Through its publications, INSS provides rigorous, forward‑looking research and analysis on critical national security issues that support the joint warfighter and inform Department of War decision‑makers.
July 27, 2026
Unmanned Vehicular Systems: Why Cost as a Strategy Undermines National Power
The current definition of attritability as relevant to the viability and value of employing unmanned vehicular systems is laden with inaccuracies that can affect calculation(s), planning, tolerances and thresholds for military operational engagements.
July 20, 2026
Cognitive Engagement as a Strategic Imperative of Irregular Warfare
Irregular warfare is one of the most enduring modalities of human conflict; persisting across epochs because it exploits asymmetries inherent in human cognition, sociopolitical organization, and technical capability.
July 6, 2026
Ethical Considerations Toward Harmonizing Human and Machine Agency in Embodied Neurotechnologies
Several nations are evidencing increased interest in and consideration of employing various types of neurotechnologies to optimize cognitive and motor performance and perhaps modulate emotion and behavior. In this essay, published in the international journal Neuroethics, Dr. James Giordano, working with colleagues Drs. Nicolas Berberich and Gordon Cheng from the Technical University of Munich (GER) address Western and Asian ethical perspectives focal to the regard, guidance and governance of using such cutting edge developments in real world practice and settings.
June 20, 2026
The emerging armamentarium of cognitive warfare with Dr. James Giordano (Video)
In this lecture for the Cognitive Security Institute, Dr. Giordano discusses the weaponization of neuroscience to engage the brain as the new battle-space, and the ethical issues that arise in and from these dual use developments.
June 9, 2026
Autonomous Narrative Warfare: Engaging Agentic AI Within the Cognitive Battlespace
Cognition is becoming a focal domain of strategic competition of the twenty-first century battlespace.
June 8, 2026
Cognitive Warfare at the Crossroads: Defining and Developing Capabilities
To date, there continues to be some discussion, including essays that have appeared in this forum, as to whether and to what extent cognitive warfare represents anything other than psychological operations (PSYOPS) with more sophisticated tools and methods, or if it actually is a unique and evolving domain of combat.
May 20, 2026
"Strategic Insights" Moves to Monthly Release
Beginning in June 2026, Strategic Insights will shift from a weekly to a monthly release.
May 5, 2026
Substrate Vulnerability: Neural Factors in Cognitive Security | James Giordano
A realist approach to cognitive security must appreciate the dynamic interaction of biological, psychological and socioenvironmental factors as both (1) constituent to human function and (2) opportune targets of influence, and effect.
Irregular Warfare, Part One: Updating the Term and the Toolkit
Irregular warfare (IW) is not a new phenomenon, although its contemporary character has been substantively reshaped by advancements in technology, and more specifically, by the developments in AI.
May 4, 2026
Synthesized Command & Control: A new way human choices can guide AI warfighting
As the U.S. military races to adapt to ever-larger amounts of increasingly advanced, and iteratively autonomous AI, how do humans stay in control?