War Transformed: The Future of Twenty-First-Century Great Power Competition and Conflict provides insights for those involved in the design of military strategy, and the forces that must execute that strategy. Emphasizing the impacts of technology, new era strategic competition, demography, and climate change, Mick Ryan uses historical as well as contemporary anecdotes throughout the book to highlight key challenges faced by nations in a new era of great power rivalry. Just as previous industrial revolutions have advanced societies, the nascent fourth industrial revolution will have a similar impact on how humans fight, compete, and build military power in the twenty-first century.
After reviewing the principle catalysts of change in the security environment, War Transformed seeks to provide a preview of the shape of war and competition in the twenty-first century. Ryan examines both the shifting character of war and its enduring nature. In doing so, he proposes important trends in warfare that will shape all aspects of human competition and conflict in the coming decades.
The remainder of the book analyzes how military institutions must prepare for future competition and conflict. Competing and engaging in combat in this new era involves new and evolved strategies and warfighting concepts, as well as adapting our current military organizations. It will also demand building an intellectual edge in military personnel through evolved concepts of training, education, and development. As the competitive environment and potential battlefields continue to change, conceptions of combat, competition and conflict must also evolve. Mick Ryan makes the case for transforming how Western military institutions view war in this century.
About the Author
Mick Ryan is a recently retired Major General in the Australian army, and an adjunct fellow at the Center for Strategic and International Studies. During his military career, he commanded at platoon, squadron, regiment, task force, and brigade levels in the Australian Army. A graduate of Johns Hopkins University School of Advanced International Studies, the USMC Command and Staff College and School of Advanced Warfare, he is an experienced strategist having worked at high levels in this capacity in the Australian and US militaries. He is also a passionate advocate of professional education and lifelong learning.
Industry Reviews
“War Transformed is scholarly and stimulating, while being accessible and unafraid to look at the big picture. It is supported by footnotes and an extensive bibliography…. One of its useful aspects is concise outlines of various current debates in strategic issues. Ryan writes clearly, and his calling out of the faddish buzzwords and abstractions pervading security discourse, creating an exclusive language, is well suited to the need for public understanding and buy-in. There is no shortage of futurological studies of warfare, but this is a worthy addition to the genre, a valuable and timely book, handsomely produced, and definitely recommended.”
