The war against Iran is putting new strains on U.S. military readiness by consuming munitions and missile defense interceptors, as well as through extended deployments, sustained operational demands, and the diversion of forces and attention from other theaters. Mark Cancian (Center for Strategic and International Studies), Stacie Pettyjohn (Center for a New American Security), and Michael Eisenstadt (Washington Institute for Near East Policy) join Ryan to unpack what readiness actually means, how the war is affecting it, what vulnerabilities have been exposed, and what it all means for deterrence and the U.S. military's ability to respond to a crisis with China.

The Marine Corps just released its plan to fight against adversaries on land and Ryan had the two architects of the plan, Ground Combat Element 2040, on the show to talk about it. They discuss drones, resilience, long-range fires, logistics, and what marines will need to survive and fight on an increasingly transparent battlefield while still preserving the critical human element.

Our intrepid team covers a lot of ground in this episode: the increasing fluidity of the battlefield, drones and air defense, the biting Black Sea campaign, the causes and aftermath of the firing of Ukraine's popular defense minister, why Ukraine probably cannot produce PAC-3 air defense missiles (despite what some journalists are telling you), and the likelihood of a new round of Russian mobilization. This episode is Dara Massicot and Michael Kofman at their best.

Thanks to NODA AI for supporting this episode. NODA AI is building mission command for autonomous forces. Learn more at warontherocks.com/noda