The president doesn’t need a one-trick Army
In our high-tech, fast-moving world, the US Army should stop optimizing for prediction and start optimizing for uncertainty, argues this retired one-star general.
The next Army chief won’t inherit a force, he’ll inherit an argument
The next Army chief needs to show that land power is still vital and relevant for modern warfare that's heavily focused on drones, writes John G. Ferrari in this op-ed.
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Why Bigger Fences Aren’t Enough in the Age of Drones
Traditional thinking about how to protect facilities must adapt to new threats such as drones or downstream attacks.
Requirements without factories: Why the Pentagon must reconnect design to production
New Pentagon reforms need to account for whether the industrial base can actually build systems at the desired scale, John G. Ferrari and Dillon Prochnicki write.
To finance the $1.5T defense budget, push for $600B in reconciliation
A $600 billion increase to the budget in reconciliation will be needed to get to $1.5T in spending, say a pair of AEI analysts.
How private capital and allied investment can refill America’s empty shelves
A structured Surge Inventory Purchase Vehicle could be the key to ensuring America’s inventory stays stocked and ready for wartime, writes John Ferrari in this op-ed.
The Army is leading on unmanned aviation. Who will follow?
The Army is cutting a fifth of its aviation branch as it shifts toward unmanned systems. And the rest of the services should follow, writes John Ferrari.
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Support for Patriot air-and-missile defense is a case study for the industrial base
Manufacturing scale, global sustainment, and next-gen tech are becoming inseparable.
From gridlock to greener pastures: How a full-year CR could empower warfighters
A full-year continuing resolution is not necessarily a bad thing for the Pentagon, John Ferrari writes. But the DoD has to be prepared to take advantage of it.
What’s really in reconciliation, and how the pentagon can make it work
Elaine McCusker and John G. Ferrari of AEI run through some of the most important parts of the reconciliation bill, and what the Pentagon should do now.
The US Army’s second rebirth: From post-Vietnam to post-GWOT
In this op-ed, AEI's John Ferrari offers advice for keeping the Army's transformation initiative on track — starting with the budget.
Four steps to creating a National Defense Strategy built on strength
In this op-ed, analysts from the American Enterprise Institute lay out four priorities Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth should focus on in the next National Defense Strategy.
The Army’s Digital Transformation
AI is reshaping the Army’s approach to cyber, electronic warfare and command and control. At TechNet Augusta 2026, leaders outlined how they’re turning emerging technology into capabilities for the battlefield.
The Army’s bold plan needs to watch out for these three pitfalls
John Ferrari examines potential challenges to come from the Army's new Transformation in Contact plan.
Cut Army structure, not Army end strength
John Ferrari in this op-ed recommends cutting Army structure by another 20,000 spaces while keeping the same number of troops in order to improve readiness.
The Navy needs a 180-degree pivot: Embracing autonomy and AI for maritime dominance
The Navy should drop manned aircraft and pivot the majority of surface vessels to drones, argues John Ferrari of AEI.
DOGE or be DOGE’d: The Army needs to preemptively start cutting
The Army should look to make its own cuts before DOGE makes the decision for it, John Ferrari says in this op-ed.