AY25 Integrated Research Project Topics

Futures Study Program Wargame

Lead: Dr. Greg Cantwell
gregory.cantwell@armywarcollege.edu

The Center for Strategic Leadership (CSL)

Focus: This IRP will research the latest challenges and advance thinking regarding future force structure, capabilities, operating concepts, and the challenges the defense community will be facing for the rest of the student’s careers.  Academic classes will focus on raising awareness prior to the wargame to understand the future trends and capabilities prior to application in the wargame. This IRP will culminate with Army Futures Command’s Futures Study Program Wargame event held in JAN 25 in Collins Hall. This is the Army’s look at the capabilities and operational concepts required for the Army of 2040 in Multidomain Operations.
This IRP will be for US Students and Faculty only and requires a SECRET clearance for participation.

Sponsor(s): Army Futures Command

The Military and Society, An Annual Survey

Lead: Dr. Carrie Lee
carrie.lee@armywarcollege.edu

Dept. of National Security and Strategy (DNSS)

Focus: Survey the American public to understand broad factors that influence Americans’ “propensity to serve” and willingness to advocate for military service. Final report will cover historical and contemporary perspectives on US Army recruiting and retention, and will support the USAWC Civil-Military Relations Center.

Sponsor(s): (tentative) OUSD Personnel and Readiness, Secretary of the Army

Facing 21st-Century Great Power War:
Foreseeing, Preparing For, Fighting, and Winnin

Lead: Dr. Larry Goodson

larry.goodson@armywarcollege.edu

Dept. of National Security and Strategy (DNSS)

​Focus: The first great power war of the twenty-first century has begun between the major powers of the world – the United States (US), China, and Russia. Yet almost no one calls it a war because our definition of war is obsolete. At its worst, a 21st-century great power war will be the most destructive and probably most consequential in world history, because of six factors that have combined to change war as mankind has come to know it. Based on these realities, this Integrated Research Project will answer the following general question: How can the United States prepare for and win a 21st-century great power war?  

Sponsor(s): Army Futures Command

Ukraine War Lessons Learned

Lead: Dr. John Nagl
john.nagl.civ@armywarcollege.edu
Dept. of Military Strategy, Planning, and Operations (DMSPO)

​Focus: Examine combat effectiveness of Russian and Ukrainian militaries in the current conflict across all warfighting functions. Aim will be to shape doctrine, training, and Professional Military Education of Army leaders.

Sponsor(s): G2, US Army Training and Doctrine Command

Strategic Competition in Africa

Leads:

Dr. Alex Marino
alexander.marino.civ@armywarcollege.edu
Dept. of National Security and Strategy (DNSS)

LTC Paul Milas
paul.milas@armywarcollege.edu
Strategic Studies Institute (SSI)

Focus: This IRP will focus on Strategic Competition on the African continent and examine the effectiveness of US foreign military assistance; focusing on how the US can better compete to achieve national security objectives. The outcome of this IRP will be a brief on the findings and research to the Sponsor and a book publication.

Sponsor(s): DASD for African Affairs

Advise Assist Enable
The History, Challenges, and Future of Security Force Advising

Lead: Dr. John Nagl
john.nagl.civ@armywarcollege.edu
Dept. of Military Strategy, Planning, and Operations (DMSPO)

​Focus: Examine the history, challenges, and future of Security Force Advising, with a focus on the US wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, the evolution of the Security Force Assistance Command and Brigades, and the future of Security Force Advising

Sponsor(s): J5, Joint Center for International Security Force Assistance

Deterring America's Major Adversaries: Russia, China, Iran, and North Korea

Lead: Dr. Antulio Echevarria
antulio.echevarria@armywarcollege.edu
USAWC Press 

​Focus: Examine the challenges and approaches to deterring a major conflict with America’s four major adversaries: Russia, China, Iran, and North Korea. The IRP structure allows students to write a chapter on a specific adversary or functional area (e.g., cyber or information operations) as a contribution to a product aimed at helping improve US deterrence efforts.

Sponsor(s): J5, Joint Operational War Plans Division

AY24 Integrated Research Project Topics

Strategic Landpower in the 21st Century

Lead: Dr. Greg Cantwell
gregory.cantwell@armywarcollege.edu

The Center for Strategic Leadership (CSL)

Focus: Landpower in Joint and Multi-Domain Operations (MDO) against a near-peer competitor. Future challenges to include: Homeland defense and all warfighting functions. Meets most graduation requirements. Findings to be briefed to senior leaders at the Strategic Landpower Symposium, 7-9 May 2024.

