In this essay for The Free Press, Elliot Ackerman argues that the United States is not prepared for the realities of modern war.
Drawing on lessons from World War II and recent reporting from Ukraine, Ackerman examines how low-cost drones, industrial capacity, and rapid battlefield innovation are challenging America’s reliance on expensive, high-end weapons systems.
Drones and the Changing Battlefield
Ackerman points to Ukraine, where inexpensive drones have destroyed costly tanks, reshaped naval warfare in the Black Sea, and revealed the limits of legacy military platforms in a high-intensity conflict.
Industrial Capacity and National Security
The essay compares America’s current position to Germany during World War II: capable of producing exquisite technology, but vulnerable if it cannot manufacture enough of what war requires at scale.
Preparing for Future War
At its center, the essay warns that quality alone will not be enough in a conflict with peer adversaries. Quantity, speed, production capacity, and defense acquisition reform will matter just as much.