DEFAERO Strategy Series [Jun 25, 26] Former Air Force Secretary Frank Kendall

The future of warfare hinges on the rapid integration of autonomous systems and artificial intelligence, as traditional military platforms face increasing obsolescence against peer competitors like China. Frank Kendall, former Air Force Secretary, argues that the U.S. military must move beyond incremental improvements to existing systems and instead embrace a fundamental shift toward uncrewed platforms that offer superior speed, lethality, and decision-making capabilities. While human oversight remains essential for accountability and compliance with the laws of armed conflict, machines will increasingly outperform humans in complex, high-intensity environments. Strategic success requires informed leadership to prioritize these technologies, navigate bureaucratic inertia, and ensure that military forces are organized around autonomous capabilities rather than legacy structures. Ultimately, the U.S. must proactively adapt its force structure to maintain deterrence in the Western Pacific, where space-based surveillance and long-range precision strikes have rendered traditional naval and air power increasingly vulnerable.