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War Transformed: The Future of Twenty-First-Century Great Power Competition and Conflict
War The Future of Twenty-First-Century Great Power Competition and Conflict provides insights for those involved in the design of military strategy, and the forces that must execute that strategy. Emphasizing the impacts of technology, new era strategic competition, demography, and climate change, Mick Ryan uses historical as well as contemporary anecdotes throughout the book to highlight key challenges faced by nations in a new era of great power rivalry. Just as previous industrial revolutions have advanced societies, the nascent fourth industrial revolution will have a similar impact on how humans fight, compete, and build military power in the twenty-first century. After reviewing the principle catalysts of change in the security environment, War Transformed seeks to provide a preview of the shape of war and competition in the twenty-first century. Ryan examines both the shifting character of war and its enduring nature. In doing so, he proposes important trends in warfare that will shape all aspects of human competition and conflict in the coming decades. The remainder of the book analyzes how military institutions must prepare for future competition and conflict. Competing and engaging in combat in this new era involves new and evolved strategies and warfighting concepts, as well as adapting our current military organizations. It will also demand building an intellectual edge in military personnel through evolved concepts of training, education, and development. As the competitive environment and potential battlefields continue to change, conceptions of combat, competition and conflict must also evolve. Mick Ryan makes the case for transforming how Western military institutions view war in this century.
308 pages, Kindle Edition
Published February 15, 2022
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Displaying 1 - 21 of 21 reviews
March 24, 2022
In the early 1990s there was a sense from many in public life that war was done. The fact this same sentiment had appeared in the 1920s didn't seem to worry them, as they argued that we should turn away from the ugly study of war, and explore new areas of insecurity or overlooked rights. While this lead to a lot of good work on real problems, the knowledge of war in Western societies has declined.
In War Transformed by former Major-General Mick Ryan (of the Australian Army), we see that at least some have continued to carry the burden of studying war. And this is extremely necessary. Not only for the obvious reason that war is once again on our front pages (the 2022 Russian Invasion of Ukraine happened just a few weeks after the books' release), but also because war is changing in how it is fought.
This theme of war's evolution and how we might respond is the primary theme of this study. Ryan has read extensively over the last two decades, and provides a rich and thoughtful tour of some of the key changes. From the emergence of new domains such as cyber and space, the complexities of new technology such as hypersonics and additive manafacturing, and the changing strategic picture of new authoritarian powers challenging the western order.
Ryan's guide to the military implications of these changes is first rate. This is a complex and confusing area, but he distills the many small moving parts into a handful of core principles and themes. Not least, the idea of an 'acceleration' of modern warfare, that puts immense pressure on everyone from war fighters to national decision makers. You'll come away with a much stronger sense of what western miltiaries' expect future war to look like through this book.
How then should we respond to such a changing picture of war? Ryan's answer, in common with much of the broader academic and military literature, is that we too must be ready to change. Not in a national policy sense (an area he's careful to avoid commenting on too directly), but rather in our adaptiveness and willingness to innovate and enable rapid change within our armed forces and society. We do not know what the future exactly holds, or how the myriad of new technology is best used, and so must be open to experimenting and evolving how we approach war and security if we are to remain secure.
Such a step is more of a mental than physical shift. A change in culture rather than just processes. What really helps distinguish this book is the final 1/4 where Ryan expands on a theme he is passionate about: education. All western armed forces are likely to be outnumbered by their adversaries, and with equipment that may not be substantively better. This is particularly true for secondary states such as Australia. As such, the edge we can achieve may be intellectual rather than material. Hence, the way each soldier (and arguably future policymakers) are developed and supported in becoming their best selves is going to be a crucial challenge for maintaining security, preventing unnecessary conflicts, and knowing how best to prosecute them when required.
Ryan doesn't try to tell one single story about war's transformation. Instead, this book is more in line with the 'principles of war' style of analysis. There's a lot of lists of seven of this, or five of those. This is a popular approach, and one which can work well for quickly communicating a range of complex issues. The downside is it limits the space to really grapple with a few central ideas. For instance, deep within the book Ryan offers one of the more nuanced takes on the issue of tempo as relative i've seen. Yet much of the time the book seems to imply that more speed is always and everywhere a good thing. I'd also have liked more than a short epilogue on the idea that war's transformation is going to its underlying nature and not just the visible character. That could have helped set the broader context of how important the changes of our time really are.
