In discussions on missile defense, the matter of countermeasures—decoy warheads and other deceptive missile payloads—is often invoked but insufficiently explored. For decades, popular commentators assumed that adversaries could readily develop countermeasures capable of defeating U.S. missile defense systems. With Russia and China having deployed missile defense countermeasures in their nuclear arsenals, it was assumed that...
The United States faces one of the most dangerous international security environments in recent history. While some aspects of warfare remain perennial, the conflicts in Ukraine and the Middle East are showing how others are rapidly evolving on the modern battlefield.
Affordable mass has become the watchword of defense modernization, be it swarms of drones or satellite constellations. What could such an approach mean for air and missile defense? Networks of passive, proliferated sensors could make one meaningful contribution.
Open-source model regulation is the hottest debate in AI policy. Despite appeals made to national security, proposed constraints on open-source AI distribution might put defense supply chains at risk. This brief assesses those implications for the Joint Force.
As the Department of Defense begins to deploy a space-based sensor constellation, Getting on Track unpacks the design tradeoffs involved and key pitfalls to avoid. Using advanced simulation tools, the authors underscore the necessity of diversifying satellite orbits, designing constellations for early, persistent coverage, and retaining requirements for fire-control-capable sensors.
Small drones present a serious threat on the modern battlefield. This report examines the threat, the various kinetic and non-kinetic defenses available to defeat them, and how the U.S. Department of Defense has approached this air defense mission across the joint force.
Russia’s haphazard missile campaign reflects both internal strategic failures and Ukraine’s critical thinking prior to the invasion.
This report explores the strategic significance of air and missile defense for the homeland and develops and costs a defense architecture.
This report provides a fresh assessment of key issues related to boost-phase defense, including the ways missile threats are evolving and broader technological trends.
Today's U.S. missile defense architecture is designed for legacy ballistic missiles, but may be adapted to counter hypersonic threats.
