ThinkTankWeekly

Testing the Future of Joint All-Domain Operations in Africa

CSIS | 2026-05-30 | africa

Topics: China, Europe, NATO, Nuclear, Russia, Trade, United States

Visit original source

ThinkTankWeekly provides a curated entry and summary only. Full text and PDF remain on the publisher's website.

English Summary

The article argues that the U.S. must establish 'battle labs' in Africa to test modern Joint All-Domain Operations (JADO), as current domestic ranges cannot accommodate the vast spatial requirements of multi-domain warfare (e.g., drones, EW, cyber). Africa, particularly Morocco, is identified as a prime location due to its open terrain, growing drone sectors, stability, and developing indigenous defense industrial base. Strategically, establishing these labs allows the U.S. to validate advanced operational concepts, accelerate military modernization, and build resilient partner supply chains. Ultimately, this capability serves as a powerful deterrent signal to China, demonstrating the ability to project power and impose costs on rival interests globally.

中文摘要

本文論述美國必須在非洲建立「戰場實驗室」(battle labs),以測試現代的聯合全域作戰(JADO)。由於現有的國內射擊場域無法滿足多域戰場(例如無人機、電子戰、網路戰)所需的巨大空間要求,因此設立外部測試基地至關重要。文章指出,非洲,特別是摩洛哥,因其開闊的地形、蓬勃發展的無人機產業、穩定性以及正在發展的本土國防工業基礎,成為理想的選址。從戰略角度來看,建立這些實驗室能使美國驗證先進的作戰概念、加速軍事現代化,並構建具韌性的夥伴供應鏈。最終,此項能力將作為強大的威懾訊號,向中國展示美國投射力量和對競爭對手施加全球成本的能力。

Related Entries

  1. 1.
    2026-06-26 | americas | 2026-W26 | Topics: Trade, United States

    The World Cup provides a unique diplomatic opportunity for North American co-hosts (US, Canada, Mexico) to overcome deep historical and political frictions. Despite ongoing economic tensions and border disputes, the region maintains profound integration, evidenced by $1 trillion in annual cross-border trade and large trans-national populations. The shared cultural experience of major global events can transcend nationalistic divides, allowing leaders to refocus on common ground. Policymakers should leverage such moments to promote cooperation and build social bridges, mitigating geopolitical disputes that threaten continental stability.

    Read at CFR

  2. 2.

    Despite significant damage to its naval fleet, shipyards, and production facilities from recent strikes, Iran is expected to quickly reconstitute its military industrial base. This reconstitution relies heavily on importing dual-use components, such as machine tools, drone parts, and marine engines, through alternative routes like Pakistan or China. To counter this threat, the report advises that policymakers must extend sanctions mechanisms—particularly 'no reexport' clauses—and proactively engage third countries with direct access to Iran. Furthermore, monitoring allied firms dealing with key suppliers in China and Turkey is crucial to slowing down and raising the cost of necessary procurements.

    Read at CSIS

  3. 3.
    2026-06-26 | europe | 2026-W26 | Topics: Middle East, Nuclear, Russia, Ukraine, United States

    Ukraine demonstrates remarkable resilience and technological adaptability despite continuous Russian attacks on civilian infrastructure and critical services. While Kyiv's military is adapting through innovative drone warfare and strikes, its long-term stability requires sustained international support to counter Russia’s escalating threats. Strategically, the U.S. must coordinate with key European powers (E3) due to shifting political attention, while immediately deploying negotiators to Ukraine to gain ground truth and plan for potential escalation scenarios.

    Read at Brookings

  4. 4.

    Africa's economic landscape is at a critical inflection point, shifting away from traditional foreign aid toward sophisticated commercial investment and private-sector co-investment. This transition is underpinned by major regional initiatives like the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), which grants African nations significant agency and negotiating leverage. Consequently, external powers must pivot their strategy from conditional development assistance to facilitating partnerships in key sectors such as digital infrastructure, energy transition, agribusiness, and critical minerals. Failure to acknowledge Africa's growing market options risks diminishing the influence of any single global partner.

    Read at CFR

  5. 5.
    2026-06-26 | tech | 2026-W26 | Topics: China, Trade, United States

    The CSIS report argues that memory availability, particularly advanced High Bandwidth Memory (HBM), is becoming a critical bottleneck for AI deployment, potentially surpassing the importance of logic chips. Rapid and sustained demand from hyperscale data centers is currently outpacing global production capacity, leading to supply constraints evidenced by manufacturers selling out future production slates. Given that new fabrication facilities require years and massive investment to build, this shortage is projected to persist through 2027 or beyond. Policymakers must therefore prioritize strengthening domestic memory manufacturing capacity and securing resilient supply chains to prevent hardware bottlenecks from constraining broader industrial competitiveness.

    Read at CSIS