Unrestricted Innovation: The Supply Chain Battlefield
Episode 139 examines how supply chains have become instruments of strategic competition and the implications for U.S. defense capabilities. Our guests discuss how China gained control over critical drone components originally invented in the United States and what this means for economic security and irregular warfare. Our guests begin
South America in Competition Conference: Bonus Episode 1
Episode 138 is a bonus episode built out of conversations held with panelists from the 2025 Irregular Warfare Initiative and Special Operations Association of America South America in Competition Conference. The South America in Competition Conference brought together over 250 researchers, practitioners, and members of industry for two days at
Small Drones, Big Limits: A Smarter Drone Strategy
Editor’s Note: this article is being republished with the permission of Small Wars Journal as part of a republishing arrangement between IWI and SWJ. The original article was published on 09.22.2025 and is available here. Introduction Recently, U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth signed a memorandum,
Policing the Pacific: How China Expands Influence Where the US Looks for Allies
Editor’s Note: This article was submitted as part of the Irregular Warfare Initiative’s 2025 Writing Contest, in which authors were invited to explore how the United States and its partners can use irregular warfare to strengthen security cooperation, build trust, and enhance resilience among Indo-Pacific nations. This
Air & Space Director Moderates Future of Air Power Panel at RAF Museum’s Annual Conference
On 5 September, Dr Rick Newton, Irregular Warfare Initiative’s Director of its Air & Space Focus Area, recently moderated the “Future of Air Power” panel at the Royal Air Force Museum’s annual conference. The purpose of this year’s symposium was to consider new perspectives in military aviation
Future of War Part II: On Their Own
Episode 137 of the Irregular Warfare Podcast continues our four-part series on the future of war, pairing renowned author and futurist August Cole with senior special operations leaders to explore how tomorrow’s conflicts may unfold. Our conversation centers on Cole’s short story On Their Own, which imagines
Interwar Adaptations: Leveraging Partner Experiences for Future Conflicts
The War in Ukraine has precipitated massive shifts in warfighting methodologies, highlighting the utility of the “irregular approach” in peer-level combat. While waging a counterattack throughout last month, Ukrainian forces relied on reconnaissance capabilities and small group infantry assaults to develop an asymmetric advantage. This most recent battlefield activity
Failure Bias in Air Advisory Missions
The Air Force recently announced plans to shutter its mobility support advisory squadrons and divest other international training capabilities, following Air Force Special Operations Command’s deactivation of its advisory squadrons in 2022. Officials say they are redirecting resources from “nonlethal programs” toward new weapons systems. Yet this decision reflects
Hezbollah’s Information Warfare in the Post-October 7 Era
Editorial Note: Interviews for this article were conducted between December 2023 and February 2025. The sources include active Hezbollah cyber operatives as well as independent hackers with access to Hezbollah networks. Most interviews were conducted in person in Lebanon or by a local journalist working for the author of this
Israel’s Irregular Warfare Paradox: Reconciling Precision Abroad and a “Killing Field” Next Door
On June 24, two equally striking news stories underscored the notably different approaches Israel has taken to its wars with Iran and Hamas. The first, a Washington Post front page story, detailed recorded conversations between Israeli intelligence operatives and senior military figures in Iran, wherein the Israelis warned the Iranians
Bridging the gap between irregular warfare scholars, practitioners, and policymakers.
