News - Category IRPs

A Long, Hard Year: Russia-Ukraine War Lessons Learned 2023
January 12, 2026 — As the Russia-Ukraine War passed the two-year mark, the conflict ground to an entrenched, apparent stalemate. Nevertheless, the conflict, with a blend of conventional warfare and innovative technology, offers new lessons to the US Joint Force about the changing character of war. From fires to airpower to intelligence, this review of 17 different aspects of the conflict offers insights to prepare leaders for tomorrow’s war...

Understanding, Deterring, and Preparing for a Great-Power War in the Twenty-First Century
August 6, 2025 — This integrated research project highlights gaps in the US Army’s understanding of, and preparations for, a great-power war in the twenty-first century. The project employs historical analysis to enhance Army leaders’ understanding of great-power wars, provides novel ways to improve US strategies for deterring a great-power war, and explores ways the United States can better prepare for a great-power war...

Integrating Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning Technologies into Common Operating Picture and Course of Action Development
July 15, 2025 — Explore artificial intelligence’s potential for military planning! This study examines how artificial intelligence and machine learning can enhance the US Army’s common operational picture and course of action development. Learn how advanced technologies streamline decision making, improve situational awareness, and tackle resource challenges for the modern battlefield...

A Call to Action: Lessons from Ukraine for the Future Force
June 27, 2024 — The Russia-Ukraine War represents a strategic inflection point that provides valuable insights into the future of war and how the US military must adapt. This book identifies the lessons the US Army must learn from the Russia-Ukraine War as the service reexamines all aspects of its composition to prepare for future conflicts...

The Future Role of Strategic Landpower
August 29, 2023 — Dr. Gregory L. Cantwell, Major Justin M. Magula — IRP by the US Army War College, US Army War College Press, Strategic Studies Institute — "Recent Russian aggression in Ukraine has reenergized military strategists and senior leaders to evaluate the role of strategic Landpower. American leadership in the European theater has mobilized allies and partners to reconsider force postures for responding to possible aggression against NATO members. Although Russian revisionist activity remains a threat in Europe, the challenges in the Pacific for strategic Landpower must also be considered. At the same time, the homeland, the Arctic, climate change, and the results of new and emerging technology also challenge the application of strategic Landpower..."...

Trusting AI: Integrating Artificial Intelligence into the Army's Professional Expert Knowledge
February 8, 2023 — C. Anthony Pfaff, Christopher J. Lowrance, Bre M. Washburn, Brett A. Carey — IRP by the US Army War College, US Army War College Press, Strategic Studies Institute — "Integrating artificially intelligent technologies for military purposes poses a special challenge. In previous arms races, such as the race to atomic bomb technology during World War II, expertise resided within the Department of Defense. But in the artificial intelligence (AI) arms race, expertise dwells mostly within industry and academia. Also, unlike the development of the bomb, effective employment of AI technology cannot be relegated to a few specialists; almost everyone will have to develop some level of AI and data literacy..."...

Contested Deployment
April 1, 2022 — Bert B. Tussing, John Eric Powell, Benjamin C. Leitzel With James L. Boling, Jonathan M. Boling, John J. Borek, Charles P. Brady, John Bretthorst, Stephen W. Ladd, Steven E. Landis, Edmund “Beau” Riely, Arthur C. Roscoe, Brian D. Wisniewski — IRP by the US Army War College, Strategic Studies Institute, US Army War College Press, Center for Strategic Leadership — "Early in academic year 2018, a group of US Army War College faculty and students came together in pursuit of an integrated research project devoted to an examination of contested deployment and the growing realization the US homeland can no longer be considered an inviolable zone in preparing for war. Expecting free movement of forces in mobilization, movement to ports of embarkation, and deployment against the nation’s adversaries is beneath reason. Two oceans and benevolent neighbors to the north and south can no longer be considered a significant buffer against internal and external enemies. Adversaries of the United States will seek to disrupt or disable the movement of its forces long before they can be placed in combat against foes overseas, and the nation must be prepared for this opposition."...