National Defense University Press - NDU Press

10/26/2022

Joint Force Quarterly Issue 107

The 107th edition of the Chairman’s journal brings the latest from the U.S. Transportation Command (USTRANSCOM) along with highlights from the 16th annual Secretary of Defense and 41st annual Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Essay Competitions. As you read through this edition, we encourage you to comment on war, peace, and the in-between, as that is where you will always find the joint force.

We invite you to comment on war, peace, and the in-between, as that is where you will always find the joint force.

10/05/2022

The 21st Century's Great Military Rivalry

Is the era of uncontested U.S. military superiority over? Allison and Glick-Unterman suggest the United States would likely lose a “limited war” over Taiwan or along China’s periphery—or have to choose between losing and stepping up the escalation ladder to a wider war.

The era of uncontested U.S. military superiority is likely over. While America’s position as a global military superpower remains unique—both China and Russia are now serious military rivals and even

10/03/2022

Rightsizing Chinese Military Lessons from Ukraine

Russia’s failures in the early phases of the 2022 Ukraine conflict, and Ukraine’s successes, have raised questions about the implications for China’s People’s Liberation Army.

09/30/2022

Sandworm: A New Era of Cyberwar and the Hunt for the Kremlin’s Most Dangerous Hackers

RECOMMENDED READING: Sandworm: A New Era of Cyberwar and the Hunt for the Kremlin’s Most Dangerous Hackers.

Sandworm reads like a fiction crime thriller but raises the alarm about a looming nonfiction threat: unrestricted cyber war. Andy Greenberg, the author and a senior writer for Wired, cautions readers that the next cyber doomsday is not a matter of if but when.

Sandworm reads like a fiction crime thriller but raises the alarm about a looming nonfiction threat: unrestricted cyber war. Andy Greenberg, the author and a senior writer for Wired, cautions readers

09/28/2022

Gray Dragons: Assessing China’s Senior Military Leadership

Jinping commands the PLA, but who advises him on military matters? What kinds of officers sit atop the pyramid? How do their careers unfold? What leadership challenges would they face in a war? Senior Research Fellow, Joel Wuthnow, discusses this and more in his new monograph.

This report analyzes more than 300 biographies of senior Chinese military officers from 2015 and 2021 to assess the composition, demographics, and career patterns of the People’s Liberation Army (PLA)

09/26/2022

Crafting Strategy for Irregular Warfare: A Framework for Analysis and Action (2nd Edition)

The 2nd edition of "Crafting Strategy for Irregular Warfare: A Framework for Analysis and Action" is now out. The monograph explains the pedagogical approach to irregular warfare used at The College of International Security Affairs.

The 2nd edition includes an appendix that offers a study guide for how to apply the framework being introduced. This synopsis should be particularly helpful for practitioners seeking to use this method in their own construction of analysis and response to IW problems.

The United States, and the West, struggle to understand and respond to irregular warfare, whether by states or nonstate actors. Attempts to master the art have generated much new jargon, ranging from

08/09/2022

Lawfare in Ukraine: Weaponizing International Investment Law and the Law of Armed Conflict

Ukraine's innovative use of international investment law is holding Russia financially liable for damages arising out of the 2014 invasion of occupation of Crimea. This use of “lawfare” strategy can be further leveraged considering Russia’s renewed military invasion of Ukraine in 2022.

This paper explores Ukraine’s innovative use of international investment law to hold Russia financially liable for damages arising out of its 2014 invasion and occupation of Crimea, and how this use

08/05/2022

Cyber in the Shadows: Why the Future of Cyber Operations Will Be Covert

Current cyber conflict looks very similar to traditional conflict models. The difference from traditional power dynamics offered by the cyber domain, however, is the asymmetrical advantage of technology for would-be actors. This new element of national power allows weaker actors to “punch above their weight” in competition or conflict with Great Powers in a unipolar or multipolar world.

Current cyber conflict looks very similar to traditional conflict models. The difference from traditional power dynamics offered by the cyber domain, however, is the asymmetrical advantage of

07/28/2022

Joint Force Quarterly Issue 106

As we drop the third quarter edition of JFQ, we hope you enjoy what our authors have to offer. Highlights of 106 include discussions on future cyber operations, learning within insurgent groups, and how law powerfully affects Great Power competition. We encourage you to join in the conversation by weighing in on the articles.

Jointness must be constantly taught and never taken for granted.