Overall, if you're looking to better understand the issues that professional militaries' around the world are focused on, or want a grasp of how the use of armed force is changing, this is a very readable, well referenced and engaging analysis.
In War Transformed by former Major-General Mick Ryan (of the Australian Army), we see that at least some have continued to carry the burden of studying war. And this is extremely necessary. Not only for the obvious reason that war is once again on our front pages (the 2022 Russian Invasion of Ukraine happened just a few weeks after the books' release), but also because war is changing in how it is fought.
This theme of war's evolution and how we might respond is the primary theme of this study. Ryan has read extensively over the last two decades, and provides a rich and thoughtful tour of some of the key changes. From the emergence of new domains such as cyber and space, the complexities of new technology such as hypersonics and additive manafacturing, and the changing strategic picture of new authoritarian powers challenging the western order.
Ryan's guide to the military implications of these changes is first rate. This is a complex and confusing area, but he distills the many small moving parts into a handful of core principles and themes. Not least, the idea of an 'acceleration' of modern warfare, that puts immense pressure on everyone from war fighters to national decision makers. You'll come away with a much stronger sense of what western miltiaries' expect future war to look like through this book.
How then should we respond to such a changing picture of war? Ryan's answer, in common with much of the broader academic and military literature, is that we too must be ready to change. Not in a national policy sense (an area he's careful to avoid commenting on too directly), but rather in our adaptiveness and willingness to innovate and enable rapid change within our armed forces and society. We do not know what the future exactly holds, or how the myriad of new technology is best used, and so must be open to experimenting and evolving how we approach war and security if we are to remain secure.
Such a step is more of a mental than physical shift. A change in culture rather than just processes. What really helps distinguish this book is the final 1/4 where Ryan expands on a theme he is passionate about: education. All western armed forces are likely to be outnumbered by their adversaries, and with equipment that may not be substantively better. This is particularly true for secondary states such as Australia. As such, the edge we can achieve may be intellectual rather than material. Hence, the way each soldier (and arguably future policymakers) are developed and supported in becoming their best selves is going to be a crucial challenge for maintaining security, preventing unnecessary conflicts, and knowing how best to prosecute them when required.
Ryan doesn't try to tell one single story about war's transformation. Instead, this book is more in line with the 'principles of war' style of analysis. There's a lot of lists of seven of this, or five of those. This is a popular approach, and one which can work well for quickly communicating a range of complex issues. The downside is it limits the space to really grapple with a few central ideas. For instance, deep within the book Ryan offers one of the more nuanced takes on the issue of tempo as relative i've seen. Yet much of the time the book seems to imply that more speed is always and everywhere a good thing. I'd also have liked more than a short epilogue on the idea that war's transformation is going to its underlying nature and not just the visible character. That could have helped set the broader context of how important the changes of our time really are.
Overall, if you're looking to better understand the issues that professional militaries' around the world are focused on, or want a grasp of how the use of armed force is changing, this is a very readable, well referenced and engaging analysis.
June 28, 2022
Natural skepticism pervades my consciousness when I learn a new book on military strategy and transformation hits the bookshelves. I mean, professional military libraries are already crowded with such titles, and you can only slice and dice the topic in so many ways! However, that notion would be absolutely wrong with the publication of retired Australian Army Major General Mick Ryan’s new work, War Transformed: The Future of Twenty-First Century Great Power Competition and Conflict. In all humility, I should know a bit about what ‘right’ looks like in this respect as I am a career educated, trained and practiced military strategist myself. And so is Mick Ryan. Having the consummate education and operational experiences one might expect of a military strategist, Ryan commanded at all levels, and graduated from the US Marine Corps Command and Staff College (as a Distinguished Graduate), The Marine Corps’ School of Advanced Warfare, the Johns Hopkins University School of Advanced International Studies with a Master of International Public Policy (with distinction), and commanded the Australian Defence College to cap off his career—amongst numerous other accolades.
