Rethinking Defense Strategies in the Face of Technological Challenges

This weekend, Houthi rebels in Yemen have once again demonstrated their ability to challenge advanced military technology by successfully shooting down an American MQ-9 Reaper drone.

This incident serves as a stark reminder of the evolving nature of warfare and the need for innovative defense strategies in the face of technological challenges.

While the Houthi rebels are neither near-peer competitors nor a great power, their ability to exploit vulnerabilities in our defense systems underscores the need for a paradigm shift in our approach to military technology.

As great power competition increases and we face-off more regularly with technologically comparable competitors, our reliance on exquisite, high-end, overengineered equipment increasingly becomes a liability.

To be sure, we need advanced technologies and capabilities, but we also need to leverage our unique industrial capacity and strategic edge to create affordable mass.