Director:  Dr. Denise Natali

The Institute for National Strategic Studies (INSS) is the dedicated research component at the National Defense University (NDU). INSS provides strategic support to the joint warfighter through cutting edge research, analyses, and wargaming exercises on behalf of Department of War (DoW) stakeholders on priority national security issues. INSS research faculty advance the NDU educational mission by teaching, mentoring students, and integrating research into the curriculum. 

INSS comprises the Center for Disruptive Technology and Future Warfare (CDTFW), Center for Strategy and Military Power (CSMP), Center for the Study of Chinese Military Affairs (CSCMA), Center for the Study of Weapons of Mass Destruction (CSWMD), and the National Defense University Press (NDU Press).

The Institute for National Strategic Studies is composed of four research centers and the NDU Press.

Center for Disruptive Technology and Future Warfare

The Center for Disruptive Technology and Future Warfare produces cutting edge analyses and research on disruptive technologies and future warfare and assesses the implications for national defense, the scope and conduct of warfare, effects upon and readiness of the joint warfighter, and national security policy and strategy.

Center for Strategy and Military Power

The Center for Strategy and Military Power produces strategic research and analyses for the Office of the Secretary of War, Joint Staff, combatant commands, and Services. CSMP focuses on U.S. military strategy and policy, including homeland and missile defense, military posture, the defense industrial base, space strategy and policy, and countering Chinese, Russian and Iranian military aggression.

Center for the Study of Chinese Military Affairs

The Center for the Study of Chinese Military Affairs serves as a national focal point and resource center for research and analytic exchanges on the national goals and strategic posture of the People’s Republic of China and the ability of that nation to develop, field, and deploy an effective military instrument in support of its national strategic objectives.

Center for the Study of Weapons of Mass Destruction

The Center for the Study of Weapons of Mass Destruction provides expertise, research, analyses, and policy support on the full range of issues related to weapons of mass destruction (WMD) and their potential use, from strategic deterrence to countering WMD activities. CSWMD maintains extensive partnerships with government agencies, academic institutions, and international organizations to advance knowledge and understanding of WMD and their implications for national security.

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National Defense University Press

Through its publications, the National Defense University Press provides a forum for discussion, debate, and innovative solutions that contribute to shaping the national security discourse and preparing the next generation of national security leaders. NDU Press publishes Joint Force Quarterly, INSS Strategic Perspectives, INSS Strategic Forum, books and edited volumes, policy briefs, and monographs on topics related to national security, defense policy, and military strategy.

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