Are Soldiers Obsolete? How Autonomy Will Define the Coming Conflict with China
About this episode
Seth Jones interviews Frank Kendall about the impact of autonomous systems on future warfare and U.S. military strategy in the context of China's military modernization.
Host Seth Jones sits down with Frank Kendall, former Secretary of the U.S. Air Force and former Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition, Technology, and Logistics, to discuss his new book, Lethal Autonomy: The Future of Warfare Whether We Like It or Not. They explore China’s military modernization and the challenge it poses to U.S. and allied forces in the Asia-Pacific, along with lessons from past military-technology “offsets.” Kendall examines how autonomous systems will reshape the way the United States designs, equips, and employs its forces, discusses the future of land and surface warfare, and explains the imperative for technological innovation to strengthen deterrence and help prevent great-power conflict.
People in this episode
Host: Seth Jones
Guest: Frank Kendall
Topics covered
- military modernization
- autonomous systems
- U.S. defense strategy
- China's military
- technological innovation
- deterrence
- great-power conflict
Keywords
- autonomy
- warfare
- China
- military technology
- deterrence
- U.S. forces
- Asia-Pacific
- Frank Kendall
- Seth Jones
Mentioned in this episode
Organizations: U.S. Air Force, Department of Defense
Books & works: Lethal Autonomy: The Future of Warfare Whether We Like It or Not
Places: Asia-Pacific, United States, China
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