CNA Talks: A National Security Podcast

We cover CNA's Force Design Lab, which helps shape the Navy's future by assessing the platforms, capabilities, and concepts that enable it to perform desired missions.  Guest Biographies Gordon Jaquith is the Executive Director of CNA's Department of Navy Relations and the Vice President and Director of CNA's Systems, Tactics and Force Development Division. Before joining CNA, Gordon served as dir...

One of the most prominent challenges organizations face when planning for the future is grappling with how unknown external factors will impact their organization. STEEP analysis allows planners to examine future Social, technical, economic, ecological, and political factors and plan for the opportunities and threats these factors will create.  In this episode, CNA's Melissa Gutierrez and Heleana...

Today is the 60th anniversary of the Gulf of Tonkin incident, which led to the United States' entry into the Vietnam War. In recognition of this event, we are bringing you a special episode of CNA Talks, featuring a group of historians with uniquely valuable perspectives on the incident. This discussion was originally held on August 5, 2023.   

In September 2021, Australia, the United Kingdom, and the United States announced a trilateral security agreement known as AUKUS. The partnership would allow Australia to acquire nuclear-powered submarines from the US, and it would be an agreement that the partners would collaborate on advanced technology like artificial intelligence and autonomy.  In this episode, Ralph Espach and Stephanie Stapl...

Climate change is a complex and multifaceted problem that no actor can address alone. How can governments understand the impact of various actors in their jurisdiction and ensure that solutions are rolled out effectively and sustainably? Dawn Thomas joins the show to discuss her work using ecosystem models to examine New Orleans' efforts to tackle climate change. Guest Biography Dawn Thomas is a c...

The United States Navy is the most powerful naval force on earth, able to project power in every corner of the globe, but this mighty forces has humble beginings.  Just in time for Independence Day, Steve Wills, joins the show to discuss the Continetial Navy's role in the American Revolution and how its legacy is reflected in the modern day US Navy.  Biographies Steven Wills is an expert in U.S. N...

The Russian Federation is an example of a large authoritarian state whose military is subordinate to its civil government. But since the onset of the War in Ukraine, tensions have been growing between civilian and military leaders. In this episode, Julian Waller joins John to discuss the current state of civil-military relations in Russia's government and how the Wagner Group rebellion fits into t...

Law Enforcement officers regularly confront traumatic circumstances that can adversely affect their mental and emotional health. In some cases, this can increase their risk of death by suicide.  In late 2023, the CNA partnered with First H.E.L.P. to undertake the first comprehensive analysis of its extensive dataset on law enforcement officer deaths by suicide. In this episode, CNA's Jessica Docks...

Over the past 20 years, the People's Republic of China has invested billions of dollars in African nations. But what impact have these investments had on the continent, and how have things changed in the wake of the dual global shocks of the COVID-19 pandemic and Russia's invasion of Ukraine? Tim Ditter joins the show to answer these questions and discuss his research into China's presence in Afri...

Climate change increases the frequency, severity, and cost of extreme weather events. However, these events are not felt by everyone equally. Existing inequalities in our society exasperate the risks for vulnerable populations. In this episode, Leola Abrahams and Mark Roberts discuss how extreme weather events impact older adults and Native Americans and how protecting our most vulnerable populati...

The Russia‑Ukraine war marks the first large‑scale deployment and use of conventional ballistic and cruise missile technology. Because of this, the theater has become a test bed for missile technology and strategy and has revealed the strengths and weaknesses of contemporary missile forces and doctrines.    In this episode, Fabien Hoffman and Gabriela Rosa Hernandez join the show to discuss how bo...

Military operations in the physical domains all depend on the cyber domain. To ensure the success of traditional naval capabilities, the Navy and Marine Corps must project power in and through cyberspace while defending their systems and assets from adversary cyber capabilities. The side that most effectively sequences and synchronizes cyber effects will have a decisive advantage.      Department...

In an age when the risks of cyberattacks are increasingly clear, the Zero Trust security model, built on the principle of "never trust, always verify," is the new standard for cyber security. Like many organizations, CNA is working to implement the model throughout our organization.  Rizwan Jan, CNA's Chief Information Officer, and cybersecurity expert Adam Monsalve join the show to discuss CNA's...