Ryan’s book sets the context for warfare today, bridges those notions to the future through a lens of competition and conflict, lays the groundwork for the strategic environment of military actors and ideas, then hits the point home that professional military people make the whole system work and are the vital catalyst for the transformation. Ryan’s grasp and credibility to write such a work is both timely and necessary because it captures our imagination concisely and draws from his extensive experience and knowledge learned in the classroom, the battlefield, but just as importantly from his own personal curiosity and interest. This latter point—a focus in the last chapter—should not be underestimated as professional military education provides point experiences of relatively short duration (a year or less) and Ryan contends—rightly so—that lifelong learning in the discipline not only transforms the individual but is the very substance that makes strategies, institutions, technologies, and new concepts of warfare actionable.
One of the most impressive aspects of this book is how Ryan uses a vast array of sources, experts, and their writings to solidify his arguments. By touching upon long-dead military theorists like Carl von Clausewitz and Antoine Jomini, and the likes of John Boyd, Sun Tzu, and (also impressively) Qiao Liang and Wang Xiangsui (if you don’t know them you should start by reading Unrestricted Warfare). There are many other experts he draws from, too.
Ryan packages his ideas about people, ideas and technology as a force to better understand the enduring nature of, and changing character of, war. In doing so he posits that globalization and the forces that drive it have led, and will continue to lead, to increased competition and conflict not only between militaries but the nation states that fund and support them. What will distinguish the leaders in these competitions will be how people who are professionally (and self) educated take existing ideas and technologies, new technologies and evolve them into new warfighting strategies and concepts.
This book should become part of all war college curricula across the world, as well as being read and studied by broader national security professionals as it is not only very readable, its insights will spark the necessary debates and discussions in the classrooms as well as around the defense and military establishments water coolers for years to come.
Ryan’s book sets the context for warfare today, bridges those notions to the future through a lens of competition and conflict, lays the groundwork for the strategic environment of military actors and ideas, then hits the point home that professional military people make the whole system work and are the vital catalyst for the transformation. Ryan’s grasp and credibility to write such a work is both timely and necessary because it captures our imagination concisely and draws from his extensive experience and knowledge learned in the classroom, the battlefield, but just as importantly from his own personal curiosity and interest. This latter point—a focus in the last chapter—should not be underestimated as professional military education provides point experiences of relatively short duration (a year or less) and Ryan contends—rightly so—that lifelong learning in the discipline not only transforms the individual but is the very substance that makes strategies, institutions, technologies, and new concepts of warfare actionable.
One of the most impressive aspects of this book is how Ryan uses a vast array of sources, experts, and their writings to solidify his arguments. By touching upon long-dead military theorists like Carl von Clausewitz and Antoine Jomini, and the likes of John Boyd, Sun Tzu, and (also impressively) Qiao Liang and Wang Xiangsui (if you don’t know them you should start by reading Unrestricted Warfare). There are many other experts he draws from, too.
Ryan packages his ideas about people, ideas and technology as a force to better understand the enduring nature of, and changing character of, war. In doing so he posits that globalization and the forces that drive it have led, and will continue to lead, to increased competition and conflict not only between militaries but the nation states that fund and support them. What will distinguish the leaders in these competitions will be how people who are professionally (and self) educated take existing ideas and technologies, new technologies and evolve them into new warfighting strategies and concepts.
This book should become part of all war college curricula across the world, as well as being read and studied by broader national security professionals as it is not only very readable, its insights will spark the necessary debates and discussions in the classrooms as well as around the defense and military establishments water coolers for years to come.
February 7, 2023
Occasional sparkles of insight and originality nearly drowned in drone of must/should i.e. writing as inspiring as many of the official doctrines of war and warfighting
March 31, 2025
"War Transformed: The Future of Twenty-First-Century Great Power Competition and Conflict" by Mick Ryan is an intense and broad exploration of the evolving nature of warfare in our era. Written by an experienced Australian military officer, the book is both comprehensive and accessible, making it a worthy contribution to military scholarship. Ryan dives deep into the interplay of strategy, technology, and human factors that shape modern conflicts, offering readers a global perspective on how nations compete and confront one another in increasingly complex environments.
