PUBLICATIONS

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.

 

Publications

Results:
Category: Strategic Deterrence

Speakers part of the "U.S. National Defense Strategy and its Implications for NATO and Europe" panel sit in front of a large screen with NDU's logo. From left to right: Dr. David Auerswald, Professor, National War College, NDU; Dr. Justin Anderson, Senior Fellow, INSS, NDU; Dr. Lisa A. Aronsson, Research Fellow, Institute for National Strategic Studies (INSS), NDU (Moderator); and Dr. Elena Pokalova, Professor, College of International Security Affairs (CISA).

May 13, 2026

INSS Facilitates Strategic Discussions During NATO Defense College Visit

On 6 May 2026, National Defense University hosted a delegation from the NATO Defense College for discussions on U.S. national defense priorities and the evolving global security environment.

Workers oversee artillery shell production inside a munitions manufacturing facility. Rows of large shell casings move through an industrial assembly line surrounded by heavy machinery, conveyor systems, and production equipment.

May 11, 2026

The Pentagon Needs a Playbook for Munitions Surge Production

Using uneven U.S. munitions ramp ups after Russia’s 2022 Ukraine invasion as evidence, the article argues that munitions surge capacity is determined before a crisis begins.

Illuminated brain map with network pathways. Visualization of interconnected neural pathways in brain.

April 9, 2026

Cognitive Warfare and the Changing Character of Engagement: A Neurostrategic Perspective

The contemporary battlespace is undergoing a profound transformation in its fundamental logic.

INSS Center for Strategic Deterrence and WMD Studies employees stand in front of the Framework for Biological Weapons Deterrence: Report Rollout event at National Defense University.

March 19, 2026

A Framework for Biological Weapons Deterrence Rollout Event

On 12 March, the Defense Threat Reduction Agency (DTRA) and the National Defense University (NDU) co-hosted the Framework for Biological Weapons Deterrence: Report Rollout event.

Members of Komala of the Toilers of Kurdistan, an Iranian Kurdish dissident group, gather in Khalifan, Iraq.

March 18, 2026

Iranian Kurds Can Fight, but How Effectively?

As Operations Epic Fury and Roaring Lion dismantle the Iranian regime’s nuclear and military infrastructure, Iranian Kurdish opposition groups have expressed their willingness to join the fight—even though U.S. objectives are not premised on supporting or arming a local force.

Biohazard symbol inside a high-containment lab

March 17, 2026

Biodeterrence in an Era of Convergent Threats

A recent report reveals that the Peoples’ Republic of China (PRC) has increasing focus upon and fiscal dedication to biosciences and biotechnology, with an estimated economic commitment of 5-8% of its total national research and development spending, amounting to approximately $32 billion in comparable USD in annual funding.

Cover of a report titled “A Framework for Biological Weapons Deterrence.” The design features blue circular graphics with the word “UNCLASSIFIED” at the top and bottom. The subtitle reads: Center for the Study of Weapons of Mass Destruction, Institute for National Strategic Studies, National Defense University, August 2025. Two photos appear on the cover: one shows emergency responders wearing bright yellow hazmat suits standing near a fire truck; the other shows a U.S. Army soldier in uniform examining a sample through a laboratory microscope. A disclaimer notes that the views expressed are those of the authors and not official U.S. government policy. Logos for the Defense Threat Reduction Agency, National Defense University, and the Institute for National Strategic Studies appear at the bottom.

March 16, 2026

A Framework for Biological Weapons Deterrence

The United States and its allies and partners face a rapidly expanding array of biothreats, to include the potential employment of increasingly sophisticated and lethal biological weapons (BW).

NATO Assistant Secretary General for Intelligence and Security Scott Bray (left) stands next to INSS China's Center Dr. Phillip Saunders (right).

March 10, 2026

INSS briefs NATO Committee on Proliferation about 'China’s Nuclear Weapons Posture and Launch on Warning'

On 6 March, INSS China Center Director Dr. Phillip Saunders briefed the NATO Committee on Proliferation about “China’s Nuclear Weapons Posture and Launch on Warning.”

President of the United States Donald Trump participates in a bilateral meeting with General Secretary of the Chinese Communist Party Xi Jinping at the Gimhae International Airport terminal, Thursday, October 30, 2025, in Busan, South Korea. (Official White House Photo by Daniel Torok)

Feb. 25, 2026

The Danger in the Middle: Will Xi’s Purges Increase the Risk of War?

Chinese leader Xi Jinping has purged dozens of senior People’s Liberation Army officers since mid-2023, including two in January, but will this increase the risk of war?

A member of China's People's Liberation Army stands as DF-5C nuclear missiles are displayed during a military parade to mark the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II, in Beijing on Sept. 3.

Feb. 4, 2026

America risks a nuclear-arms race with China

On 3 February, INSS China Center Director Dr. Phillip Saunders was quoted in The Economist in the story, “America risks a nuclear-arms race with China."