok Vaseashta
Strategic Insights
This commentary explores how micro- and nanoplastics, tiny plastic fragments present throughout the environment, pose emerging strategic challenges beyond environmental and health concerns. While micro- and nanoplastics are now found in water, soil, plants, animals, and even human bodies, their long-term effects on ecosystems, food and water safety, and human health remain poorly understood. These particles can infiltrate critical systems, potentially affecting troop readiness, infrastructure resilience, and national food security. Nanoplastics may also serve as vectors for biological or chemical contaminants, complicating detection and mitigation. The article argues that micro- and nanoplastics should be treated as a strategic security issue, …
Taming The Hegemon: Chinese Thinking On Countering U.S. Military Intervention In Asia, Joel Wuthnow
Taming The Hegemon: Chinese Thinking On Countering U.S. Military Intervention In Asia, Joel Wuthnow
China Strategic Perspectives
This publication is by INSS Center for the Study of Chinese Military Affairs Senior Research Fellow Dr. Joel Wuthnow. The monograph uses internal PLA writings to examine recent Chinese thinking on countering U.S. intervention in Asia, and finds that PLA experts emphasize efforts to leverage nuclear, conventional, and informational (space, cyber, and cognitive warfare) tools to deter U.S. intervention, but also advocate preparing for asymmetric attacks against key targets in the U.S. military system in case the United States intervenes anyway.
Moving At Warp Speed Toward Developing The Cyborg Soldier, James Giordano, Diane Dieuliis
Moving At Warp Speed Toward Developing The Cyborg Soldier, James Giordano, Diane Dieuliis
Strategic Insights
This commentary examines how rapidly advancing technologies are reshaping the future of the military warfighter. The convergence of artificial intelligence, neurotechnology, biotechnology, and human-machine interfaces is moving defense innovation toward enhanced or “cyborg” soldiers capable of improved performance, endurance, and decision-making. While these developments promise operational advantages, they also raise serious ethical, legal, and strategic concerns. Questions about autonomy, vulnerability to cyber manipulation, long-term health effects, and international norms must be addressed before such capabilities become widely deployed. The article argues that technological momentum should not outpace governance and doctrine. To ensure responsible innovation, policymakers must develop clear oversight mechanisms …
Bold New Bioweapons: Part 2 — Bold Bolstering Of Deterrence And Defense, James Giordano
Bold New Bioweapons: Part 2 — Bold Bolstering Of Deterrence And Defense, James Giordano
Strategic Insights
This commentary, Pt. 2 of the Bold New Bioweapons series, argues that modern biological threats demand a proactive transformation of deterrence and defense strategies. Building on earlier analysis of detection and attribution challenges, Dr. Giordano asserts that emerging life sciences and related technologies, such as synthetic biology, gene editing, and AI-driven bioengineering blur distinctions between legitimate research and weaponizable capabilities. This undermines traditional deterrence frameworks. To address these complexities, the article proposes adaptive, interoperable, and ethical approaches that integrate advanced biosurveillance, precision bioinformatics, AI-enabled threat modeling, and global collaborative governance. It emphasizes the need for robust international norms and resilient …
Bold New Bioweapons: Part 1 — The Burdens Of Detection And Attribution, James Giordano
Bold New Bioweapons: Part 1 — The Burdens Of Detection And Attribution, James Giordano
Strategic Insights
This commentary, Pt. 1 of the Bold New Bioweapons series, examines how advances in gene editing, synthetic biology, and artificial intelligence are reshaping the biological weapons threat landscape and challenging the effectiveness of the Biological Weapons Convention (BWC). Dr. Giordano argues that decentralized research ecosystems, AI-enabled pathogen design, and dual-use biotechnology complicate detection, attribution, and deterrence. Emerging techniques can produce synthetic or modified biological agents that evade traditional surveillance systems and blur distinctions between legitimate research and weaponization. The absence of clear adjudication mechanisms within the BWC creates governance gaps exploitable by state and non-state actors. The article emphasizes that …
The Insurgent’S Dilemma: A Struggle To Prevail, David E. Spencer
The Insurgent’S Dilemma: A Struggle To Prevail, David E. Spencer
Joint Force Quarterly
David E. Spencer’s review of The Insurgent’s Dilemma highlights David Ucko’s nuanced analysis of the strategic challenges insurgent movements face in balancing military efficacy with political legitimacy. Drawing on his expertise in Latin American insurgency, particularly the FARC, Spencer uses Ucko’s framework to explain why some insurgent groups, like the FARC, failed to adapt to post-Cold War conditions, while others, like the Zapatistas, successfully evolved ideologically, locally, and institutionally. Ucko argues that modern insurgencies must navigate complex trade-offs between violence and popular support, especially as traditional strategies become obsolete. The book offers critical insights into how both insurgents and counterinsurgents …