One of the book's greatest strengths lies in its ability to balance historical analysis with forward-looking insights. Ryan uses succinct historical examples to illustrate how past trends inform future possibilities, crafting scenarios that feel both plausible and unsettling. His discussion of emerging technologies and their integration into military strategy is particularly compelling, as he highlights how advancements in areas like artificial intelligence and cyber capabilities could redefine the battlefield.
Ryan’s emphasis on the human dimension of warfare is another highlight. He argues convincingly that cognitive breakthroughs—rather than purely technological ones—have historically been the most transformative for military effectiveness. His focus on informal education and personal study as critical tools for military professionals adds depth to his argument, making a strong case to rethink how we prepare for war.
While "War Transformed" identifies key themes that will shape future conflicts, some readers may find its lack of definitive solutions frustrating. Ryan acknowledges this critique upfront, suggesting that the complexity of modern warfare defies simple answers. (I agree!) Instead, Ryan invites readers to engage deeply with the questions he poses, fostering a more thoughtful and nuanced approach to understanding conflict.
"War Transformed" is an essential read for anyone interested in military strategy, international relations, or the future of global security. Its blend of rigorous research - Ryan is clearly well read in the subject of warfare - and accessible writing ensures the book appeals to both academic audiences and more general readers. Ryan’s ability to challenge conventional wisdom while grounding his arguments in well-established scholarship makes this book a valuable addition to any library concerned with the dynamics of twenty-first-century warfare.
One of the book's greatest strengths lies in its ability to balance historical analysis with forward-looking insights. Ryan uses succinct historical examples to illustrate how past trends inform future possibilities, crafting scenarios that feel both plausible and unsettling. His discussion of emerging technologies and their integration into military strategy is particularly compelling, as he highlights how advancements in areas like artificial intelligence and cyber capabilities could redefine the battlefield.
Ryan’s emphasis on the human dimension of warfare is another highlight. He argues convincingly that cognitive breakthroughs—rather than purely technological ones—have historically been the most transformative for military effectiveness. His focus on informal education and personal study as critical tools for military professionals adds depth to his argument, making a strong case to rethink how we prepare for war.
While "War Transformed" identifies key themes that will shape future conflicts, some readers may find its lack of definitive solutions frustrating. Ryan acknowledges this critique upfront, suggesting that the complexity of modern warfare defies simple answers. (I agree!) Instead, Ryan invites readers to engage deeply with the questions he poses, fostering a more thoughtful and nuanced approach to understanding conflict.
"War Transformed" is an essential read for anyone interested in military strategy, international relations, or the future of global security. Its blend of rigorous research - Ryan is clearly well read in the subject of warfare - and accessible writing ensures the book appeals to both academic audiences and more general readers. Ryan’s ability to challenge conventional wisdom while grounding his arguments in well-established scholarship makes this book a valuable addition to any library concerned with the dynamics of twenty-first-century warfare.
August 23, 2022
Excellent work! Making military institutions more agile and willing to adjust to changing circumstances will be a challenge.
August 28, 2022
Summary: Expansive book exploring trends and trajectory of war in the 21st Century. Author identifies the core idea of the book being that despite massive advances in technology it will remain the combination of new ideas and organizations by people that will create decisive military advantage. In other words while technology matters it is humans and will that remain decisive to the outcome of competition and conflict in the 21st century. Worthy read for those interested in thinking about the future of national security and military conflict.
A few of the more important highlights below:
- Humans and ideas remain central to military advantage and while technology matters it is how technology is employed and the innovation it supports that creates decisive advantage
- Material (and technology) matter but will and human ingenuity will continue to decide the outcomes of war
- With scale and scope of change strategists face it is important to remember Colin Gray’s point that “Strategist’s must be right enough to enable us to survive perils of today while being ready to cope strategically with crisis and perils of tomorrow” - also dont be more wrong then adversary
- Reminds the readers that wars are political and filled with chance, uncertainty, and friction - nature of war is defined by interaction of opposing wills, violence, and political motivation
- Addresses continuities and profound changes in warfare - warns that entering a new era of warfare and competition that will involve large-scale conventional forces, massed use of autonomous systems, and wide-scale use of tools of influence.