05/26/2022

Gangs No Longer: Reassessing Transnational Armed Groups in the Western Hemisphere

Doug Farah and Marianne Richardson compare key aspects of MS-13 and PCC composition and behavior: objectives,
constituencies and alliances, capabilities, markets, and impact. They then assesses the impact on regional stability and implications for U.S. policy.

Download PDFExecutive SummaryMS-13 (Mara Salvatrucha) in the Northern Triangle of Central America and the Primeiro Comando da Capital (PCC; First Command of the Capital), based in São Paulo, Brazil,

05/16/2022

Persistent Knowledge Gaps in the Chinese Defense Budget

The People’s Republic of China’s People’s Liberation Army (PLA) presents the most significant military challenge to the United States and its allies. It is imperative for us to understand PLA funding to enhance our understanding of the role of the military instrument in PRC foreign policy.

To a large extent, defense budget transparency is an area in which the United States leads the world; the United States and other nations should publicly engage and push the PRC to meet a similar

05/04/2022

Anonymous airman invents genius uniform hack

Do you have an innovative idea that could better the force? Submit your ideas to Joint Force Quarterly: https://ndupress.ndu.edu/Submit-a-Manuscript/. We're willing to bet this Airman is good for an article or two... https://www.militarytimes.com/off-duty/military-culture/2022/05/02/anonymous-airman-invents-genius-uniform-hack

Swap your shirt stays for a comfy onesie.

04/27/2022

The Quantum Internet: How DOD Can Prepare

How will the future viability of a quantum Internet shape the strategic environment for U.S. military forces?

The Army Cyber Institute at West Point West Point - The U.S. Military Academy

The future viability of a quantum Internet could shape the strategic environment for U.S. military forces. This environment comprises the critical operational areas in which DOD finds itself during

04/21/2022

Fog of Warfare: Broadening U.S. Military Use-of-Force Training for Security Cooperation

What happens when American forces are working off one legal framework while partner nations are governed by another? Does the U.S. need to broaden its doctrine and revise its policy on use of force during security cooperation activities? Dr. Patrick Paterson, Professor in the William J. Perry Center For Hemispheric Defense Studies, explores the nature of contemporary conflicts.

This article examines the nature of contemporary conflicts from two perspectives: the legal references that guide operations and the rules on the use of force. It describes the key differences between

04/15/2022

Joint Force Quarterly Issue 105

The newest edition of Joint Force Quarterly is now online. This issue features an interview with General Richard D. Clarke, USA, along with a Special Feature focusing on today's United States Special Operations Command (USSOCOM). Futurists will especially like this issue's Forum, with articles covering a wide range of ideas from the future of the Internet to dealing with China's navigation satellites.

This issue features an interview with Richard D. Clarke and the quantum internet.

03/18/2022

The Kill Chain

RECOMMENDED WEEKEND READ: The Kill Chain: Defending American in the Future of High-Tech Warfare.

According to LTC Daniel Sukman, an U.S. Army Strategist (FA59) serving on the faculty at the Joint Forces Staff College, The Kill Chain will certainly appeal to senior uniformed and civilian national security leaders. For the joint force, the book provides a way of thinking about future force development and design with an emphasis on new technologies that can fundamentally change the character of war.

In March, the U.S. Indo-Pacific Command commander warned in testimony to Congress that China could attempt to take control of Taiwan in the next decade. In The Kill Chain, by Christian Brose, the

03/10/2022

A member of the Ukrainian National Presidential Orchestra plays her cello during a concert in Kyiv, Ukraine. The U.S. Air Forces in Europe Band, along with partner nations Great Britain and Ukraine, performed the concert for the citizens of Kyiv in celebration of Ukraine's Independence, August 23, 2021 (U.S. Army/Christopher Brecht).


United States Air Force Bands

03/03/2022

Ukrainian special forces soldiers prepare for a mission with the 12th Combat Aviation Brigade and U.S. Army's 10th Special Forces Group during exercise Combined Resolve 16 in Hohenfels, Germany, December 8, 2021 (U.S. Army/Patrik Orcutt)

03/02/2022

Russian Challenges from Now into the Next Generation: A Geostrategic Primer

Written in March 2019, this "geostrategic primer" offers an enlightening history of U.S. and Western relations with Russia.

