In your reading of the core text, War Transformed by Mick Ryan, what important theme
or themes do you recognize as critical to understanding Modern War? How do these
themes relate to concepts and themes you’ve discussed in other core courses during
your experience at the Naval War College?
Ryan’s book explores how technological advancements, capable leaders, and
emerging warfare strategies reshape modern military competition.1 All core courses in
Naval War College (NWC) discussed different aspects of the exact same themes. In the
Joint Military Course (JMO), there was an operational perspective to use them as a tool
to be more effective in the combat environment. Then, in the Strategy and Policy (SNP)
course, there was a cognitive swift to explore these themes in historical cases and
project them into today's reality. Finally, the National Security Decision Making (NSDM)
investigates how these themes can be used later in our careers when we become highrank officers and collaborate with civilian leaders and politicians.
Specifically, recurrent concepts are those of innovation and adaptation. From
the era of the Peloponnesian War, and especially later with Alexander the Great, there
was always one disrupting technology or new tactic that shaped the outcome. Nothing
truly changed from the Great Wall building that connected Athens with Piraeus and
made it unfeasible for the Spartans to besiege Athens to today’s unmanned systems. It
is the duty of military leaders to overcome unexpected adversities, unplanned events,
and logistic shortcomings within their assigned orders. They must be trained with
exceptional professionalism, like the planning knowledge that an officer acquires during
JMO classes.
Mick Ryan, War transformed: The future of twenty-first-century Great Power Competition and
conflict. Annapolis, MD: Naval Institute Press, 2022.
1
We have identified four primary themes: technology, adaptation, leadership,
and planning. Additionally, there is a supporting theme, mission command. Each of
these will be explored in detail below.
Leadership
Transformative leaders are the enablers of all these innovations. Inspiring
figures like Pericles and Napoleon were the reason behind renowned victories. They
could combine ways and means to reach the goal. First, they should have critical
thinking skills and creativity to produce novel ideas and best utilize available
resources.2 Second, they must learn from the past, identify mistakes, and extract
experience from them.3 Third, they should have long-term strategic planning and a
comprehensive vision.4 Let’s see them separately.
Advanced Thinking
War is a continuous process of exchanging tactics and information between
opposing forces. Military leaders must embrace self-reflection and extreme adaptability
to succeed. These principles align with the goals of the Leadership in the Profession of
Arms (LPA) course, where students are taught fundamental leadership skills and how to
think, retro-think, and reflect.5 Modeling this process for faster decision-making at the
operational level was my JMO paper’s topic. Nevertheless, one obvious omission in
NWC is the lack of reading and further insights regarding risk awareness and
management.6
Learn and Adapt
Ryan, 178-9.
Ryan, 190.
4
Ryan, 182-3.
5
The use of word think here is both critically and creatively. Retro-think is thinking in a
retrospective manner.
6
Ryan, 217.
2
3
The lessons learned during the war must be processed iteratively to extract
actionable insights. Following this, a mechanism should be established to implement
changes, marking the adaptation phase. Rayn’s proposal to establish this mentality at
the organizational level is valid, as bureaucratic inertia often builds up after prolonged
peace.7 By addressing this syndrome first at the systemic level, individual leaders are
more likely to follow suit, gradually shifting the organizational culture toward
adaptability and continuous improvement. SNP provided many case studies to exercise
this skill and acquire historic experience of both successful and failed examples.
In NSDM FPA-8 and FPA-9, the conflict between political and military leaders
during the planning process highlights a clash of expectations and cultures.8 Military
leaders often seek clear, detailed guidance on objectives, force allocation, and
strategic intent to plan effectively, while political leaders may view such demands as
rigid and lacking adaptability. This disconnect stems from differing organizational
cultures, promoting misunderstandings and inefficiencies. This example highlights how
difficult it is to frame the concept of adaptability in interagency interactions. As such,
each organization has a completely different definition related to its mission, but
cooperation is paramount.
Ryan also discusses counteradaptation, disrupting the enemy’s ability to
adapt.9 This topic was not mentioned using the same term but with a similar one:
information warfare or information operations. This was considered in Irregular Warfare
and Strategic Competition (WE-803), JMO-38, and SNP. The importance of information
warfare is well-established nowadays.
Strategic Planning
Ryan, 216-7.
Cloud, John A. and Nikolas K. Gvosdev. “A Very Slim Reed: From the Phrases of the Constitution
to the Theater Security Enterprise.” In Navigating the Theater Security Enterprise, 25–57.
Newport, RI: National Security Affairs Department, U.S. Naval War College, 2018.
9
Ryan, 159-63.
7
8
Military leaders must be trained to have a broader understanding of strategic
objectives and how diplomatic, political, and economic dimensions interact with
national security planning. This is the main topic of NSDM, which gives particular
emphasis to understanding U.S. decision-making dynamics at the strategic level.
Additionally, JMO-41 discussed how Interorganizational Cooperation is essential for
addressing complex, multidimensional challenges by promoting collaboration across
military, government, non-governmental, and civilian organizations. Also, JMO-24 and
JMO-25 discuss how policy shapes Strategic Guidance and, subsequently, how
Strategic Guidance influences Operational Planning.
Technology
Technology has a fair proportion to modern warfare. Without the atomic bomb,
the end of the war between Japan and the US would have lasted much longer. However,
the war was already on the US side because of its capacity to build new airplane carriers
fast and produce the technology needed for the Marines to get ashore as quickly as
possible with enhanced amphibious ships.
Sometimes, technology is built in advance to solve future war complexities,
such as China, which uses vessels as bridges to land forces on Taiwan’s beaches
quickly.10 AI and cybersecurity were usual topics in all courses, especially in the context
of Grey Zone warfare. Lectures about the mission and goals of US Space Command
were also provided. Finally, the use of AI was discussed in Perspectives on Modern
Warfare (PMW) during the AI Symposium.
Other times, technology was developed during the war, as seen during WWII and
in the contemporary Ukrainian Russian theater of operations. From V1 and V2 of WWII
to the ultrasonic “Oreshnik” and enhanced UAV platforms with increased lethality.
The Economist Newspaper. (2025, March 20). China is developing some startling new kit in its
quest to seize Taiwan. The Economist. https://www.economist.com/china/2025/03/20/china-isdeveloping-some-startling-new-kit-in-its-quest-to-seize-taiwan.
10
Besides the PMW, there is little discourse around new disruptive technologies, except
for some dedicated elective courses.
Mission Command
For military leaders to seize the opportunity, have the initiative, and be creative,
they must be given the margin to have the intention and the objective from the superior
command without being told exactly what to do. Thus, mission command empowers
subordinates to act independently within the framework of a senior leader's intent.11 It is
considered an indispensable tool to achieve operational success, especially in complex
and constantly evolving environments. This term was extensively discussed in JMO and
pervasive throughout the planning course. The same theme was explored in LPA when
Captain David Marquet's talk on Greatness was discussed.
Conclusion
War Transformed highlights themes that resonate across all core courses at the
NWC. The emphasis on leadership qualities, intellectual skills, adaptability, and
strategic planning showcases the critical attributes required to navigate the
complexities of modern military competition. Nevertheless, the book sometimes places
greater weight on the organizational aspects of military evolution, promoting joint force
integration, institutional adaptation, and bureaucratic reform as essential drivers of
military transformation. NWC is trying to advance these skills to an individual level for
each and every one of its students and is not focused on advocating changes to the
system as a whole.
11
Ryan, 178-9.