On October 7, 2023, Hamas launched an unprecedentedly sophisticated attack on Israel. Using thousands of rockets as cover, Hamas ground forces over-ran Israeli security forces, entered Israel, and rolled through Israeli communities, committing unspeakable atrocities to civilians and taking hostages back to Gaza. Reeling from the loss of life, Israel once again finds itself at war and posturing for an operation, the scope and scale of which is beyond any it has launched in recent decades.

On October 12, 2023 CNAS hosted a virtual event featuring a discussion with Danny Citrinowicz, Research Fellow of the Institute for National Security Studies, Jonathan Lord, Senior Fellow and Director of the Middle East Security Program at CNAS, and Carrie Cordero, Robert M. Gates Senior Fellow at CNAS, hosted by Richard Fontaine, Chief Executive Officer of CNAS.

Check out all past and upcoming events at cnas.org/events 

Pillar 2 of the trilateral agreement AUKUS is focused on cooperative actions between the three nations to develop advanced defense capabilities, which are critical to the balance of power in future strategic competition with China.

AUKUS Pillar 2's potential for establishing and maintaining advantages in critical technology areas can only be fulfilled if the alliance can demonstrate progress and overcome barriers to cooperation. As strategic competition continues to intensify, what can we expect from AUKUS Pillar 2 cooperation and emerging technologies? And how is Australia developing a technological edge the Indo-Pacific?

On September 20th, the Center for a New American Security hosted Professor Tanya Monro, Australia's Chief Defence Scientist, in conversation with Becca Wasser to discuss the latest developments and challenges under AUKUS Pillar 2. This conversation is part of the CNAS Mission Brief speaker series, which features deep-diving discussions with the military and civilian leaders driving future U.S. and allied defense strategy. You can watch past Mission Briefs, and find out about upcoming ones, at cnas.org/events

This podcast is a production of the Center for a New American Security, this episode was produced and edited by Anna Pederson, with assistance from Charles Horn. 

The Defense Industrial Base, or DIB, is a complex network that provides the U.S. department of defense with materials, products, and services to aid warfighting capabilities and business operations. Entities within the DIB can help produce anything from an aircraft to IT support, and relies on logistics planning, a healthy supply chain, and allocated funding to meet its goals.

The war in Ukraine has raised questions about weaknesses in industrial capacity and readiness as demand rapidly increases. Dr. William LaPlante, the under secretary of defense for acquisition and sustainment overseas matters related to the DIB. He joined CNAS to discuss challenges in procurement with Dr. Stacie Pettyjohn. You can find out about all past and upcoming CNAS conversations by going to cnas.org/events. 

Last week, the White House released an executive order detailing a ban on U.S. private-equity and venture-capital investments in some Chinese technology companies that have potential military applications. To break down the executive order and discuss what’s in, what’s out, and what it all means for investors and companies, CNAS hosted a special event with the Atlantic Council’s Geoeconomics Center.

The conversation was moderated by Emily Kilcrease, senior fellow and director of the Energy, Economics, and Security Program at CNAS. She was joined by Sarah Bauerle Danzman, Senior Fellow, at the Atlantic Council, Peter Harrell, Nonresident Fellow at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, and Eric Sayers, Managing Director at Beacon Global Industries.

To learn more, read the latest commentary from CNAS Responds.

CNAS Live is a production of the Center for a New American Security, bringing the center’s public events to a podcast audience.

The show is produced by Anna Pederson and Charles Horn, with design help with Melody Cook and Rinn Rothback.