Christian Brose Livres

For generations of Americans, our country has been the world's dominant military power. How the US military fights, and the systems and weapons that it fights with, have been uncontested. That old reality, however, is rapidly deteriorating. America's traditional sources of power are eroding amid the emergence of new technologies and the growing military threat posed by rivals such as China. America is at grave risk of losing a future war. As Christian Brose reveals in this urgent wake-up call, the future will be defined by artificial intelligence, autonomous systems, and other emerging technologies that are revolutionizing global industries and are now poised to overturn the model of American defense. This fascinating, if disturbing, book confronts the existential risks on the horizon, charting a way for America's military to adapt and succeed with new thinking as well as new technology. America must build a battle network of systems that enables people to rapidly understand threats, make decisions, and take military actions, the process known as "the kill chain." Examining threats from China, Russia, and elsewhere, The Kill Chain offers hope and, ultimately, insights on how America can apply advanced technologies to prevent war, deter aggression, and maintain peace.

When considering the future of warfare, the prevailing mindset in the military and Washington is often misguided. The focus tends to be on acquiring individual military systems like fighter jets or aircraft carriers, and on modernizing these systems with better versions. However, the key factor is not the individual systems themselves but rather "the battle network"—the integrated collection of sensors and shooters that allows a military to detect, target, and engage enemy systems. This process, known as "the kill chain," emphasizes the importance of swiftly moving from detection to action. The future of warfare lies not in enhancing existing systems but in developing faster, more efficient kill chains. Christian Brose, with his experience as the former Staff Director for the Senate Armed Services Committee and a senior policy advisor to Senator John McCain, highlights a critical strategic challenge facing America: we are losing ground. Our military's technological superiority has historically worked against lesser adversaries, but now we confront capable competitors leveraging advanced technologies that threaten our military advantage. To maintain our ability to deter aggression and ensure peace, adaptation is essential. Brose argues that the greatest barrier to this necessary change is the overwhelming inertia of the current status quo.