War Studies Conference for Graduating Class of 2006 - November 2018 Event
The Class of 2006 War Studies Conference, held at the United States Military Academy at West Point in November 2018, brought together a diverse group of experts to discuss and debate the potential disruptors to the "American way of war" in next-generation warfare.
The conference featured keynote speakers such as the authors of The Revenge of Geography and Deep Thinking, as well as notable figures like Assistant Secretary of the Army Bruce Jette, Former Assistant Attorney General for National Security John Carlin, and Garry Kasparov.
A panel of esteemed professionals, including Mr. Michael Kofman, Mr. Isaac Stone Fish, Dr. Antulio Echevarria, Dr. David Johnson, and Ms. Andrea Goldstein, led a discussion titled "Beyond the Horizon Scenarios with our Near-Peer Adversaries." Another panel, titled "Fake News, Real War: How to Manage a Complex IO Landscape," included Mr. Clint Watts, Mr. Brent Colburn, Mr. Graham Brookie, and Mr. David Patrikarakos.
The conference also featured discussions on the rising importance of autonomous and AI-enabled weapon systems, with panels like "Rage against the Machine Learning: Debating AI in Modern War" and "Beyond 'Slaughterbots': Reimagining War with No Soldiers." These panels highlighted the potential for these technologies to reshape battlefield dynamics and necessitate adaptations in US operational concepts and command chains.
The increasing militarization of outer space by major powers was another key topic, with discussions on the strategic vulnerabilities introduced by this development and the risk of space debris cascades disrupting critical capabilities like communication, navigation, and surveillance.
The conference also addressed the rise of new defense technology companies, such as Anduril and Palantir, and their potential to accelerate innovation and alter US military capabilities and procurement.
Participants came from a variety of institutions, including the National Defense University, University of Pennsylvania, Ethics and Governance of AI Initiative, Office of the Secretary of the Army, RAND, London School of Economics, Center for a New American Security, Center for Naval Analyses, Northwestern University, Australian Defense College, New York Times, Close Combat Lethality Task Force, and Foreign Policy Research Institute.
The conference was sponsored by the Aspen Institute, Princeton University, our website, United States Military Academy, US Army War College, Asia Society, University of New South Wales, University of California San Diego, Bard College, and Tufts University.
While the direct proceedings of the conference are not detailed in the available search results, these themes represent the major disruptive factors challenging longstanding American military doctrines and the "American way of war" as it evolves into next-generation warfare. The conference provided a valuable platform for experts to discuss and debate these issues, with the aim of preparing the military and society for the challenges and opportunities that lie ahead.
[1] Space domain vulnerabilities and militarization [2] Emerging technologies in autonomous systems and AI [3] New defense technology entrants altering defense innovation and capabilities
- With the increasing militarization of outer space by major powers, it is crucial to address the strategic vulnerabilities and the risk of space debris cascades that could disrupt critical capabilities such as communication, navigation, and surveillance in next-generation warfare.
- The growing importance of autonomous and AI-enabled weapon systems could reshape battlefield dynamics and necessitate adaptations in US operational concepts and command chains for the "American way of war" to remain effective in next-generation warfare.
- The rise of new defense technology companies, like Anduril and Palantir, has the potential to accelerate innovation and alter US military capabilities and procurement, effectively changing the landscape of national security technology.
