In this episode of The Future Force Report, Brooke Fallon explores how weaker powers turn to asymmetric strategies to level the playing field—strategies that may soon extend beyond Earth’s atmosphere.
With Russia lagging behind the United States and China in space capabilities, the Kremlin may be preparing to deploy nuclear weapons in orbit—triggering a catastrophic shift in global power dynamics. Why would they risk it? Because when you're losing, you don't fight fair. You flip the board.
From Sun Tzu to Napoleon to D-Day, the lesson is the same:
Avoid what is strong. Strike what is weak.
This episode examines:
Russia’s potential space-based nuclear threat
How asymmetric warfare evolves across new domains
Historical examples of strategic flanking
The danger of assuming adversaries will play by our rules
Why space, cyber, and supply chains are today’s soft targets
🧠 Key Takeaways:
Russia’s nuclear-in-space strategy is not about dominance—it’s about desperation.
Asymmetric attacks exploit weakness, not strength—whether via IEDs or orbital nukes.
Strategic deterrence must now include hardening space infrastructure, cyber systems, and chokepoint logistics.
Treaties won’t save us from actors willing to violate them to regain strategic parity.
Preparedness requires imagination: assume the board will be flipped.
📚 Referenced Concepts & Events:
Sun Tzu, The Art of War: “Avoid what is strong and strike at what is weak.”
Manoeuvre de Derrière: Napoleon’s classic flanking strategy seeking to strike his enemies’ rear, similar to a ‘turning movement’
Operation Overlord: The Normandy landings as a case study in strategic deception and asymmetric advantage
IED campaigns in Iraq and Afghanistan
The Outer Space Treaty, Article IV
Nuclear weapons in Low Earth Orbit
Cyberattacks on financial infrastructure
Suez Canal/Strait of Malacca as chokepoints for global trade
🛰️ Related Past Episodes:
Pearl Harbor in Space: Russia’s space-based nuclear ambitions
Shangri-La and the Shadow of War: Indo-Pacific strategy and shifting alliances
📬 Got thoughts on this episode? Reach out—we want to hear from you.
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🎙️ The Future Force Report is a production of Building Our Future.
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Intro / outro music: Experimental Cinematic Hip Hop by Rockot.
Cover art created with OpenAI's Dall-E 3 model.
Brooke Fallon is a fictional host created using OpenAI's GPT-4o and ElevenLabs' Eleven Turbo v2.
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