U.S. and Western relations with Russia remain challenged as Russia increasingly reasserts itself on the global stage. Russia remains driven by a worldview based on existential threats—real, perceived,

02/24/2022

Bob Ross, creator and host of The Joy of Painting, spent 20 years in the United States Air Force and retired as a master sergeant. In 1961, 18-year-old Ross enlisted in the USAF and served as a medical records technician and as first sergeant of the clinic at Eielson Air Force Base in Alaska. He became interested in painting after attending an art class at the Anchorage USO club and he used a wet-on-wet oil painting technique that allowed him to work quickly. Recalling his time in the Air Force, Ross told the Orlando Sentinel, “I was the guy who makes you scrub the latrine, the guy who makes you make your bed, the guy who screams at you for being late to work. The job requires you to be a mean, tough person. And I was fed up with it.” Ross decided he would not raise his voice once he left the military, and he went on to create countless “happy little trees” and “happy accidents” for TV viewers around the world.

02/22/2022

Competing Regionally: Developing Theater Strategy

To be effective in a differentiated world, strategists must answer three basic questions: What do we wish to achieve? How do we get there? And what resources are available? Though the first question is largely the domain of civilian policymakers, military officers are expected to advise and ultimately implement strategy.

The past two decades have been tough for strategists. Large-scale efforts in Central Asia and the Middle East did not bring the successes policymakers demanded, despite considerable blood and treasure

02/22/2022

Can we please stop talking about domains?

Are we overcomplicating war?

At some point we began labeling specific maneuver spaces as domains, and in so doing we made multidomain operations unachievable. Instead of joint all-domain concepts, we need joint all-capability effects.

02/18/2022

Lt. Col. Justin Elliott, States Air Force Air Demonstration Squadron “Thunderbirds” commander, leads a formation of five F-16 Fighting Falcons during a maneuver over Fort Huachuca, Ariz., Jan. 28, 2022. (U.S. Air Force photo by Air Force Staff Sgt. Andrew Sarver)

02/18/2022

The Quixotic Quest to Tackle Global Cybercrime

As the United Nations begins a process to develop a global treaty on cybercrime, countries are having a tough time agreeing on what "cybercrime" is. With no shared definition and vastly different perspectives on what it should encompass, governments may find it hard to bridge competing interests.

Some countries want a global cybercrime treaty—they just can’t agree what “cybercrime” is.

02/16/2022

Information Warfare

RECOMMENDED READING: James Farwell’s Information Warfare.
BLUF: Information Warfare is worth the read. Planners and staff across the joint force, not only those responsible for communication or information, will find useful insights that will immediately benefit the strategies and plans they develop.

What is communication strategy? What steps should defense leaders and planners take to build such a strategy? Curiously, in James Farwell’s Information Warfare, he answers the second question without

02/14/2022

Registration Now Open for the 2022 Program for Emerging Leaders (PEL)

Applications for the 2022 Class of the Program for Emerging Leaders (PEL) will be accepted through midnight on 1 March 2022. PEL aims to foster a community of rising U.S. government leaders with the knowledge and skillset to respond to the dangers of WMD.

Applications for the 2022 Class of the Program for Emerging Leaders (PEL) will be accepted through midnight on 1 March 2022. PEL aims to foster a community of rising U.S. government leaders with the

02/12/2022

Misleading a Pandemic: The Viral Effects of Chinese Propaganda and the Coronavirus

Social media propaganda toward Western countries has become increasingly complex, systematic, and effective. The joint force should work to better understand the changing character of war and the deliberate weaponization of social media among Great Power competitors.

The COVID-19 pandemic has had a significant impact on the world, including strained diplomatic ties and blurred perceptions of who or what is responsible for its origins. In response to allegations,

02/11/2022

Soldier-Scholar (Pick One): Anti-Intellectualism in the American Military - War on the Rocks

There is a long way to go before the soldier-scholar is “equally esteemed” as the muddy boots soldier.

Crossing the Great Plains on an expedition to Utah in the 1850s, Maj. Charles A. May searched the wagons in an effort to reduce unnecessary baggage. When

02/10/2022

Tracking News Manipulation by Malicious State Actors

New RAND Corporation study suggests a low level of investment could build a robust system for news manipulation detection at the state-actor level.

During the pandemic, both Russia and China used authoritarian power over the media to manipulate the news. What can be done to better detect such propaganda campaigns—and guard against them in the future?

02/09/2022

A Breakthrough for U.S. Troops: Combat-Ready Pizza (Published 2018)

It's National Pizza Day! In 2018, the Army added the holy grail of field rations: M.R.E. pizza. This Sicilian-style slice is scattered with melt-proof shreds of mozzarella and pebbles of mild pepperoni, sealed in a dun-colored laminate pouch.

The latest entree to join the Army’s roster of M.R.E. field rations is a Sicilian-style slice that stays fresh for years and took decades to develop.

