Small Wars Journal in Qatar
Arizona State University at the 2026 Global Security Forum
The 2026 Global Security Forum brought policymakers, practitioners, and researchers to Doha, Qatar, under the theme “The Future of Alliances.” Discussions examined intelligence cooperation, defense relationships, emerging technologies, terrorism, non-state actors, and the security challenges confronting international partnerships.
Arizona State University contributed to this conversation through the Future Security Initiative (FSI) and our partners from New America. The partnership connects ASU research with policy analysis, open-source investigation, education, and public engagement on current and emerging security problems.
ASU and the Future of Alliances
FSI Co-Director Peter Bergen, who also serves as Vice President and Director of Future Security at New America, participated in discussions addressing intelligence and defense cooperation, including “The Future of Alliances: Building Lasting Regional Security” and “Strength in Alliance: Perspectives from the Five Eyes.”
FSI Co-Director Daniel Rothenberg moderated “A Wicked Problem: Drone Technology and Non-State Actors,” featuring SWJ-El Centro’s Dr. Robert J. Bunker, Nataliya Gumenyuk of the Public Interest Journalism Lab, Chad C. Serena of The Soufan Center , and Ioannis Koskinas of the Hoplite Group and New America.
View this post on Instagram
View this post on Instagram
The drone discussion placed the conference theme within a specific operational problem. Commercial and dual-use systems provide non-state actors with tools for surveillance, targeting, attack, and infrastructure disruption. Artificial intelligence adds questions involving autonomy, machine vision, detection, attribution, and defense.
The Emerging Drone Threat
Dr. Bunker, who is also a Research Fellow with ASU’s Future Security Initiative, has examined these issues through his research on emerging threats and non-state actors.
His recent Soufan Center analysis, “The Emerging Need to Protect Critical Infrastructure and VIPs from Weaponized AI Drone Threats,” published in partnership with the 2026 Global Security Forum, examines how autonomous AI-enabled drones could be employed against critical infrastructure, dignitaries, executives, and vehicles.
Dr. Bunker calls attention to the requirement to integrate counter-UAS and counter-AI disciplines as autonomous systems become accessible to malicious actors.
Alliances Meet the Operational Environment
Ultimately, the ASU contributions in Doha connect the theme of alliances with the operational problems those alliances must address. The issues presented at the forum can require cooperation among institutions, militaries, intelligence services, police, border authorities, technology companies, infrastructure operators, and international partners. Therefore, the future of alliances includes the ability to share information, develop expertise, coordinate capabilities, and respond when emerging technologies enter the hands of state and non-state actors.
Watch the 2025 Global Security Forum, featuring more familiar ASU and SWJ faces.