- Warns that democratic nations have largely forgotten the art of strategic influence - will be critical in era of increased competition
- Author provides a framework for generating strategic effectiveness in the 21st century that emphasizes the importance of aligning strategy, creating information advantage, winning intellectual competition, ability to engage with civilian and academic in collaborative way to generate military advantage, and long-term sustainability of military institutions
A few of the more important highlights below:
- Humans and ideas remain central to military advantage and while technology matters it is how technology is employed and the innovation it supports that creates decisive advantage
- Material (and technology) matter but will and human ingenuity will continue to decide the outcomes of war
- With scale and scope of change strategists face it is important to remember Colin Gray’s point that “Strategist’s must be right enough to enable us to survive perils of today while being ready to cope strategically with crisis and perils of tomorrow” - also dont be more wrong then adversary
- Reminds the readers that wars are political and filled with chance, uncertainty, and friction - nature of war is defined by interaction of opposing wills, violence, and political motivation
- Addresses continuities and profound changes in warfare - warns that entering a new era of warfare and competition that will involve large-scale conventional forces, massed use of autonomous systems, and wide-scale use of tools of influence.
- Warns that democratic nations have largely forgotten the art of strategic influence - will be critical in era of increased competition
- Author provides a framework for generating strategic effectiveness in the 21st century that emphasizes the importance of aligning strategy, creating information advantage, winning intellectual competition, ability to engage with civilian and academic in collaborative way to generate military advantage, and long-term sustainability of military institutions
January 8, 2023
An interesting read, I rate 3.5 stars. I found the second part of the book much more engaging than the first one.
Some notes
---------
- AI and AGI, humans in the loop
- Supply chain control
- Disinformation
We don't know what is war and what isn't.
- combat-space is shrinking, war-space is expanding
Strategic decisions are more important than tactical ones. Tactical mistakes can be corrected swiftly, while strategic ones can have very long lasting effects.
Information warfare
- the internet is now a battlefield
- because the barrier of entry for such warfare is very low - assume everyone does it
- successful military institutions **must** be able to leverage information
-
Jeffrey Blamey:
- It is doubtful that since the 1700s wars were started with the belief they'd be a long war.
- no wars are unintended or accidental
- what is often unintended: the length and bloodshed of war
- wars are usually more expensive than what the belligerents thought
The institution must be a learning organization + foster creativity at all levels.
Emphasize decentralized control and give people what they need to decide and act autonomously.
Military actions are a means to an end. If you don't understand the end, no means will accomplish it. Then you're just involved in slaughter.
OODA loop:
- observe
- orient
- decide
- act
Organizational learning disability
- check whether your org has it
- make necessary changes
Good leadership is a core part of a successful military institution.
**System3 thinking**: fusion of biological and artificial intelligence (term coined by Frank Hoffman, nicely done!)
Progression of a military trainee:
- Generics
- Each stage must be additive.
- gotta become an expert in at least one area
1. Build a professional foundation
- learn to learn
- to express thoughts
- ethics
- develop technological literacy
- cooperation with robotic systems
- instill discipline
- physical and mental fitness
2. Develop tactical mastery
- understand purpose and procedures of joint integrated operations
- sharpen leadership skills
- learn to convince others to do challenging things
- learn to trust those you lead
- learn from failure
3. Operational artist
- gain experience in higher level joint ops
- move above the tactical level -> operational
- operational level: links tactical application of force to national strategic objectives
- determine how, when, where and for what purpose military forces will be employed
- think of ways to improve your own institution
4. Nascent strategist
- think strategically, understand policy and use influence
- even sharper tech literacy + understanding trends
- understand organization theory, institution culture theory, change management methodologies
- facilitate change and innovation
- intellectual humility to acknowledge that we always learn, even when you're in the highest positions in the hierarchy
5. National security leader
- influence and implement national strategy, holistically
- design and maintain an effective joint force
- advise political leaders to align strategic goals
- integrate your objectives with those of your allies
- must know how to win
- define criteria for success
# Leverage sci-fi
- the Canadian defense force was among the first institutions to hire sci-fi writers to come up with "exotic" scenarios (and do it openly)
- Karl Schröder was commissioned to write "Crisis in Zefra?" to illustrate emerging concepts that might become part of the Canadian forces in the future
- 2013, "war stories from the future" by August Cull - to examine future conflicts through the lens of sci-fi
- 2016, similar project by US marine corps
- 2018, Australian defense College did something similar
- 2019, France builds a red team to come up with scenarios of disruption
- Peter w. Singer + August cull - > "ghost fleet", "burn in".
