The Arsenal of Democracy: Technology, Industry, and Deterrence in an Age of Hard Choice

By Harry Halem and Eyck Freymann

The US military stands at a moment of profound risk and uncertainty. China and its authoritarian partners have pulled ahead in defense industrial capacity and are fielding emerging defense technologies that put US forces at risk. To deter a devastating war with China, America must rally its allies to build a new arsenal of democracy. But achieving this goal swiftly, in a time of strained budgets, requires hard choices.

The Arsenal of Democracy is the first book to integrate military strategy, industrial capacity, and emerging tech into a comprehensive deterrence framework. Other books explain why deterrence matters; this book is the essential guide to how to sustain deterrence through the 2030s. From undersea warfare and logistics to outer space, it breaks down how the US deterrence system works and shows how it must adapt.

Even if America leads technologically, China's industrial strengths would give it advantages in a protracted conflict. Congress, industry, and allied governments must work together to expand production and integrate new technologies.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0817926852
• ISBN13: 9780817926854
• Release Date: November 2025
• Publisher: Hoover Institution Press
• Length: 416 Pages
• Weight: 1.58 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.0" x 6.0" x 9.0"