<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Current and former military officials, along with representatives from the defense industrial base, are indicating that significant changes are necessary to maintain military readiness in the context of increasing use of drones, autonomy, and artificial intelligence.</p>
<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Dan Driscoll, a former Army secretary, highlighted Ukraine as a model for the U.S. military and defense industry. He noted that Ukraine's military developed new, cost-effective weapons to counter a larger military with advanced technology, particularly in light of their national survival.</p>
<p class="wp-block-paragraph">The emergence of inexpensive, one-way attack drones has significantly impacted smaller militaries and non-state actors, providing them with strategies to defeat more costly technologies. In Ukraine's case, this has proven advantageous, while the U.S. has faced challenges in the Middle East, where it has deployed air defense systems that are expensive to operate against cheaper Iranian drones and missiles.</p>
<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Driscoll referred to a pivotal moment on June 1, 2025, when Ukraine utilized less than a million dollars’ worth of technology to destroy Russian bombers valued in the billions. He stated, “Russia’s exquisite air defenses and geographic depth made no difference, and images of burning Russian bombers finally settled the debate as to whether drones are a tactical aberration or a tectonic shift in geopolitical power.”</p>
<p class="wp-block-paragraph">During a training session in Germany with Ukrainian troops, Driscoll observed that a Ukrainian soldier could manage threats and operate offensive and defensive systems from a single interface, in contrast to an allied air defender who had to manually transfer data between different systems.</p>
<p class="wp-block-paragraph">This experience led to his initiative aimed at encouraging defense companies to improve interoperability between their systems. Driscoll advocates for weapon acquisitions that can work seamlessly with both U.S. and allied forces' equipment.</p>
<p class="wp-block-paragraph">General Dan Caine, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, remarked in July that these technological revolutions are altering the fundamental nature of warfare.</p>
<p class="wp-block-paragraph">“Military readiness” refers to the preparedness of forces and their equipment for combat deployment. A lack of adequate preparation results in a readiness gap, which is widening due to ongoing global conflicts, including the war in Iran.</p>
<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Tara Murphy Dougherty, CEO of Air, a defense acquisition software company, stated, “We think about readiness as a national security enterprise. The conceptual model for readiness is that of a metric system.” She emphasized the need for continuous readiness for any global contingencies.</p>
<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Dougherty expressed concerns about readiness issues and proposed solutions in a recent declaration from Air. She believes that both the Department of War and the defense industrial base should work together to restore readiness as it declines.</p>
<p class="wp-block-paragraph">While immediate restoration of readiness may not be feasible, Dougherty noted that progress should be made more quickly than the current pace of replenishment allows.</p>
<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Dougherty commented, “I don’t think it’s realistic to expect the bounce-back reaction or the replenishment of readiness to be instantaneous. But I would say that as Americans, we should expect that reaction to happen like a rubber band snap, and right now it is like a slug that is crawling through mud.”</p>
<p class="wp-block-paragraph">The U.S. military has engaged in numerous operations against Iranian targets, which have required significant munitions, taking years to replace. A recent Congressional Budget Office report indicated that the U.S. has likely used between half and two-thirds of its missile defense interceptors since June 2025, estimating it could take at least five years to rebuild this inventory, even with increased production.</p>
<p class="wp-block-paragraph">The Pentagon is exploring ways to boost production of munitions while also seeking more affordable options and technological advancements.</p>
<p class="wp-block-paragraph">The U.S. Air Force and Navy have reported strain on their aging fleets due to the ongoing conflict, which has exacerbated existing maintenance and sustainment delays. Iranian forces have reportedly damaged or destroyed over 40 aircraft, primarily unmanned MQ-9 Reaper drones, while personnel aboard vessels in the region have faced challenging conditions during extended deployments. Efforts are underway to utilize autonomous systems to enhance maintenance processes.</p>
<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Dougherty remarked, “I think the readiness problem has been a problem for a generation. The trend lines have been going in the wrong direction for decades. Everybody in our space, our defense and national security space, knows it. But yes, absolutely, the recent conflict in Iran has helped push it to the headlines.”</p>
<p class="wp-block-paragraph">The Department of Defense is currently working to expand its industrial base and the number of participating companies, particularly focusing on startups and technology firms like Air. Despite these efforts, Dougherty believes that more needs to be done to address readiness challenges and establish a more sustainable state of military preparedness.</p>
<p class="wp-block-paragraph">“Everyone is talking about the readiness challenges that we face as a country as very critical, but we see a lot of that, or hear a lot of that commentary, and don’t see a lot of demands for change or accountability for the absence of change,” she stated.</p>