Sponsor(s): AUSA, DA G3/5/7, Army Futures Command, Mission Command COE
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The Military and Society, An Annual Survey

Lead: Dr. Carrie Lee
carrie.lee@armywarcollege.edu

Dept. of National Security and Strategy (DNSS)

Focus: Begin annual study of American society to understand broad factors that influence Americans’ “propensity to serve” and willingness to advocate for military service. Inaugural report will examine these correlations and set stage for analysis of the military and society to support the new Center for Civil-Military Relations at USAWC.

Sponsor(s): (tentative) OUSD Personnel and Readiness, Secretary of the Army

AI and Planning

Lead: Dr. Tony Pfaff
charles.pfaff@armywarcollege.edu
Strategic Studies Institute (SSI)
COL Chris Hickey (DMSPO)

Focus: Examine the role of AI in conducting planning for multi-MDO. AI can increase the speed of decision, learn about the operational environment, and increase the kinds of decisions it can facilitate. Drawing on lessons learned from 18th ABC’s Scarlet Dragon exercises, this project will address the optimal utility AI applications, human-machine teaming best practices, and machine-learning management.

Sponsor(s): 18th Airborne Corps
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Preparing for Protracted War with the PLA in the Indo-Pacific

Lead: Dr. Jerad Harper
jerad.harper@armywarcollege.edu
Dept. of Military Strategy, Planning, and Operations (DMSPO)

Focus: Examine the unique features of a protracted war in the Indo-Pacific.  What does it look like?  How do we prepare to fight and win a protracted conflict?  How can land forces generate options in conflict for policymakers and the joint force commander to expand the battlespace without nuclear escalation? What preparatory actions in campaigning enable these options?

Sponsor(s): Commanding General, US Army Pacific

Ukraine War Lessons Learned

Lead: Dr. John Nagl
john.nagl.civ@armywarcollege.edu
Dept. of Military Strategy, Planning, and Operations (DMSPO)

​Focus: Examine combat effectiveness of Russian and Ukrainian militaries in the current conflict across all warfighting functions. Aim will be to shape doctrine, training, and Professional Military Education of Army leaders.

Sponsor(s): G2, US Army Training and Doctrine Command
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AY23 Integrated Research Project Topics

Developing, Employing, and Retaining a Highly Technical Force

Lead: COL Chad Bates
chad.bates.mil@armywarcollege.edu

The Center for Strategic Leadership (CSL)

Focus: Study will focus on methods to improve how we Acquire, Develop, Employ, and Retain highly technical Soldiers and Civilians in different career fields like Cyber, Military Intelligence, Signal and those in assignments like the AI Task Force and DevOps Factory with Army Futures Command.  Will have access to existing data, create some new information, and utilize it to find recommendations for change – which will be included in papers and briefings to senior Army leadership.

Sponsor(s): US ARCYBER, Principle Cyber Advisor to SECARMY, Cyber COE

Leadership and Combat Power in Large Scale Combat Operations

Lead: Dr. John Nagl
john.nagl.civ@armywarcollege.edu
Co-Lead: Prof. Al Lord

Department of Military Strategy, Planning, and Operations (DMSPO)

Focus: Examine the influence of leadership on combat effectiveness in the Russian and Ukrainian militaries during the current conflict there, with a particular emphasis on how losses of senior leaders affect combat performance. The conflict will be viewed through the six US Army War Fighting Functions (mission command, movement & maneuver, intelligence, fires, sustainment, and protection). The primary focus of the study will be on learning lessons to influence the Professional Military Education of Army leaders, particularly with reference to their agility and ability to replace senior commanders lost in combat.

Sponsor(s): Commanding General, US Army Training and Doctrine Command

The Military and Society, An Annual Survey

Lead: Dr. Carrie Lee
carrie.lee@armywarcollege.edu
Co-Lead: Dr. Marybeth Ulrich

Department of National Security and Strategy (DNSS)

Focus: This IRP will begin an annual survey of American society that oversamples on veterans and military families, with the aim of understanding the broad factors that influence Americans’ “propensity to serve” and their willingness to advocate for military service. End product will be an inaugural report that aims to examine both immediate correlations between American public opinion and propensity to serve and set the stage for a longitudinal analysis that examines the relationship between the military and society.

Sponsor(s): Tentative: OUSD Personnel and Readiness, Secretary of the Army

Army Talent Management

Lead: Prof. Lou Yuengert louis.yuengert@armywarcollege.edu
Co-Lead: COL Thad Collard

Department of Command, Leadership, and Management (DCLM)

Focus: Talent Management is a priority for General McConville, Chief of Staff of the Army, and he stated, “The time is now to transform how we take care of our people”. This IRP will accept to 6 competitively selected USAWC students, who will work with the Army Talent Management Task Force and senior leaders (topic to be selected by groups). Information sessions will be held 23 and 24 August. If you are interested in an innovative and meaningful project helping the Army envision future Talent Management, then this project is for you.

