Institute for National Strategic Studies (INSS)

Denise Natali, Director of INSS, stands with Ecole de Guerre group outside National Defense University.

INSS hosts École de Guerre students at NDU

On 8 May, INSS and faculty from CIC, CISA and NWC hosted the annual academic exchange between Ecole de Guerre students and NDU faculty.

INSS hosted Mr. Manabu Imakyurei (second from right), President of Japan’s National Institute for Defense Studies (NIDS) on 19 March 2025 for a discussion on regional issues. INSS China Center Director Dr. Phil Saunders (front left) and VADM P.A. Garvin USN, President of NDU (second from the left), welcomed him to the University.

INSS hosts President of Japan’s National Institute for Defense Studies (NIDS)

INSS hosted Mr. Manabu Imakyurei, President of Japan’s National Institute for Defense Studies (NIDS) on 19 March 2025 for a discussion on regional issues.

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U.S. Army Soldiers from 3rd Battalion, 509th Parachute Infantry Regiment arrive at Pohakuloa Training Area, Hawaii, Oct. 7, 2024, during the Joint Pacific Multinational Readiness Center 25-1.

INSS advances the NDU mission in support of the joint warfighter.

INSS provides strategic and research support to the Office of Secretary of Defense (OSD), Joint Staff, Services, and combatant commands (COCOMs).

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Mr. Todd Pennington (center), INSS Senior Research Fellow for Space Strategy and Policy, discussed "dual-use" space technology as a panelist at a recent event hosted by the Colorado Space Business Roundtable. The panel, moderated by Skip Smith (Chair of the Space and Satellite Industry Group at Greenberg Traurig) also included Dennis Burnett (General Counsel for Hawkeye 360), Professor Jack Beard (Director of the Space, Cyber, and National Security Law Program at Nebraska College of Law), and Matt Linton (General Counsel for True Anomaly).

INSS Participates in Panel to Discuss Dual-Use Space Technology

Mr. Todd Pennington, INSS Senior Research Fellow for Space Strategy and Policy, discussed "dual-use" space technology as a panelist at a recent event hosted by the Colorado Space Business Roundtable.

Dr. Denise Natali (left) speaks to Ambassador of the Republic of Türkiye, His Excellency Sedat Önal (right), at the National Defense University on 29 January 2025.

INSS hosts Roundtable with Turkish Ambassador

INSS was pleased to host the Ambassador of the Republic of Türkiye, His Excellency Sedat Önal, at the National Defense University on 29 January 2025.

Dictyostelium amoebae on a glass surface, immunoprobed with antiactin (green) and antibody against fucose-O-serine-containing peptides (red) and counterstained with DAPI (blue) for nuclei. (Copyright © 2025 Tiwari et al.

mSphere | June 5, 2025

Dual use and gain-of-function research: a significant endeavor with biosecurity imperatives

Dr. Diane DiEuliis and James Giordano

Drs. Diane DiEuliis and James Giordano published a new paper entitled “Dual use and gain-of-function research: a significant endeavor with biosecurity imperatives”, in the international, peer-reviewed journal mSphere.

The New York Times | May 6, 2025

Xi Can’t Trust His Own Military

Phillip C. Saunders and Joel Wuthnow

An unending purge in China's top military ranks raises serious questions over the country's readiness for offensive war.

Marine yells orders to squad members during Integrated Training Exercise.

| April 17, 2025

Joint Force Quarterly 117 (2nd Quarter 2025)

NDU Press

Communication is a critical element to the human experience.

On 25 Feb, INSS China Center Director Dr. Phillip Saunders and Senior Research Fellow Dr. Joel Wuthnow (INSS) spoke about their new book China’s Quest for Military Supremacy on the podcast, Mapping Global China Initiative, hosted by Maria Carrai at NYU Shanghai.

| March 10, 2025

China's Quest for Military Supremacy: A Conversation

Phillip Saunders and Joel Wuthnow

On 25 Feb, INSS China Center Director Dr. Phillip Saunders and Senior Research Fellow Dr. Joel Wuthnow (INSS) spoke about their new book China’s Quest for Military Supremacy on the podcast, Mapping Global China Initiative, hosted by Maria Carrai at NYU Shanghai.