Benefits of sci-fi
- changes the paradigm and makes you think of things that aren't part of your regular experience
- broadens the mind
- makes you think of something other than current events or history
- inspire and nurture creativity
# learning
- Continuous
- remote should be a first class option (in a post-covid era)
-
## augmented cognition
- brain-computer interface
- crowd-driven cognition
- adaptive learning system
- Cognitive load and performance
- ai extenders (no autonomy for the AI)
5 PRIORITIES
- enhanced memory
- attention and search
- comprehension and expression
- planning and executing activities
- meta cognition
None of the above have any ethical issues, since there is no AI making decisions, it is 100% human driven.
# key points
- war will remain human-centric and human-driven
- ensure military actions are aligned with the political course of the country
- not every national security issue has a military solution
- practice interop with allies
- continuous training
- learn to rapidly adapt new technologies and practices at "the speed of need" (not the "speed of committee")
- the surprise element will continue to be critical, since humans will continue to be humans
- humans need to stay in the loop
- understand how other cultures see war, to better understand enemies and allies alike
Some notes
---------
- AI and AGI, humans in the loop
- Supply chain control
- Disinformation
We don't know what is war and what isn't.
- combat-space is shrinking, war-space is expanding
Strategic decisions are more important than tactical ones. Tactical mistakes can be corrected swiftly, while strategic ones can have very long lasting effects.
Information warfare
- the internet is now a battlefield
- because the barrier of entry for such warfare is very low - assume everyone does it
- successful military institutions **must** be able to leverage information
-
Jeffrey Blamey:
- It is doubtful that since the 1700s wars were started with the belief they'd be a long war.
- no wars are unintended or accidental
- what is often unintended: the length and bloodshed of war
- wars are usually more expensive than what the belligerents thought
The institution must be a learning organization + foster creativity at all levels.
Emphasize decentralized control and give people what they need to decide and act autonomously.
Military actions are a means to an end. If you don't understand the end, no means will accomplish it. Then you're just involved in slaughter.
OODA loop:
- observe
- orient
- decide
- act
Organizational learning disability
- check whether your org has it
- make necessary changes
Good leadership is a core part of a successful military institution.
**System3 thinking**: fusion of biological and artificial intelligence (term coined by Frank Hoffman, nicely done!)
Progression of a military trainee:
- Generics
- Each stage must be additive.
- gotta become an expert in at least one area
1. Build a professional foundation
- learn to learn
- to express thoughts
- ethics
- develop technological literacy
- cooperation with robotic systems
- instill discipline
- physical and mental fitness
2. Develop tactical mastery
- understand purpose and procedures of joint integrated operations
- sharpen leadership skills
- learn to convince others to do challenging things
- learn to trust those you lead
- learn from failure
3. Operational artist
- gain experience in higher level joint ops
- move above the tactical level -> operational
- operational level: links tactical application of force to national strategic objectives
- determine how, when, where and for what purpose military forces will be employed
- think of ways to improve your own institution
4. Nascent strategist
- think strategically, understand policy and use influence
- even sharper tech literacy + understanding trends
- understand organization theory, institution culture theory, change management methodologies
- facilitate change and innovation
- intellectual humility to acknowledge that we always learn, even when you're in the highest positions in the hierarchy
5. National security leader
- influence and implement national strategy, holistically
- design and maintain an effective joint force
- advise political leaders to align strategic goals
- integrate your objectives with those of your allies
- must know how to win
- define criteria for success
# Leverage sci-fi
- the Canadian defense force was among the first institutions to hire sci-fi writers to come up with "exotic" scenarios (and do it openly)
- Karl Schröder was commissioned to write "Crisis in Zefra?" to illustrate emerging concepts that might become part of the Canadian forces in the future
- 2013, "war stories from the future" by August Cull - to examine future conflicts through the lens of sci-fi
- 2016, similar project by US marine corps
- 2018, Australian defense College did something similar
- 2019, France builds a red team to come up with scenarios of disruption
- Peter w. Singer + August cull - > "ghost fleet", "burn in".
