
The Trident Episode 2: The Edge of Tomorrow: Analyzing Emerging IW Trends
Feb 15, 2024
Lieutenant General David W. Barno, a retired three-star Army general and professor, joins Dr. Nora Bensahel, a defense policy expert, to dissect the evolving nature of warfare in Ukraine and Gaza. They explore the impacts of drones on traditional military strategies and highlight how urban combat presents unique challenges, including complex civilian dynamics. The guests also emphasize the importance of adapting military tactics in response to emerging threats and the significant role of commercial technology in shaping modern conflicts.
AI Snips
Chapters
Books
Transcript
Episode notes
Two Wars, Two Ends Of The Spectrum
- Ukraine and Gaza illustrate very different ends of the conflict spectrum, from conventional massed forces to dense urban irregular warfare.
- Real wars force attention away from hypothetical great-power scenarios toward diverse, unanticipated conflicts.
Drones And Commercial Sat Com Redraw The Sky
- Drones have become ubiquitous, cheap, and decisive across roles from strike to ISR in both conflicts.
- Cheap commercial satellites plus drones shift advantage toward finders rather than hiders on the battlefield.
Rebuild Air Littoral Control
- Reassess air forces and platforms optimized for high-end fighters against massed low-cost drones in the air littoral.
- Invest in capabilities and tactics that can control the low-altitude envelope more affordably and at scale.



