

Modern War Institute
Modern War Institute at West Point
The Modern War Institute Podcast, produced with the generous support of the West Point Class of 1974, is the flagship podcast of the Modern War Institute at West Point. It features discussions with guests including senior military leaders, scholars, and others on the most important issues related to modern military conflict.
Episodes
Mentioned books

Feb 1, 2018 • 1h 1min
Ep. 44 – Technology and the Future of Warfare
In this episode, John Amble is joined by retired Maj. Gen. David Fastabend and Mr. Ian Sullivan. Both have been heavily involved with initiatives to conceptualize the future of warfare for the Army's Training and Doctrine Command, where Sullivan is the assistant G-2 for ISR and futures. They talk through a range of emerging and future technologies and how they will impact the way we fight the wars of tomorrow.

Jan 17, 2018 • 39min
Ep. 43 – Writing on War, with Journalist and Best-selling Author Sean Naylor
In this episode of the MWI Podcast, we talk to Sean Naylor, an award-winning journalist and best-selling author of Not a Good Day to Die and Relentless Strike. The conversation covers everything from the reporter's role in war zones to the sometimes tricky aspects of writing about security, intelligence, and secretive military organizations.

Jan 4, 2018 • 29min
Ep. 42 – Sebastian Junger on Syria, Iraq, and the Rise of ISIS
In this episode, MWI's Capt. Jake Miraldi talks to best selling author and award winning filmmaker Sebastian Junger about his newest film, "Hell on Earth: The Fall of Syria and the Rise of ISIS."

Dec 20, 2017 • 28min
Ep. 41 – "Are We Destined for War with China?" – Dr. Graham Allison
In this episode, MWI's Capt. Jake Miraldi speaks to Dr. Graham Allison, author of the book "Destined for War: Can America and China Escape Thucydides's Trap?" In this fascinating conversation, Dr. Allison examines the critical factors that will determine whether war with a rising China will ultimately break out.

Dec 5, 2017 • 31min
Ep. 40 – The Future Multi-Domain Battlespace, with Gen. David Perkins
In this episode, Gen. David Perkins, commander of US Army Training and Doctrine Command, joins to talk about Multi-Domain Battle, the new concept by which the military will fight its future wars, deploying power dynamically across multiple domains: air, land, and sea, but also space, and cyberspace.

Nov 21, 2017 • 36min
Ep. 39 – Surveying the Threat Landscape, with Gen. David Petraeus
Gen. David Petraeus had a remarkable military career—including commanding the 101st Airborne Division at the beginning of the Iraq War and later commanding all forces in both Iraq and Afghanistan. He also served as commander of CENTCOM and, after retiring from the Army, as director of the CIA. In this conversation, he assesses the global operating environment and the trends that will define the future threat landscape.

Nov 8, 2017 • 31min
Ep. 38 – All About the F-35
The F-35 is the new fifth-generation fighter jet the US military expects will overcome the many challenges of the battlespace of today and tomorrow. In this episode, two former Air Force pilots, including one who was responsible for designing the F-35's cockpit, explain why this is the best fighter to meet the needs of the next war.

Oct 25, 2017 • 32min
Ep. 37 – The North Korea Challenge, with Dr. Victor Cha
What should we make of the considerable uptick in North Korean nuclear and ballistic missile tests? What are the best tools to bring to bear against the North Korea problem? In this episode, Georgetown University's Victor Cha answers these and other questions in a fascinating conversation.

Oct 11, 2017 • 33min
Ep. 36 – Human Analysis in the Age of the Algorithm, with Dr. Nicholas Krohley
In the era of big data, the minds of human analysts are no match for the processing power of computers fed with terabytes of data and armed with powerful algorithms. But MWI Non-Resident Fellow Dr. Nicholas Krohley argues in this episode that, far from obviating the need for those human analysts, the incorporation of more and more data into military and intelligence analysis makes human judgment more important than ever.

Sep 28, 2017 • 46min
Ep. 35 – How Innovation Happens in the Military, with Professor Stephen Rosen
How and why did the US Navy shift from battleships to aircraft carriers? What drove the US Army's adoption of helicopter aviation? In this episode, Harvard University's Professor Stephen Rosen tackles these and a range of other fascinating questions about innovation in the military.