Modern War Institute

This episode of the MWI Podcast features a conversation with Matt Larsen, known in many corners of the Army as the father of the modern combatives. He explains why he thinks combatives training is so important, but he also talks a lot about the notion of a warrior ethos—what it is and why, as he argues, it’s something that needs to exist throughout the entire Army, not just in infantry or other co...

In this episode of the  MWI Podcast we talk to historian and bestselling author Max Boot. He gives his assessment of the current situation in Syria and Ukraine, warns of the dangers of repeating mistakes the US military made after the Vietnam War, and describes what he sees as fundamental threats to the US-led international order.

In the era of big data, the minds of human analysts are no match for the processing power of computers fed with terabytes of data and armed with powerful algorithms. But MWI Non-Resident Fellow Dr. Nicholas Krohley argues in this episode that, far from obviating the need for those human analysts, the incorporation of more and more data into military and intelligence analysis makes human judgment m...

In this episode of the Modern War Institute podcast, MWI editorial director John Amble speaks to Dr. James Giordano, the Chief of the Neuroethics Studies Program at Georgetown University and Scholar-in-Residence in the Pellegrino Center for Clinical Bioethics. Dr. Giordano discusses the rapid pace of advancement in neuroscience and neurotechnology—and what that advancement means for the future of...

In this episode of the Modern War Institute podcast, MWI editorial director John Amble speaks to Dr. Russell Glenn, a senior adviser for plans and policy to the deputy chief of staff, G-2, of the Army's Training and Doctrine Command. Dr. Glenn has spent nearly 25 years studying the city as a battlefield. During this conversation, he discusses the challenges it poses and what the US military should...

In this episode of the  MWI Podcast , Jake Miraldi speaks to Cornell University associate professor and MWI adjunct scholar Dr. Sarah Kreps about her research on how countries go to war, especially democracies where the expenditure of blood and treasure impacts public support for military operations.

In this episode, MWI's Maj. Jake Miraldi speaks with Ambassador Doug Lute. A retired US Army lieutenant general, Lute held key posts in both the George W. Bush and Barack Obama administrations, including helping to oversee wartime strategy in Iraq and Afghanistan. Later, as US ambassador to NATO, he witnessed another set global security challenges. He shares insights on a range of such challenges...

This episode features a conversation with Dr. Amy Kruse, chief scientific officer at the Platypus Institute. She discusses "Human 2.0," a concept she describes a vision of where humans are headed in terms of cognitive performance. She also describes how this concept overlays on what we know about the cognitive demands of war.

Paul Scharre is the author of  Army of None: Autonomous Weapons and the Future of War . In this episode, he talks about the state of development of artificial intelligence and autonomy, and how it and future advancements will change the way in which we fight wars.

This episode features a conversation with Under Secretary of the Army Ryan McCarthy. He discusses everything from modernization and what that means for soldiers in the operational Army to the recently announced Army Futures Command and what role it will have in preparing the Army for a changing operational environment characterized by a diverse set of threats.

In this episode, we talk to Joseph Young and Jason Fritz of American University's School of Public Affairs about a phenomenon they've been studying: private Americans who traveled to the Middle East to fight ISIS. They interviewed many of these individuals, and they share what they learned about them and why they chose to go and fight in Iraq and Syria.

In this episode, we speak to Elsa Kania, whose research is at the forefront of efforts to better understand the way China approaches innovation and military technology. From artificial intelligence to automation to railgun technology, we discuss Chinese technological priorities and how they overlay on its strategic objectives.

Secretary of the Army Mark Esper has an important set of priorities for the Army. In this episode of the MWI Podcast, he discusses those priorities, and explains how his experience as an Army officer on active duty and in the reserve components informs the perspective he brings to his job as the senior civilian overseeing the US military's largest branch.

In this episode, retired US Army Col. Steve Banach talks about "virtual war," which he argues is transforming the way conflict plays out. He discusses the hallmarks of the concept, and explains why it requires us to fundamentally rethink the mental models we use to understand war.

Last summer, Iraq's prime minister declared victory in the long battle to retake Mosul from ISIS. The Iraqi security forces who fought there did so with the help of a US brigade commanded by Col. Pat Work. In this episode, he talks about the battle, what he learned from it, and how it should inform the way we fight in the future.

In this episode, John Amble is joined by retired Maj. Gen. David Fastabend and Mr. Ian Sullivan. Both have been heavily involved with initiatives to conceptualize the future of warfare for the Army's Training and Doctrine Command, where Sullivan is the assistant G-2 for ISR and futures. They talk through a range of emerging and future technologies and how they will impact the way we fight the wars...

In this episode of the MWI Podcast, we talk to Sean Naylor, an award-winning journalist and best-selling author of  Not a Good Day to Die and  Relentless Strike . The conversation covers everything from the reporter's role in war zones to the sometimes tricky aspects of writing about security, intelligence, and secretive military organizations.

In this episode, MWI's Capt. Jake Miraldi talks to best selling author and award winning filmmaker Sebastian Junger about his newest film, "Hell on Earth: The Fall of Syria and the Rise of ISIS."

In this episode, MWI's Capt. Jake Miraldi speaks to Dr. Graham Allison, author of the book "Destined for War: Can America and China Escape Thucydides's Trap?" In this fascinating conversation, Dr. Allison examines the critical factors that will determine whether war with a rising China will ultimately break out.

In this episode, Gen. David Perkins, commander of US Army Training and Doctrine Command, joins to talk about Multi-Domain Battle, the new concept by which the military will fight its future wars, deploying power dynamically across multiple domains: air, land, and sea, but also space, and cyberspace.

Gen. David Petraeus had a remarkable military career—including commanding the 101st Airborne Division at the beginning of the Iraq War and later commanding all forces in both Iraq and Afghanistan. He also served as commander of CENTCOM and, after retiring from the Army, as director of the CIA. In this conversation, he assesses the global operating environment and the trends that will define the fu...

The F-35 is the new fifth-generation fighter jet the US military expects will overcome the many challenges of the battlespace of today and tomorrow. In this episode, two former Air Force pilots, including one who was responsible for designing the F-35's cockpit, explain why this is the best fighter to meet the needs of the next war.

What should we make of the considerable uptick in North Korean nuclear and ballistic missile tests? What are the best tools to bring to bear against the North Korea problem? In this episode, Georgetown University's Victor Cha answers these and other questions in a fascinating conversation.

In the era of big data, the minds of human analysts are no match for the processing power of computers fed with terabytes of data and armed with powerful algorithms. But MWI Non-Resident Fellow Dr. Nicholas Krohley argues in this episode that, far from obviating the need for those human analysts, the incorporation of more and more data into military and intelligence analysis makes human judgment m...

How and why did the US Navy shift from battleships to aircraft carriers? What drove the US Army's adoption of helicopter aviation? In this episode, Harvard University's Professor Stephen Rosen tackles these and a range of other fascinating questions about innovation in the military.