RUSI Journal Vol 170 Issue 1 2025

2025 started with a ceasefire in Gaza and the inauguration of a new Trump administration, seemingly bringing a slew of strategic changes in the US international posture. Yet some trends are set to continue – first and foremost, the impact of new technologies at the tactical and operational level in both defence and national security. As actors gain experience in using and modifying these technologies to meet their needs, they also start to think differently about concepts of strategy and doctrine.

In this issue of the RUSI Journal, Peter Layton looks at how state and non-state actors outside the West – from Russia to the Houthis – are using airpower in new and disruptive ways, facilitated by different technologies such as drones. Tom Johansmeyer, Gareth Mott and Jason R C Nurse, on the other hand, explore the relationship between territorial integrity and cyberpower in Russian strategic thinking, and highlight that, far from being disconnected from territorial concerns, they see physical and cyber security as a continuum. And while drones and cyber security are relatively new but already tested technologies, there are other technological developments in the making that could alter the way war is waged even further. Anna M Gielas looks at the potential of brain–computer interfaces and how they could be used in the military domain, and highlights both the benefits and the risks that applying such technologies could wield.

Every year, RUSI runs an essay competition to encourage new voices to enter the defence and security debate. In the winning prize of the 2024 Trench Gascoigne Essay Prize, military category, Tim Shortland looks at the shifting geopolitical balance to discuss how China and Russia challenge US hegemony. The winner for the student category, Daniel Skeffington, looks at war powers in the UK and discusses how the concept – and therefore the practice – must adapt to the new dynamics of Britain’s strategic and deterrent posture in light of the contemporary threat environment.

Dr Emma De Angelis
Editor, RUSI Journal