The US national innovation base has critical weaknesses. Just look at Starlink.
September 1, 2023To compete with China, the US needs a robust industrial and innovation base, able to withstand attacks on the battlefield and the factory floor. Real American dynamism – and real competitive advantage – stem from credible and sustainable power. Starlink's, and more broadly Elon Musk's, dependence on China underscore the vulnerabilities in current US national defense strategy.
Indium phosphide could be critical to China’s semiconductor ambitions
July 26, 2023Gallium and germanium have stolen the headlines. But indium phosphide warrants attention, too. China is eyeing the compound semiconductor material as an opportunity to shake off dependence on foreign semiconductor technology, and in turn a point of leverage over global semiconductor supply chains.
How Canada Can Take Back Manufacturing
July 11, 2023Canada's manufacturing trade deficit has ballooned in the past four decades. It has an ailing resource sector and a hollowed-out manufacturing base. This essay, adapted from Nigel Southway's new book, "Take Back Manufacturing," proposes a road map for rebuilding Canada's manufacturing sector.
Fireworks, the Fourth, and an Industrial Future
July 2, 2023It’s the Fourth of July, a day to celebrate the United States of America. The US was able to secure that independence, against all odds, in large part because it was able to support itself militarily and economically; because during the Revolutionary War, Washington and Congress doubled down on developing American manufacturing.
Reshoring Rides the EV Battery Wave, Taking Aim for Another All-Time High
May 24, 2023The latest report from the Reshoring Initiative shows reshoring and FDI manufacturing job announcements continuing to outpace recent records, adding 101,500 jobs in Q1 2023, driven in large part by geopolitical tension and efforts to shore up dependence on an unreliable China.
Battlefield Cyber: America’s Software Meltdown — and What Must Be Done to Fix It
May 3, 2023America’s software is profoundly vulnerable, which is one reason China and Russia have been able to penetrate US computer systems so deeply. This essay, adapted from the forthcoming “Battlefield Cyber: How China and Russia Are Undermining Our Democracy and National Security" outlines a solution.