The Kill Chain

Defending America in the Future of High-Tech Warfare

By: Christian Brose

Narrated by: Christian Brose

From a former senior advisor to Senator John McCain comes an urgent wake-up call about how new technologies are threatening America's military might.

For generations of Americans, our country has been the world's dominant military power. How the US military fights, and the systems and weapons that it fights with, have been uncontested. That old reality, however, is rapidly deteriorating. America's traditional sources of power are eroding amid the emergence of new technologies and the growing military threat posed by rivals such as China. America is at grave risk of losing a future war.

As Christian Brose reveals in this urgent wake-up call, the future will be defined by artificial intelligence, autonomous systems, and other emerging technologies that are revolutionizing global industries and are now poised to overturn the model of American defense. This fascinating, if disturbing, book confronts the existential risks on the horizon, charting a way for America's military to adapt and succeed with new thinking as well as new technology. America must build a battle network of systems that enables people to rapidly understand threats, make decisions, and take military actions, the process known as "the kill chain." Examining threats from China, Russia, and elsewhere, The Kill Chain offers hope and, ultimately, insights on how America can apply advanced technologies to prevent war, deter aggression, and maintain peace

©2020 Christian Brose (P)2020 Hachette Books

Critic reviews

"The Kill Chain is a tour-de-force. Few people are as knowledgeable and experienced as Christian Brose in thinking about the intersection of emerging technology and national defense. He pulls it all together in this compelling, unsettling, and outstanding book."—Eric Schmidt, former Chairman of Alphabet and CEO and Chairman of Google

"Provocative, jolting, superb, and on target! The Kill Chain is all of those things and more. If you read only one book to better understand the challenges facing the US military and the promise of emerging technologies, this should be it."—Admiral James Stavridis, former Supreme Allied Commander at NATO and author of Sailing True North: Ten Admirals and the Voyage of Character

"Christian Brose has done the country a great service by writing this important and timely book. The Kill Chain is a powerful and thoughtful challenge to much of the conventional wisdom about national defense. It also offers a compelling vision for how the US military can get beyond business as usual to compete and win in this new era of great power competition. Brose's book should be read by every American."—Senator Tom Cotton (R-AR), author of Sacred Duty: A Soldier's Tour at Arlington National Cemetery

Equal parts enlightening and disturbing

Recommend this book be required reading for all decision makers who have anything to do with the DOD. It clearly presents how desperately processes and perspectives need to shift for the US military to be able to effectively do its job.

Extremely well put

This book gives a prime example of where America's national defense is, and where it should go to compete with China and Russia.

Powerful. Insightful. Disconcerting.

it was not so much entertaining, as it was engrossing. This is a message that we should read and heed now.

Our future depends on a strong military

Strong look at the military industrial complex's dire need to adapt and inculcate new technology. the DoD is at least 10 years behind the civilian sector. Great listen where the only drawback is the author's anti-Trump attitude and in blaming the past President for many of our current issues. The issues likely started under Bush 43, continued through Obama, Trump and now Biden.

Prescient

A pragmatic analysis of current defense attitudes and the acquisitions process and an insightful projection of the landscape of impending great power competition.

Writing is succinct and narration is clear. Enjoyed at x1.25 speed.

national defense revamp needed

A thought provoking opinion on needed changes for our DoD. Written by a former member of Sen McCain's staff. Although dated it still hold relevance and identifies many flaws in our Military Industrial Complex and how those flaws will fail to meet the threats posed by China in a future conflict .

Yes it’s repetitive, but...

It’s obviously repetitive that’s for sure, but the author is passing on an important and relevant idea. There are big take always like the importance of buying desired outcomes versus the endless chase for new systems and platforms. Additionally, the need to buy more expendable small systems, which allows for the correct assumption that a near peer or peer threat will be able to destroy many of our most capable systems and platforms. Overall, may not be worth it for the average reader, but a curious DoD junkie may just enjoy it.

Hit the nail on the head.

This should be required reading. Sums up my experience and pulled back the curtain on a few things.

The scariest real life horror story

This book needs to be read by all members of Congress, and top leaders in the military. This book is gives a terrifying look at the antiquated way of thinking by our nation's top leaders in regards to a potential future conflict with China. an in depth look and how important the OODA loop is for our military, and can be redundant, but nonetheless the repetition really drives home the importance of closing the proverbial "kill chain."

Thought provoking but repetitive

the points are valid and relevant. probably a tad naive in some areas, but overall clearly understands the cumbersome world of defense appropriation.