FDD is a Washington, DC-based nonpartisan research institute focusing on national security and foreign policy.
FDD does not accept donations from any foreign governments.
Subscribe to FDD
Receive FDD's latest research and analysis
Trending Issues
Iran
Has the increased pressure on Tehran and the fresh threats from Washington and Tel Aviv brought the region closer to a new round of war?
BBC News {Persian}
UK fighter jets deployed to Saudi Arabia for defense against Houthis
BBC News {Persian}
China
The Black Sea Blueprint for Taiwan: Lessons in Asymmetric Naval Warfare
Event
Navi Pillay: Nobel and Noxious
Crowned with the Nobel Peace Prize, the South African-born former UN High Commissioner is far from a consensus figure, given how selective her battles have been. Hard on Israel, but soft on China over the Uyghurs?
Franc Tireur
October 1, 2026
2:00 pm
EVENT: Winning the Adoption War: Diffusing AI Across the U.S. Military
The United States leads the world in frontier artificial intelligence. However, cutting edge technology used by a limited number of people is a trophy, not a capability – and the contest with China will not be decided only at the frontier.
If the most sophisticated technology on earth reaches only a fraction of the force, how much advantage does it confer? How is the Pentagon moving from procuring AI to diffusing it across the force? What cultural and organizational changes does an “AI-first” military require? And how does the United States build and keep the technical talent inside government, turning tools into outcomes before its competitors close the gap?
To discuss these questions and others, the Foundation for Defense of Democracies (FDD) hosts a conversation with FDD Visiting Military Fellow Major Megan “Napalm” Hainline, F-16 instructor pilot and AI leader; FDD Adjunct Fellow Isaac “Ike” Harris, executive director of the Frontier Security Institute; and Leah Siskind, FDD AI Research Fellow. The discussion will be moderated by RADM (Ret.) Mark Montgomery, Senior Director of FDD’s Center on Cyber and Technology Innovation.
Featured Experts
Clifford D. May
Founder & President
- Iran
- Iran Global Threat Network
- Jihadism
- The Long War
- Palestinian Politics
- North Korea
- Russia
- Sanctions and Illicit Finance
- International Organizations
Craig Singleton
China Program Senior Director and Senior Fellow
Max Meizlish
Research Fellow
Simone Rodan-Benzaquen
Senior Envoy for Europe
What they're saying
"Mr. Dubowitz’s campaign to draw attention to what he saw as the Iran nuclear deal's flaws has taken its place among the most consequential ever undertaken by a Washington think tank leader."
New York Times
“The Foundation for Defense of Democracies understands as well as anyone that we are now in an era, once again, of Great Power Competition, primarily with the Chinese Communist Party.”
Marco Rubio
U.S. Secretary of State and Acting National Security Advisor
"I would like to express my appreciation to the FDD for its long-term focus on Taiwan and for continuing to increase the attention paid to Taiwan’s defense and social resilience."
Lai Ching-te
President of Taiwan
“FDD is highly influential in the area of public policy … I would like to thank FDD for publishing numerous articles advocating for international support of Taiwan.”
Tsai Ing-wen
Former President of Taiwan
“Thank you for all of FDD’s work… it is so critical to our fight in the United States against terror and against those who seek to do us harm” … “[FDD has always] held Iran accountable for their continued nuclear activity and for their continued terror activity….which is key to America’s national security and our fight globally against terror, against Iran and its proxies, and against Hezbollah and Hamas and Palestinian Jihad.”
Rep. Josh Gottheimer (D-NJ)
“What FDD puts out [in] the national and international conversation, … you really are … a repository of knowledge on so many critical issues.”
Mike Waltz
"Thank you to FDD…for the many, many years of great work that you’ve done. I've known the organization and relied on its expertise long before this conversation today."
Jessica Lewis
Former Assistant Secretary for Political-Military Affairs, U.S. Department of State
"I will tell you that FDD has been such a partner. Whether it is dealing with the Iran deal and the flaws that were in it, all the way to human shields and all the things that we need to do to combat it, you've been a partner in a time where we need partners. And so I appreciate that very much."
Amb. Nikki R. Haley
Former US Ambassador to the United Nations
“Nobody makes the case better than FDD that the Islamic Republic is a threat to the region, its own people and the U.S., and that it needs to be dealt with, not wished away.”
Wall Street Journal
Weekend Interview
“I would add my own thanks to the FDD and the Center on Military and Political Power for … showing how important it is that we are talking, both on the military and the civilian side, about the importance of being prepared to protect and advance our national security objectives. That's exactly the kind of conversations that we're seeking to help our European allies and partners have with their citizenry. Thank you.”
Amb. Kate Marie Byrnes
Civilian Deputy and Foreign Policy Advisor, U.S. European Command
"A record low for the reach of petrodollars: CIA & FDD fake news w/ selective AlQaeda docs re: Iran can't whitewash role of US allies in 9/11"
Javad Zarif
Iran's Former Foreign Minister
FDD's Long War Journal [is] the best source of public information on terrorism.
Michael Morell
former Acting and Deputy Director, Central Intelligence Agency
“The Foundation is making a difference across the world.”
George W. Bush
Former President
Overnight Brief: October 21, 2026
Read Full BriefToday In Issues:
FDD Research & Analysis
- Today at 8:30am (ET): "FDD Morning Brief," FDD Event
- "A letter to the POTUS," The Washington Times
- "When, as in France, the radical left and Islamists blame Jews for Israel's policies, a line has been crossed (Translated from German)," Jüdische Allgemeine
- "Foreign Funding and Influence in America’s K-12 Education System," FDD Memo
- "How Russia Is Eclipsing the U.S. in Africa," FDD Insight
- "Washington Reportedly Limits Funding to Key WMD Verification Agencies," FDD Policy Brief
- "Lebanon’s Call for Another Extension of UNIFIL’s Mandate Won’t End Hezbollah’s Threat," FDD Policy Brief
- "UN Provides Expansionist Russia With a Platform To Condemn ‘Colonialism’," FDD Policy Brief
- "Qatar’s Lebanon Assistance Cannot Excuse Beirut From Disarming Hezbollah," FDD Policy Brief
- "The Thaw in U.S.-Ethiopia Relations Has Gone Far Enough," FDD Policy Brief
- "Iran says it has agreement with Iraq to expel Kurdish Iranian opposition groups," FDD's Long War Journal
The Must-Reads
- Israel may be forced to act as Iran rebuilds military capabilities before election, officials warn
- IDF says strike killed final Hamas member who took part in kidnapping Shani Louk
- More oil is now coming out of the Persian Gulf than before the Iran war
- Iran prolongs talks in stalemate to influence US midterms, officials say
- Iran’s foreign minister: Russia, Iran have never before ‘worked as closely’ together
- U.S. restores intelligence sharing with Ukraine, Zelensky says
- WSJ Editorial: Russia arrests another journalist
- Canada, Turkey to agree during Carney visit to deepen defence and energy ties, source says
- Israeli, Lebanese delegations meet at CENTCOM's Tampa headquarters, IDF sources tell 'Post'
- Houthis attack besieged city in Yemen that UN says is at ‘grave risk’
- Trump envoy tells nervous Gulf Allies U.S. can’t guarantee security forever
- U.K. police rearrest two men in suspected Iranian plot on air base