Strategic Assessment 2025: Evolving Great Power Competition at Mid-Decade explores the ongoing dramatic evolution of strategic competition among and between today's three Great Powers — the United States, China, and Russia.
Every week, Strategic Insights brings analyses of critical policy issues that affect U.S. national security interests - from disruptive technologies to cognitive warfare, and more.
INSS provides cutting-edge research, analyses, and innovative solutions on critical national security issues in support of the joint warfighter and Department of War stakeholders.

Highlighted Articles

Turkish President Erdogan says the humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza is unparalleled in modern history.

Strategic Ambiguity: Erdoğan’s Turkey in a Multipolar World

Jeffrey Mankoff and Max Bergmann

Following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022, Finland and Sweden made the historic decision to seek membership in the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO).

Gen. Dan Caine visited South Korea for the 50th Military Committee Meeting (MCM) and 57th Security Consultative Meeting (SCM), reaffirming the enduring strength of the ROK-U.S. Alliance.

Can Seoul Take the Lead & The Alliance Expand Its Aperture?

Dr. Clint Work

South Korea taking a lead role in conventional deterrence of North Korea, appears linked with enabling the U.S. conventional posture and the alliance's combined posture on the peninsula to better handle multiple threats to the alliance on, around, and beyond it.

South Korean soldiers assigned to the 7th Infantry Division, ROK Army, pull security on an M3 Bridge Vehicle during a wet gap crossing exercise, Nov. 20, 2025, near Namhan River site, South Korea.

The Variables of OPCON: What "Conditions"?

Dr. Clint Work

Language around wartime operational control (OPCON) transition has evolved over the last decade, revealing important patterns and subtle (or not so subtle) shifts in position and policy.

Cover of the Journal of Strategic Studies

When Competition Becomes Contagious: Strategic Arms Racing Spillovers, Alliance Politics, and the Sino-American Nuclear Competition

Samuel M. Seitz and Elliot S. Ji

The emergence of increasingly sophisticated conventional counterforce and missile defense systems is altering the dynamics around the nuclear security dilemma, in both its traditional and alliance forms.

Featured Experts

Photo of James Giordano, Director of The Center of Disruptive Technology and Future Warfare.
James Giordano
Center Director, Biotechnology and AI

Areas of Expertise: Emerging Science and Technology; Neurocognitive Technology; Bioweapons, Biowarfare, and Biosecurity; Ethics


Distinguished Research Fellow, CSR / Director, CSCMA
Phillip C. Saunders
Center Director, China, Asia, Weapons of Mass Destruction

Areas of Expertise: China, Asia, Weapons of Mass Destruction

 


Distinguished Research Fellow, CSR
Thomas F. Lynch III
Distinguished Fellow, Strategic Competition, Indo-Pacific Security

Areas of Expertise: Asia and the Indo-Pacific (South and Central Asia); Great Power Competition (GPC); Middle East and North Africa (Gulf Arab States); Counter-terrorism


T.X. Hammes, Distinguished Research Fellow, CSR
T.X. Hammes
Distinguished Fellow, Future Conflict and Technology

Areas of Expertise: Future conflict; Changing Character of Warfare; Military Strategy; Insurgency/Irregular Warfare; Operational Concepts

Research & Analysis

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