Benefits of sci-fi
- changes the paradigm and makes you think of things that aren't part of your regular experience
- broadens the mind
- makes you think of something other than current events or history
- inspire and nurture creativity
# learning
- Continuous
- remote should be a first class option (in a post-covid era)
-
## augmented cognition
- brain-computer interface
- crowd-driven cognition
- adaptive learning system
- Cognitive load and performance
- ai extenders (no autonomy for the AI)
5 PRIORITIES
- enhanced memory
- attention and search
- comprehension and expression
- planning and executing activities
- meta cognition
None of the above have any ethical issues, since there is no AI making decisions, it is 100% human driven.
# key points
- war will remain human-centric and human-driven
- ensure military actions are aligned with the political course of the country
- not every national security issue has a military solution
- practice interop with allies
- continuous training
- learn to rapidly adapt new technologies and practices at "the speed of need" (not the "speed of committee")
- the surprise element will continue to be critical, since humans will continue to be humans
- humans need to stay in the loop
- understand how other cultures see war, to better understand enemies and allies alike
October 30, 2024
useful for the biblographies
...........
From the wild Amazone
Promising start - weaker at the back
At the beginning, the book impresses with a very good foundation and a comprehensive review of the available specialist literature. Chapter Three in particular is worth reading with a view to developing your own thoughts and concepts. After that, however, the book becomes extremely repetitive and gets lost in common places.
Christian, Germany
//////
Fell short of expectations
I wanted to like this book. I liked White Star War and know General Ryan is well regarded in the military’s thought leadership. This book fell well short of expectations.
here are some points
First, the book is 100 pages too long. The writing was not precise and the fluff distracted from the flow of the book.
Second, other than the mediocre writing there is not much original in the book.
In fact most of the book is a survey of others works.
Third, the author claims that the book is targeted to junior military officers but the author spends a lot of time explaining basic geopolitical concepts that hopefully all military officer should have covered by the time they are leading troops.
Fourth, the book is boring. Concepts are discussed but not really described or applied.
I am sure General Ryan is a great military officer but he not much of a writer. I think he has been corrupted by the writing style of the military academic community which consistently falls short to write to general audiences. Pass on this book and pick up Singer or McFate.
Florida Man
[Note: not really enthused by Ryan or McFate]
//////
...........
From the wild Amazone
Promising start - weaker at the back
At the beginning, the book impresses with a very good foundation and a comprehensive review of the available specialist literature. Chapter Three in particular is worth reading with a view to developing your own thoughts and concepts. After that, however, the book becomes extremely repetitive and gets lost in common places.
Christian, Germany
//////
Fell short of expectations
I wanted to like this book. I liked White Star War and know General Ryan is well regarded in the military’s thought leadership. This book fell well short of expectations.
here are some points
First, the book is 100 pages too long. The writing was not precise and the fluff distracted from the flow of the book.
Second, other than the mediocre writing there is not much original in the book.
In fact most of the book is a survey of others works.
Third, the author claims that the book is targeted to junior military officers but the author spends a lot of time explaining basic geopolitical concepts that hopefully all military officer should have covered by the time they are leading troops.
Fourth, the book is boring. Concepts are discussed but not really described or applied.
I am sure General Ryan is a great military officer but he not much of a writer. I think he has been corrupted by the writing style of the military academic community which consistently falls short to write to general audiences. Pass on this book and pick up Singer or McFate.
Florida Man
[Note: not really enthused by Ryan or McFate]
//////
September 5, 2025
In 2020, the book relates at the beginning, during a conflict along the India-China border in the Galwan Valley of Ladakh, Indian and Chinese soldiers fought with sticks, stones, and their bare hands, resulting in the deaths of Indian soldiers and four Chinese soldiers. The June 2020 clash was the first deadly confrontation between the two nations in nearly 60 years, with both sides using improvised weapons to avoid using firearms, a measure agreed upon in 1996 to prevent escalation building on practices of shooting-free violence on the Line of Actual Control begun in 1962. I guess the point is warfare practices can be unexpected. This book sees the role of AI and autonomous systems like drones and the general changing landscape of warfare. Apparently fully grokked by China is the observation that the realm of combat has shrunk, but that of war has enlarged. Think cyberspace and other actions.
