Defense Innovation
For a country that has built its foreign policy on the notion of encirclement, Russia is surprisingly bad at defending itself.
Defense innovation has become decisive. The war in Ukraine has shown how military drones, software, and rapid adaptation can offset mass, and democracies are racing to modernize their forces and industrial bases for an era of high-technology conflict. This hub follows the cutting edge of defense: military drones and unmanned systems, the integration of military AI into operations, the health of the defense industrial base, and the defense technology reforms needed to field new capabilities at speed. Military AI is moving from the lab to the battlefield, and a resilient defense industrial base is what turns defense technology into fielded power. Fellows and analysts, including specialists in the defense-technology field, assess battlefield autonomy and how the United States and Europe can innovate faster than their adversaries. Explore analysis and commentary on defense innovation, military drones, and the future of allied capabilities.
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June 3, 2026
Russia’s Threadbare Air Defenses
For a country that has built its foreign policy on the notion of encirclement, Russia is surprisingly bad at defending itself.
June 2, 2026
Ukraine: Lessons in Mix-and-Match Defense
Europe’s attempts to build unified defenses have stuttered because different countries use different systems. Ukraine may have the answer.
June 1, 2026
One Year On: Ukraine’s Airfield Blitz Still Echoes
Ukraine’s use of drones against Russia’s strategic aircraft has left an indelible mark on the war and the world. It’s a warning to the West.
May 28, 2026
Reality Check: Breaking Free From China’s Drone Ecosystem is Harder Than You Think
China controls the global supply of drones. It will be challenging to cut this dependency.
May 27, 2026
Russia’s Land Bridge Becomes a Highway to Hell
The Kremlin’s supply lines in occupied Ukraine are being hammered, the result of Kyiv’s current superiority in drone technology.
May 22, 2026
European Cruise Missiles? On the Way
After years of neglect and small-scale production, Europe-based producers are finally accelerating new products to rearm and reduce dependency on the US.
May 21, 2026
The Tank Is Dead? Oh No, it Isn’t
Tanks are being dismissed by some as the relics of an earlier age. But they’re still needed, and Europe lacks the numbers.
May 20, 2026
A Defense Production Plan for Europe
More than a trillion dollars has been committed to allied defense spending by 2035. That must be used to boost industrial capacity, with transatlantic cooperation at its heart.
May 13, 2026
Solving the Drone Dilemma
Drones are powerful — and can cause chaos. Remedies are urgent to deploy them safely.