Institute for National Strategic Studies

Institute for National Strategic Studies
Name	Institute for National Strategic Studies
Formation	1983
Headquarters	National Defense University, Fort McNair, Washington, D.C.
Leader title	Director
Parent organization	National Defense University

Institute for National Strategic Studies is a research institute embedded within the National Defense University at Fort McNair, Washington, D.C., that conducts strategic analysis on national security issues. Its work informs senior leaders in the Department of Defense, the White House, and allied ministries while engaging with academic institutions such as Georgetown University, Harvard Kennedy School, and Johns Hopkins University. The institute interacts with international organizations including the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, the United Nations, and the European Union and contributes to debates shaped by events like the Gulf War, the September 11 attacks, and the Russo‑Ukrainian War.

History

The institute was established during the Reagan administration amid strategic reviews following the Soviet–Afghan War and the Cold War. Early activities intersected with studies on arms control from the Intermediate‑Range Nuclear Forces Treaty era and policy guidance related to the Reagan Doctrine, while drawing personnel from institutions such as the RAND Corporation, the Center for Strategic and International Studies, and the Brookings Institution. Through the post‑Cold War period the institute contributed to analyses during the Gulf War (1990–1991), the Yugoslav Wars, and the expansion debates surrounding NATO enlargement. After the September 11 attacks the institute redirected resources toward counterterrorism discussions tied to operations in Afghanistan and Iraq, and later shifted focus to great power competition involving China and Russia in the 2010s and 2020s.

Mission and Organization

The institute's mission aligns with strategic education at the National Defense University and senior leader decision support for the Secretary of Defense, the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and combatant commanders such as United States Central Command and United States Indo‑Pacific Command. Organizationally it sits alongside colleges like the National War College and the College of International Security Affairs, and reports through layers that include Office of the Secretary of Defense stakeholders and the Joint Staff. Directors have coordinated with policy bodies such as the National Security Council, the Office of the Director of National Intelligence, and legislative oversight committees including the Senate Armed Services Committee and the House Armed Services Committee.

Research Programs and Centers

Research programs focus on deterrence studies linking to scholarship on nuclear deterrence, force posture dialogues associated with U.S. Pacific Command debates, and resilience work related to cybersecurity incidents like the NotPetya campaign. Centers within the institute examine regional security in areas such as the Indo‑Pacific, Europe, and the Middle East, and thematic centers study issues ranging from space policy in the tradition of the Outer Space Treaty to strategic logistics echoing lessons from the Gulf War (1990–1991). Projects have engaged with modeling and simulation tools akin to those used by the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency and scenario planning approaches found at Harvard Kennedy School and University of Oxford security studies programs.

Publications and Policy Influence

The institute publishes studies, monographs, and the widely read Strategic Forum series that have informed debates on topics like extended deterrence and ballistic missile defense. Its publications have influenced strategy documents such as the National Defense Strategy and assessments submitted to the Congress of the United States during hearings on force modernization and procurement tied to programs like the F‑35 Lightning II and the Columbia-class submarine. Analyses have been cited in Congressional testimony before panels chaired by members of the House Armed Services Committee and in briefings for officials at the Department of State and the U.S. Agency for International Development.

Partnerships and Outreach

The institute maintains partnerships with academic centers including Georgetown University, Tufts University Fletcher School, and Princeton University’s Woodrow Wilson School, defense industry actors such as Lockheed Martin, and foreign academic institutions like the Royal United Services Institute and Australian Strategic Policy Institute. Outreach includes symposiums co‑hosted with the NATO Defense College, workshops with the International Institute for Strategic Studies, and exchanges under bilateral forums such as the U.S.–Japan Security Consultative Committee and the U.S.–Republic of Korea Security Consultative Meeting.

Notable Leadership and Personnel

Leadership and affiliated scholars have included senior military officers drawn from commands such as United States European Command and United States Southern Command, civilian experts formerly of the Central Intelligence Agency and the National Security Council, and academics from institutions like Columbia University, Yale University, and Stanford University. Prominent visitors and contributors have included officials associated with the Defense Science Board, recipients of honors such as the Presidential Medal of Freedom, and authors of influential works represented in libraries at the Library of Congress.

Category:United States national security institutions Category:Think tanks based in the United States