In-depth research & reports

Issue Brief

Apr 29, 2025

The United States needs a victory plan for the Indo-Pacific

By Brian Kerg

The United States remains focused on planning for a short, sharp war with China. But a potential conflict will almost certainly become a long war of attrition.

China Crisis Management

Issue Brief

Apr 24, 2025

Defending Taiwan means mobilizing society, not just the military

By Marvin J. Park

Taiwan is under unprecedented pressure from the People’s Republic of China (PRC), facing coordinated threats on multiple fronts.

China Defense Industry

Report

Apr 16, 2025

Navigating the US-PRC tech competition in the Global South

By Cole McFaul, Peter Engelke

A landscape report analyzing China’s strategic tech engagements with the Global South and how the US can compete.

Africa Artificial Intelligence

Report

Apr 11, 2025

The imperative of augmenting US theater nuclear forces

By Greg Weaver

The United States and its allies and partners face an impending change in the threats they face from nuclear-armed adversaries: a strategic environment marked by two nuclear peer major powers.

Defense Policy Europe & Eurasia

Issue Brief

Apr 10, 2025

Win fast or lose big against China

By Bradley T. Gericke

MG Bradley Gericke, US Army (ret.), argues that the US must prepare to win quickly in a conflict with China to deter war and avoid the high costs of protraction.

China Conflict

Issue Brief

Mar 31, 2025

Why NATO’s Defence Planning Process will transform the Alliance for decades to come

By Angus Lapsley and Pierre Vandier

NATO’s successes over the last seventy-six years are the result of constant adaptation, and the Alliance is now going through its most profound changes since the end of the Cold War.

Europe & Eurasia International Organizations

Report

Mar 27, 2025

Atlantic Council Commission on Software-Defined Warfare: Final report

By Whitney M. McNamara, Peter Modigliani, Tate Nurkin

The Atlantic Council Commission on Software-Defined Warfare presents a software-defined warfare approach, offering recommendations for the DoD to adopt modern software practices and seamlessly integrate them into existing platforms to enhance and strengthen defense strategies.

Artificial Intelligence Defense Policy

Issue Brief

Mar 21, 2025

Clarity is power: The Trump administration needs a new US Navy Navigation Plan

By Bruce Stubbs

The US Navy’s current Navigation Plan (NAVPLAN) is an insufficient document. Bruce Stubbs writes that the Navy must embrace the red and identify course corrections and promote greater clarity, specificity, and transparency in its guidance.

Defense Policy Indo-Pacific

Issue Brief

Mar 21, 2025

China’s exploitation of overseas ports and bases

By Thomas X. Hammes

The control and administration of overseas ports and bases by China poses a serious risk to the United States in the event of a potential conflict. The Chinese People’s Liberation Army could exploit these ports and bases to challenge control of the sea.

China Defense Policy

Issue Brief

Mar 4, 2025

Making AUKUS work: The case for an Indo-Pacific defense innovation consortium

By Elliot Silverberg, Jacob Sharpe, and Rob Murray

The AUKUS partnership, focused on defense innovation in the Indo-Pacific, faces challenges in technology-sharing due to regulations like ITAR and EAR. The proposed Indo-Pacific Strategic Partnership for Accelerated Research and Knowledge in Defense (SPARK) aims to overcome these barriers, fostering faster co-development and co-production of advanced defense technologies

Australia Defense Industry