WSJ Opinion: Potomac Watch Is the U.S. Prepared for the Next War?
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Nov 28, 2025 Join Seth Jones, a senior analyst at the Center for Strategic and International Studies and author of The American Edge, as he dives into U.S. military preparedness. He discusses alarming shortages in missiles and ships and the strategic implications of recent conflicts. Jones emphasizes the importance of combining unmanned systems with traditional forces and calls for presidential leadership to bolster defense capabilities. He also explores the role of private capital in innovation and contrasts U.S. defense with China’s growing shipbuilding advantage.
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China's Rapid Military Industrial Push
- China has massively expanded its defense industrial base across air, sea, land, cyber, space, and nuclear domains.
- The U.S. industrial base and allies are strained and risk falling behind without a major response.
Drones Matter But Not A Complete Replacement
- The U.S. recognizes drones' importance but lacks mass production of cheap, attritable systems and UUVs for the Pacific.
- Human-held platforms remain essential to hold territory despite unmanned advances.
The 1993 'Last Supper' Consolidation Moment
- In a 1993 Pentagon meeting, officials told defense CEOs to consolidate suppliers and reduce competition across many weapons categories.
- That guidance helped produce today's concentrated defense-industry landscape of a few large firms.
