With the Russian invasion of Ukraine, clearly a new phase in the defense of the liberal democracies has opened up. This challenges our societies to understand how to shape a way ahead with effective defense efforts.
This book focuses on key drivers for change in defense which are reshaping force capabilities and the strategic context within which those capabilities are being shaped. It is about technology, concepts of operations and strategic purposes for defense.
This compendium of articles published in 2021 and in the first quarter of 2022 provides an overview of several key trends and themes regarding the evolution of U.S. and allied defense.
We have focused on several key developments during the year in the defense domain which will have longer term impacts in the years ahead.
During 2021, we visited several U.S. Naval and Marine Corps bases, as well as France and Poland as well as “virtually” Denmark and the United Kingdom.
During those visits, we interviewed many senior commanders about how they are focused on shaping a more effective military to deal with the evolving challenges from the authoritarian powers.
And we conclude the book with a run-up to the Russian invasion of Ukraine and the challenges which led us there.
It is the companion book to 2020: A Pivotal Year? which we published last year which highlighted developments in 2020. The books together provide analysts and students with a prologue to the defense turn underway in the wake of the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
As former Secretary of the USAF, Michael Wynne commented: “The articles in the book, organized as they are by natural topics, will undoubtedly enhance the reader’s understanding as to just how weapons and information technology and the distribution and relationship knowledge have affected and impacted the age old concept that military action is simply an extension of diplomacy by other means.”