How do armies adapt as tech surges and geopolitics destabilise? Leo Blanken from the US Naval Postgraduate School and JP Clark from the US Army War College, contributors to Storm Proofing: Preparing Armies for a Future War from CHACR, out this week, share insights. With the world less safe, this book unites fifteen UK, US, and European experts to prepare for an unpredictable storm. Storm Proofing probes how armies approach war, how soldiers think, and how these human elements mesh with AI and tech.

Drawing from Storm Proofing, we explore the 2020s, where AI, drones, and edge computing reshape warfare—from Ukraine’s drone units to US Navy’s Gulf patrols. Leo unpacks the human side of autonomous systems; JP examines organizing soldiers for all-domain operations, blending instincts with tech. This episode tackles 21st-century conflict.

Key moments

• 3:54 - The Rise of AI in Military Operations
• 7:23 - Integration Challenges in Modern Warfare
• 9:51 - Balancing Tradition and Technology
• 18:46 - Navigating Organisational Tensions
• 27:35 - The Complexity of International Alliances
• 45:08 - Preparing for Uncertain Futures
• 56:13 - Reflections on Military Evolution

Facing Coming Storms is brought to you by the British Army’s Centre for Historical Analysis and Conflict Research, in partnership with the Project for the Study of the 21st Century, and produced by Urban Podcasts.