June 4, 2024
Great power rivalry and competition are changing with the new technology and information age. Ryan compares past moments of change to highlight the challenges and opportunities for military leaders in this new environment.
Why I started this book: Noticed this week that there's a new CNO Professional Reading list for 2024, and I eagerly downloaded an audio of one of the new titles.
Why I finished it: Ryan explores the line between war and great power competition. He argues that with the change in technology, that line is getting blurrier. That military leaders will need to increase their communication skills as they work in joint military theaters and with allies. He also stressed the need to increase, train for and promote leaders that can adapt quickly.
Why I started this book: Noticed this week that there's a new CNO Professional Reading list for 2024, and I eagerly downloaded an audio of one of the new titles.
Why I finished it: Ryan explores the line between war and great power competition. He argues that with the change in technology, that line is getting blurrier. That military leaders will need to increase their communication skills as they work in joint military theaters and with allies. He also stressed the need to increase, train for and promote leaders that can adapt quickly.
November 25, 2023
I appreciated the perspective delivered from this Australian military Officer. Although I believe I would of heard similar sentiments from many of his American contemporaries his delivery and perspective was slightly different which added a unique perspective. I agreed with every sentiment in the book but I am skeptical that the big DoD ship can change course fast enough to apply the must adopt recommendations.
It does get a little encyclopedic at points in the book, but I just skimmed those sections and focused on the substance.
Ryan articulated the importance of continuous learning and any Officer or strategist committed to continuous learning should read this book.
It does get a little encyclopedic at points in the book, but I just skimmed those sections and focused on the substance.
Ryan articulated the importance of continuous learning and any Officer or strategist committed to continuous learning should read this book.
September 13, 2023
Does any book come out at the right time? This one appeared one week before Russian invaded the Ukraine. If it had been published even six months later, i think the author would have modified some of its content.
I was disappointed it did not spend a bit more time on the economic and demographic issues facing countries like Russia and China. And what would General Ryan have said about BTG effectiveness in this Ukraine War?
But it is a well conceived and thought provoking text. I hope our current and future military and political leaders are reading it...
I was disappointed it did not spend a bit more time on the economic and demographic issues facing countries like Russia and China. And what would General Ryan have said about BTG effectiveness in this Ukraine War?
But it is a well conceived and thought provoking text. I hope our current and future military and political leaders are reading it...
January 16, 2025
I wish the author had followed their own prescription for military leaders to communicate clearly, succinctly, and in plain English, and this book would have benefited from thorough editing (typos and clunky sentences). That being said, this book is excellently researched and reasoned. If you are neither presently nor aspiring to be a military leader, then I think you could probably skip or skim the last two chapters.
October 1, 2025
If you just read the introduction and the conclusion you'd basically gather all you need to know. It doesn't delve very deeply into the points it makes, just throws in random quotes and history lessons. I didn't really enjoy reading this book, although it does offer some small, useful insights on war's past present and future.
April 16, 2023
I genuinely think there are glimmers of insightful advice for policymakers. However, I find that at times the book takes a laborious and at times repetitive approach in building up to a particular point.
July 11, 2023
If you are looking for the cliff notes for a year of command and general staff college this book is for you. Mick Ryan is an Australian Army officer that attended the US Marine Corp Command and Staff College.
October 31, 2023
A useful summation of much of the contemporary discussion on current and future trends in war. First three chapters reads like a very long staff college essay, second half of the book is more interesting and speculative. Do 5 pushups every time you read “in the future” or “should/must” statements.
June 30, 2024
A much drier discussion of policy rather than a technical/tactical/strategic outlook which is what I anticipated. Several more wonkish sections in the later chapters dragged a bit, but over all the author kept th premise moving and provided sound recommendations and analysis.
May 2, 2025
Phenomenal read. This book does much more than describe the changing character of war. It provides a guide for how to transform to meet the challenges inherent with these changes from technology to leadership and everything in between.
January 2, 2023
The book is a good bridge between past experiences and future challenges. The author underlines the necessary investment in people.
August 23, 2023
Very thorough analysis of historical, current and future trends in war. Should be required reading for anyone in our military service....
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