War on the Rocks A Conversation with Former Chairman, Gen. CQ Brown, Jr.
Nov 6, 2025
Gen. CQ Brown, Jr., a retired four-star general and former Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, shares insights on revitalizing America’s defense industrial enterprise. He discusses the urgency for action amid existing frameworks, the impact of munitions shortages highlighted during the ISIS campaign, and why the Ukraine war fell short in driving necessary reforms. Brown advocates for flexible funding, the importance of nontraditional firms in innovation, and reflects on his abrupt dismissal, underscoring his ongoing commitment to national defense.
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Playbook Exists, Action Lags
- We already have the playbook for fixing the defense industrial enterprise; the problem is lack of committed action and urgency.
- Gen. C.Q. Brown argues picking priorities and executing them is essential to deliver future warfighter capabilities.
Ammunition Shortages During Counter‑ISIS
- On the counter-ISIS campaign Brown saw munitions stocks running low and coalition partners lacking firepower.
- He adjusted loadouts to conserve GPS-guided JDAMs and preserve stockpiles for future needs.
Don’t Wait For A Crisis To Scale
- Crises like Ukraine started conversations and supplemental aid but revealed that crisis-driven scaling is risky and slow.
- Brown emphasizes preplanned manufacturing and supply-chain surge plans rather than reactive measures.
