Deterrence Matters
by The National Institute for Deterrence Studies
Latest episode
199 - News in Review October 2026: Drones, Nuclear Forces & the…
199 - News in Review October 2026: Drones, Nuclear Forces & the…
About this podcast
Deterrence Matters is where timely national security issues meet candid conversation and we come together to explore the deterrence challenges making headlines and shaping the future.
From emerging threats and strategic competition to nuclear policy and the changing security environment, each episode offers fresh perspectives, informed debate, and sometimes a little humor along the way. Our goal is simple: build greater understanding of deterrence, develop the next generation of deterrence professionals, and strengthen the workforce entrusted with preserving peace, security, and stability.
Episodes
The newest 20 of 199 episodes
- 199 - News in Review October 2026: Drones, Nuclear Forces & the Future of Deterrence · 43 min · Season 4 Episode 199In this episode of Deterrence Matters, Jim and Curtis examine several developments shaping today’s deterrence and national security environment. From the growing threat that…
- 198 - The Nuclear Paradox: Can Deterrence and Disarmament Coexist? · 49 min · Season 4 Episode 198In this episode of Deterrence Matters, host Jim Petrosky sits down with NIDS Senior Fellow Kirk Fansher to examine one of national security’s most enduring debates: the tension…
- 197 - Is Putin’s Kaliningrad Threat Real or Merely Scary Messaging? · 45 min · Season 4 Episode 197Russia’s nuclear threats are back in the spotlight—but are they a strategic bluff or a signal designed to shape NATO’s next move? Jim and Curtis unpack the Kremlin’s rhetoric…
- 196 - Russia’s Dead Hand Is Back - And It Changes Deterrence · 43 min · Season 4 Episode 196Russia is pouring steel, concrete, and cable into a buried command complex in the Urals - and the move may reveal exactly how deterrence is changing in real time. Jim and Curtis…
- 195 - News in Review September 2026 · 49 min · Season 4 Episode 195Nuclear testing, Russian strategic messaging, North Korea, China, and the race for technological advantage are all shaping an increasingly complex security environment. Jim and…
- 194 - Space Weapons, Deterrence and Messaging · 45 min · Season 4 Episode 194Chris Stone joins The NIDS View to unpack the U.S. announcement on space control weapons and what it portends for the future of national security. From lasers and high-powered…
- 193 - Nuclear Deterrence Isn't Broken - It's Misunderstood and Misapplied · 43 min · Season 4 Episode 193Nuclear deterrence is not failing in Ukraine and Iran - it is being misread. Retired Colonel Kirk Fansher breaks down why some of the loudest anti-nuclear arguments confuse…
- 192 - News in Review August 2026: Missiles, Manning, Megawatts, and the Middle East · 49 min · Season 4 Episode 192In this News in Review episode for July, Curtis and Jim examine a series of significant developments shaping the global security environment, from Russia's latest ICBM test…
- 191 - The Summer of Symposiums: Deterrence Thinkers Unite · 40 min · Season 4 Episode 191In this episode of The NIDS View, Curtis and special guest Col (Ret) Kirk Fansher discuss key insights from summer's two biggest deterrence symposiums and explore the challenges…
- 190 - Cold War Attitudes Mimic Modern NATO Perspective · 45 min · Season 4 Episode 190What can today's NATO leaders learn from the Cold War? In this episode of The NIDS View, Curtis and Jim compare the enduring issues of deterrence, alliance cohesion, and military…
- 189 - China's Newest Warships: Capability or Coercion? · 40 min · Season 4 Episode 189In this episode of The NIDS View, Curtis and Jim examine two of China's newest naval warships and what these developments reveal about Beijing's evolving military strategy and…
- 188 - Is America's Nuclear Umbrella Leaking? · 41 min · Season 4 Episode 188Curtis and Jim examine the evolving landscape of allied extended deterrence, credibility, and the U.S. nuclear umbrella. As geopolitical competition intensifies and allies…
- 187 - News in Review July 2026: SLBM Tests, Drones, and Russians—Oh My! · 50 min · Season 1 Episode 187In this episode of The NIDS View, Curtis and Jim review their favorite news developments for July 2026, shaping the global deterrence landscape—from China’s latest…
- 186 - Europe’s Missile Renaissance and the Future of NATO Deterrence · 43 min · Season 4 Episode 186In this episode of The NIDS View, Curtis and Jim examine Europe's growing drive to strengthen its own deterrent capabilities amid Russia's war in Ukraine and a future NATO 3.0…
- 185 - Understanding America’s Nuclear Arsenal: The Story Behind "Learning to Love the Bomb" · 43 min · Season 4 Episode 185In this episode of The NIDS View, NIDS welcomes Curtis McGiffin and Dr. Adam Lowther, co-authors of Learning to Love the Bomb: Understanding the American Nuclear Arsenal, for a…
- 184 - The Evolution of the B-1 Bomber: A Strategic Perspective with Ken Katz · 42 min · Season 4 Episode 184Jim and Curtis sit down with aerospace engineer Ken Katz to explore the remarkable evolution of the B-1 bomber and what it teaches us about deterrence, innovation, and…
- 183 - Resolve, NATO, and Emerging Technology: News in Review – June 2026 · 45 min · Season 4 Episode 183In this episode of The NIDS View, Jim and Curtis analyze the June 2026 deterrence and security developments, including Sen. Deb Fischer's call for greater nuclear investment…
- 182 - Dark Eagle and the Future of Hypersonic Deterrence · 45 min · Season 4 Episode 182In this episode of The NIDS View, we examine the strategic implications of emerging hypersonic weapons, focusing on the U.S. Army’s Dark Eagle missile. Joined by missile and…
- 181 - The Future of U.S. Bombers: B‑21 Raider and Strategic Deterrence · 43 min · Season 4 Episode 181In this episode, Jim and Curtis examine the strategic role of the U.S. bomber fleet, focusing on the B‑21 Raider and other ongoing bomber modernization. They discuss how bombers…
- 180 - Can Europe Go Nuclear? Five Strategic Paths Forward · 44 min · Season 4 Episode 180In this episode of The NIDS View, Jim sits down with Bill Murphy, Senior Fellow and Cofounder at NIDS, to examine Europe’s evolving approach to nuclear deterrence in an…