The DOD Civilian Harm Mitigation and Response Action Plan (CHMR-AP) represents a significant step forward for global efforts to reduce civilian harm. The plan recognizes that reducing civilian harm is not just a moral imperative but a strategic priority. It lays out concrete steps that the Department of Defense can take to mitigate civilian harm caused by its operations.   Larry Lewis, Marla Keena...

Climate Change is increasing both the frequency and severity of extreme weather events. Because of this, it is more important than ever that emergency management officials utilize every tool available to them to communicate effectively and clearly with the public.   Jamie Biglow and Heather Marshall from CNA's Center for Emergency Management Operations join John Stimpson. They discuss how state an...

As cities across the country become more networked and connected with smart sensors, more data is available to first responders than ever before. But how can this data be interpreted efficiently in emergencies where every second counts? In this episode, John Crissman and Shaelynn Hales from CNA and Godfrey Nolan, founder and CEO of RIIS LLC, join the show. We discuss their award-winning First Resp...

The role of AI and autonomous systems in the war in Ukraine has attracted much attention in the media and from analysts tracking the use of new technologies in warfare. But what impact has it had on the battlefield? In this episode, Margarita Konaev and Samuel Bendett join the show to discuss how these technologies impact the situation on the ground, the private sector's role in the conflict, and...

In recent years, there has been a rise in suicide attempts among army personnel and while there have been a lot of attempts to tackle this problem, it is not clear if what has been done to date is working.  In this episode, Heather Wolters and Lauren Malone join John to discuss a new holistic approach to address the problem at a systemic level.  Guest Biographies Dr. Heather Wolters is a Principal...

In the early days of the Ukraine war, the Russian army experienced a massive breakdown of its logistics operations. Frontline troops were going without basic supplies like food and fuel. What caused this breakdown, and has Russia been able to stabilize supply lines as the war progressed? Paul Schwartz joins the show to discuss his report on Russian Military Logistics in the Ukraine War. Biographie...

The Chief of Staff to the Secretary of the Navy asked CNA for recommendations on how the Navy can better position itself for such competition, that is, below the threshold of armed conflict. In this episode, three experts from across CNA join the show to discuss their specific recommendations and what the future fleet needs to look like to implement them.  Guest Biographies David M. Finkelstein is...

Over the past decade, police departments across the United States have adopted body-worn cameras, and evidence suggests that they can help reduce complaints and use of force incidents.   This raises the question of whether they could serve a similar purpose in jails and prisons. In this episode, John Stimpson sits down with Brittany Cunningham and Bryce Peterson to discuss their research into the...

The People's Republic of China is the most significant contributor to the global problem of illegal, unreported, and unregulated fishing. Its distant water fishing fleet is the largest in the world and operates everywhere, from the Pacific Island Countries to the Atlantic Coast of Africa. In this episode, Heidi Holz and Cornell Overfield join John Stimpson to discuss how US Special Operations Forc...

What do search engine optimization, airline schedules and standardized testing have in common? They are all vulnerable to Goodhart's law, the idea that when a metric becomes a target, it ceases to be a good metric.   In this episode, Michael Stumborg and Timothy Blasius join John to discuss their report, "Goodhart's Law: Recognizing and Mitigating the Manipulation of Measures in Analysis."   Micha...

On September 13, North Korean Leader Kim Jong met with Russian President Vladmir Putin at the Vostochny Cosmodrome, Russia's most advanced space launch site. The meeting sparked concern in the West that Kim could supply Russia with weapons and munitions for its war in Ukraine and speculation about what North Korea would receive in return. In this episode, Ken Gause and Paul Schwartz discuss the si...

Last month, the Navy and the Marine Corps held Large Scale Exercise 2023. The exercise integrates six Navy and Marine Corps component commands and seven numbered fleets across the globe. More than 10,000 Sailors and Marines across 22 time zones participated in the exercise. 48 CNA analysts supported this exercise, including 14 aboard ships in all 7 Numbered Fleets. In this episode, Josh Tallis and...