Highlighted Articles

U.S. Marines in camouflage uniforms conduct field training on a grassy hillside with mountainous terrain in the background. One Marine kneels in the foreground holding a rifle with a scope, while others stand and work with communication equipment. The scene suggests a tactical or reconnaissance exercise in a remote, tropical environment. — INSS Around the Web | May 22, 2025
T.X. Hammes quoted in The Economist on US shipment of missiles to the Ph...

T.X. Hammes

T.X. Hammes, a distinguished research fellow in the INSS Center for Strategy and Military Power, was quoted in The Economist.
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Composite image of three political figures. On the left, Kim Jong-un is shown in a black-and-white cutout smiling. In the center, a stylized red-blue-toned image of Donald Trump appears partially obscured. On the right, a cutout of Lee Jae-myung, a South Korean politician, is shown in color with a blue backdrop. The background features a red gradient, symbolizing political tension or division. — INSS Around the Web | May 29, 2025
Dr. Clint Work quoted in Financial Times article on US-South Korea alliance

Dr. Clint Work

Dr. Clint Work, a Research Fellow for Northeast Asia in the INSS Center for Strategy and Military Power, was recently quoted in the Financial Times article "The ‘quiet’ crisis brewing between the US and South Korea."
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U.S. Marines with Animal Company, Battalion Landing Team 1st Battalion, 7th Marine Regiment, 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit, prepare to embark an MV-22B Osprey aircraft assigned to Marine Medium Tilt Rotor Squadron 265 (Rein.) during a quick response force rehearsal as a part of MEU Exercise, at Camp Hansen, Okinawa, Japan, May 3, 2025. — INSS Around the Web | May 27, 2025
How China Could Counter U.S. Intervention in War Over Taiwan

Dr. Joel Wuthnow

Has Beijing found a new “assassin’s mace” to keep the U.S. military out of a fight over Taiwan?
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Split-screen image with text on the left and a futuristic military scene on the right. The left side features bold orange and yellow text on a black background reading, "Winning the Future: The U.S. Military's Need for Technological Dominance and Defined Strategic Vision." The right side depicts heavily armed soldiers in advanced exosuits moving through a war-torn urban street, with drones flying overhead and holographic interfaces displayed from their equipment. The atmosphere is tense, suggesting a high-tech battlefield of the future. — | May 22, 2025
Winning the Future: The U.S. Military’s Need for Technological Dominance...

Dr. James Giordano and Elise Annett

This blog post explores how our Joint Force, its constituent Services, and our Allies and Partners can rise to meet this Operational Environment challenge through the “prioritized strategic integration of AI and battlefield autonomy within U.S.
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Featured Experts

Phillip C. Saunders

Director, CSCMA

Areas of Expertise: China; Asia and the Pacific; International Political Economy; Deterrence;

Thomas F. Lynch III

Distinguished Research Fellow, CSMP

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

Jaclyn Kerr

Senior Research Fellow, CDTFW

Defense and Technology Futures, Digital and Emerging Technologies

T.X. Hammes

Distinguished Research Fellow, CSMP

Future Strategic Concepts; Humanitarian Assistance & Disaster Relief; Insurgency/Irregular Warfare

Institute for National Strategic Studies

Advancing National Security Through Research and Analysis

Foundation

Founded in 1984, the Institute for National Strategic Studies (INSS) serves as the dedicated research arm of the National Defense University. INSS is comprised of four research centers and NDU Press.

Experts

Our experts provide indispensable strategic and research support to key stakeholders, including the Secretary of Defense, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Services, and combatant commands. This commitment ensures that our nation's decision-makers are equipped with the latest insights and analysis.

Research Faculty

Our research faculty not only teach and advise students but also actively contribute to groundbreaking research and knowledge creation. This comprehensive approach is designed to advance strategic thinking and cultivate the next generation of national security leaders.