02/08/2022

Students of the Marine Corps Martial Arts Center of Excellence participate in the course-culminating event at The Basic School, Marine Corps Base Quantico, March 27, 2019.

(Photo by Staff Sgt. Melissa Marnell)

02/07/2022

Here are the troops competing in the Beijing Winter Olympics

Nine service members set to compete in the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics, with one Vermont National Guardsman standing by as an alternate.

One Airman and eight soldiers will be representing Team USA in the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics this month.

02/05/2022

Dr. Frank Hoffman – Defeat Mechanisms in Modern Warfare — SSI

In this podcast, Dr. Frank Hoffman, Distinguished Research Fellow at the Institute for National Strategic Studies (INSS), discusses several conceptual efforts to better posture US military for success and future wars. Specifically, exploring the debate between service and joint operating concepts and the opportunities and vulnerabilities of cyber-enabled systems to produce decisive effects at the operational level of war.

This article explores the current debate about service and Joint operating concepts, starting with the Army’s multi-domain operations concept. It argues for adaptations to an old operational design technique—defeat mechanisms; updates to Joint and service planning doctrine; and discipline regard...

02/05/2022

Analyzing the Potential Disruptive Effects of Hypersonic Missiles on Strategy and Joint Wa

There are conflicting assertions about the implications of the U.S., Russia, and China developing and deploying high-speed maneuvering weapons delivery systems—more commonly referred to as hypersonic missiles to conduct warfare. To better understand military operations featuring hypersonic missiles, the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) should initiate a campaign of experimentation, “a process of discovery about new military operational concepts and capabilities.”

There are conflicting assertions about the implications of the United States, Russia, and China developing and deploying high-speed maneuvering weapons delivery systems—more commonly referred to as

02/03/2022

Great Power Competition and Beijing’s Olympic Moment - Foreign Policy Research Institute

While there are unmistakable structural similarities in the geopolitical environment, the Beijing Winter Olympics that begins tomorrow will not become Berlin 1936. Tom Lynch, Distinguished Research Fellow at Institute for National Strategic Studies (INSS), provides an analysis of the critical differences between Berlin 1936 and Beijing 2022 in his latest publication, "Great Power Competition and Beijing’s Olympic Moment," published by the Foreign Policy Research Institute.

The assessments and conclusions in this analysis are those of the author alone and do not necessarily represent those of National Defense University, the

02/03/2022

Educating Senior Service College Students on Emerging and Disruptive Technologies

In a constrained 10-month master’s program that must meet the tasks stipulated in the accreditation requirements, an outcomes-based military education has no room for extraneous material. The unfortunate reality is that adding important topics or material to the Senior Service college curriculum requires removing equally important material—and often upsets the delicate balance that has built over time.

In a constrained 10-month master’s degree program that must meet and excel at the tasks stipulated in the joint professional military education (JPME) program for the Process of Accreditation of Joint

02/02/2022

“We Choose to Go to the Moon”: An Analysis of a Cold War Means-Developing Strategy

Strategists often ask “With the means available right now, what end can we achieve?” However, in strategy design it can be more appropriate to ask, “What is the desired end, and what means are available to achieve it?” The answer to this question may be, “If this is the desired end, first this new capability has to be created.” This case study examines how Kennedy determined he could achieve his ends (beat the Soviets in the world competition) in a particular way (shape the world conversation) using means yet to be created (the moon landing).

Strategists often ask “With the means available right now, what end can we achieve?” However, in strategy design it can be more appropriate to ask, “What is the desired end, and what means are

02/01/2022

Defending Taiwan in an Expanded Competitive Space

China’s military structure is built on the notion that the PLA must be prepared to fight in many theaters at once. By necessity, it contains a centralized command and control and logistics system designed to manage and reallocate forces in a war. Targeting those critical links would complicate Chinese decisionmaking, reduce the PLA’s capacity to mass forces, and support U.S. and Taiwan operations in the main theater.

Taiwan’s defense has always been precarious, and the dangers are only likely to grow as China’s power increases. Looking at Taiwan’s defense through a competitive strategy lens suggests different

01/31/2022

Above or Beyond: Overflight Considerations for U.S. Military Aircraft

One of the most valuable attributes of airpower in warfare is the ability to fly to anywhere from anywhere, avoiding terrain and hostile forces alike. But a complicated patchwork of bilateral arrangements, open-skies regimes, and international legal frameworks divides the sky.

One of the most valuable attributes of airpower in warfare is the ability to fly to anywhere from anywhere, avoiding terrain and hostile forces alike. But despite this seeming omnipresence,