Major Sean Harper

1. Frederik Van Lokeren, “Ukraine Strikes Russian Submarine with ‘Sub Sea Baby’ Drone,” Naval News, 16 December 2025. 2. Roman Kohanets, “Russia Installs Barge Barrier at Novorossiysk Naval Base After Submarine Drone Strike,” United 24 Media, 25 December 2025. 3. Tamir Eshel, “Iran Unveils a Loitering Torpedo in the Service of the IRGC,” Defense Update, 16 March 2022. 4. Jon Harper, “Anduril Unveils New Torpedo That Can Be Launched by Underwater Drones,” Defense Scoop, 7 April 2025. 5.

A2/AD is built for an audience: the adversary. To deny an area, a force must present a credible threat of destruction or incapacitation, enough that the adversary perceives a greater risk than it is willing to assume for operating there. This does not always require denying the terrain by force—it can be achieved by manipulating the adversary’s understanding. In the Indo-Pacific, China has developed powerful A2/AD within the first island chain.

The opening days of the war in the Pacific were as brutal as forecast. Electronic attacks and cyber operations blinded command centers and sowed confusion. Precision munitions rained down on bases and stations. Surface combatants fought briefly before missile strikes sent them to the bottom of the sea. Aircraft flew through storms of steel and were shot down after a single sortie.