Sponsor(s): Army Talent Management Task Force

Strategic Landpower in the 21st Century

Lead: Dr. Greg Cantwell
gregory.cantwell@armywarcollege.edu
Co-Lead: MAJ Justin Magula

The Center for Strategic Leadership (CSL)

Focus: Continues from AY22. This IRP will provide a broadened appreciation of the U.S. Army capability gaps especially at the Service component level and potential solutions. Primary focus will be on the Theater Army’s role in Multi-Domain Operations (MDO) against a near-peer competitor and gaps between authorities, roles, and resources that impact ability to successfully implement the National Defense Strategy. Will also address challenges for the Army’s role in Homeland Defense and Homeland Security. Findings of this IRP to be briefed at the Strategic Landpower Symposium, Carlisle, PA on 9-11 May 2023.

Sponsor(s): AUSA, DA G3/5/7, Army Futures Command, Mission Command COE

AY22 IRPs

The Application of Strategic Landpower in Cooperation and Competition

War Room Podcast, part 1 

War Room Podcast, part 2 

Watch the full video on YouTube 

Generalship at the National Strategic Level
Forthcoming

AI Literacy in Practice and in PME
Forthcoming

Strategy for National Security Emergencies
Forthcoming

Talent Management
Contact COL Thad Collard to request copies:
thad.collard@armywarcollege.edu

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AY21 IRPs

The Application of Strategic Landpower by the Theater Army
Watch on YouTube

Generalship at the National Strategic Level
Forthcoming

Rethinking Competition, Deterrence, and Army Readiness
Click here to download PDF

Strategy for National Security Emergencies
Forthcoming

Leading Science and Technology Development at the Strategic Level
Forthcoming

Talent Management
Contact COL Thad Collard to request copies:
thad.collard@armywarcollege.edu

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AY20 IRPs

Indo-Pacific Future Force Posture: Getting to 2028 and Beyond
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Global Threat Capabilities, Signatures, and Sensors
Contact Professor Kris Wheaton to request copies: kristan.wheaton@armywarcollege.edu

Estimation of Technology Convergence by 2035
Contact Professor Kris Wheaton to request copies: kristan.wheaton@armywarcollege.edu

Talent Management
Contact COL Thad Collard to request copies:
thad.collard@armywarcollege.edu

Theater Army in Multi-Domain Operations
Click here for PDF
Click here for our Podcast

Multi-Domain Operations Library Guide
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AY19 IRPs

An Army Transformed: Projecting Forward to beyond 2030 in the USPACOM AOR
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Striking the Balance: U.S. Army Force Posture in Europe, 2028
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Operational Framework to Enable Mission Command in all Domains of MDO
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What Kind of Army Does The Nation Need in 2035 And Beyond?
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AY18 IRPs

Contested Logistics

Contested Deployment
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Recommendations for Success in Afghanistan
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Friendly Force Dilemmas in Europe: Challenges Within and Among Intergovernmental Organizations and the Implications for the U.S. Army
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Hypercompetition

Game on or Game Over: Hypercompetition and Military Advantage

Hypercompetition and Transient Advantage (INDO-PACIFIC Series)

Game On: Hypercompetition and Advantage in the PACOM AoR Year I Out-Brief to the LANPAC Symposium

Expeditionary Wartime Sustainment

Lessons Learned on Supporting Expeditionary Maneuver

Sustainment in a Future Combat Environment

Working Smarter: Considerations for the Army Installations of the Future
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AY17 IRPs

Stabilization: A New Approach to Whole of Government Operational Planning and Execution
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Avoiding the Trap: U.S. Strategy and Policy for Competing in the Asia-Pacific Beyond the Rebalance
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Building Partner Capacity in Africa: Keys to Success
Click here for PDF

The Army’s Ability to Fight a Great Power War
Watch on YouTube

Rotational Deployments vs. Forward Stationing: How Can the Army Achieve Assurance and Deterrence Efficiently and Effectively?
Click here for PDF

Closer Than You Think: The Implications of the Third Offset Strategy for the U.S. Army
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At Our Own Peril: DoD Risk Assessment in a Post-Primacy World
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Elihu Root Study: The Total Army
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AY16 IRPs

U.S.-China Competition: Asia-Pacific Land Force Implications
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Outplayed: Regaining Strategic Initiative in the Gray Zone
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