The Future of Warfare: Is the U.S. Military Ready?

The nature of warfare is evolving rapidly as nations integrate cutting-edge technologies into their military arsenals. Ukraine’s drone strike against Russian bomber bases demonstrates that a smaller, more innovative force can effectively challenge a larger and better-equipped adversary. Similarly, during the brief India-Pakistan conflict in May, Pakistan’s Chinese-built JF-17 fighter jets reportedly performed well against India’s French-made Dassault Rafale aircraft. These developments raise critical questions about how the United States allocates its defense budget. How can we ensure that our military is equipped for the conflicts of tomorrow rather than those of the past? Are drones more strategically valuable than fighter jets? Do main battle tanks and aircraft carriers still have a place on the future battlefield? And just as importantly, how do we recruit and train the personnel needed to operate increasingly sophisticated systems?

Join the World Affairs Council of Atlanta for a compelling conversation with Ambassador (ret.) Charles Shapiro and retired U.S. Air Force General Philip Breedlove as they explore how emerging technologies, global conflicts, and shifting priorities are reshaping modern warfare. From drones to fighter jets, and cyber threats to recruitment challenges — don’t miss this timely and thought-provoking event. This program is free and open to the public. Advance registration is required.

Distinguished Speaker

Gen. Philip M. Breedlove retired from the US Air Force as NATO’s Commander, Supreme Allied Command, Europe, “SACEUR” and Commander, U.S. European Command, Stuttgart, Germany. He currently is a Distinguished Professor of the Practice at Georgia Tech’s Sam Nunn School of International Affairs and serves on the Board of Directors at the Atlantic Council. The General was raised in Forest Park, Georgia, received a Degree in Civil Engineering, and was commissioned in 1977 as a distinguished graduate of Georgia Tech's ROTC program. He has been assigned to numerous operational, command, and staff positions and has completed eleven overseas tours.. He has commanded a fighter squadron, an operations group, three fighter wings, a numbered air force, a major combatant command, and an alliance. General Breedlove served in several senior staff positions including as Vice Chief of Staff of the U.S. Air Force, the Senior Military Assistant to the Secretary of the Air Force, and as Vice Director for Strategic Plans and Policy on the Joint Staff. General Breedlove is a command pilot with 3,500 flying hours, primarily in the F-16, and has flown combat missions in Operation Joint Forge/Joint Guardian

Moderator

Amb. (ret.) Charles Shapiro, former U.S. Ambassador to Venezuela, is co-founder of Art of Diplomacy Travel and Dawson-Shapiro, LLC, a consulting group. At the U.S. Department of State, Shapiro held a number of senior positions including Ambassador to Venezuela, Acting Assistant Secretary for the Western Hemisphere, and Director of Cuban Affairs. His foreign assignments include Venezuela, Chile, Trinidad and Tobago, El Salvador and Denmark. He led the Institute of the Americas, a think tank at UCSD (2011-2014) and the World Affairs Council of Atlanta (2014-2022). While at the Council, he also taught international business at the Robinson College of Business at GSU. Shapiro’s op-eds have been published in the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, the Atlanta Business Chronicle, the Miami Herald, the San Diego Union-Tribune, the Los Angeles Times, the Toronto Star, and most recently the Latin American Advisor.