Event for War Studies graduates of 2006, held in November 2018
Class of 2006 War Studies Conference Explores Future of Military Conflict
In November 2018, the Class of 2006 War Studies Conference was held at the United States Military Academy at West Point. The conference, sponsored by a variety of esteemed institutions including the Aspen Institute, Princeton University, and the US Army War College, brought together representatives from the private sector, government, academia, the think-tank community, and the joint military services.
The conference covered a wide range of topics, with a particular focus on the ethics and governance of AI, next-generation warfare, and potential disruptors to the "American way of war." Keynote addresses included "Emerging Technologies and Megatrends Affecting Military Effectiveness" and "Can 'Deep Thinking' Defeat Tomorrow's Adversaries?" Panel discussions delved into topics such as "Of Bits, Bots, or Battalions? What 'Next-Generation Warfare' Looks Like" and "Beyond the Horizon Scenarios with our Near-Peer Adversaries."
The conference explored the issue of next-generation warfare and potential disruptors to the traditional military approach. While specific details from the 2018 conference are not widely available, discussions around that time and in subsequent analyses often highlighted several potential disruptions. These include rapid technological advancements such as cyber warfare, unmanned systems (drones), and artificial intelligence, which complicate traditional force structures and decision-making processes.
Anti-access/area denial (A2/AD) strategies employed by near-peer competitors, such as Russia and China, challenge the U.S. military's ability to project power freely. Irregular warfare and hybrid threats, including insurgencies, terrorism, and information warfare, undermine the emphasis on conventional force. There is also a shift towards multi-domain operations, requiring integration across land, sea, air, space, and cyber domains, disrupting traditional service-centric approaches. Lastly, geopolitical and strategic competition challenges U.S. global dominance and assumptions about uncontested military superiority.
Notable speakers at the conference included Assistant Secretary of the Army Bruce Jette, former Assistant Attorney General for National Security John Carlin, and Garry Kasparov. Conference videos, the conference program, and post-conference report are available online, along with detailed descriptions of each of the conference's panel discussions. These resources offer valuable insights into the discussions and debates that shaped the Class of 2006 War Studies Conference.
- National security and defense tactics in the face of rapid technological advancements, such as cyber warfare, unmanned systems, and artificial intelligence, are increasingly complex due to their ability to disrupt traditional force structures and decision-making processes.
- The U.S. military's ability to project power freely is challenged by anti-access/area denial (A2/AD) strategies employed by near-peer competitors like Russia and China.
- The shift towards multi-domain operations, requiring integration across land, sea, air, space, and cyber domains, disrupts traditional service-centric approaches in warfare, making it essential for national security.
