Bold. Innovative. Bipartisan.
Ben FitzGerald
Ben FitzGerald is a Senior Fellow and Director of the Technology and National Security Program at CNAS. In this capacity, Mr. FitzGerald leads CNAS efforts to explore the national security implications associated with the rapid pace of technological change by exploring the nexus of strategy, technology and business.
Mr. FitzGerald's recent CNAS publications include: Creative Disruption: Technology, Strategy and the Future of the Global Defense Industry; Digital Theaters: Decentralizing Cyber Command and Control; Process Over Platforms: A Paradigm Shift in Acquisition Through Advanced Manufacturing and Game Changers: Disruptive Technology and U.S. Defense Strategy.
Mr. FitzGerald has wide experience across a range of strategic matters having led and contributed to projects on topics as diverse as interagency conflict prevention, UN peacekeeping doctrine, transitional law enforcement, the future of urban-littoral combat and the future role of the United States Marine Corps. A natural facilitator, he has designed and led a variety of wargames for military and civilian audiences ranging from action officers to four star generals.
Technology has played an ongoing role throughout Mr. FitzGerald’s career. His early experience was gained working in technology companies Unisys, Rational Software and IBM. In these roles he assisted a range of government clients, including defense and signals intelligence agencies, align their technology strategy, methods and infrastructure with organizational goals. Mr. FitzGerald has also supported OSD AT&L experimentation on integrated tactical technology for urban combat, explored NIH and DoD collaboration on human performance enhancement and led NeXTech, an investigation of game changing technology.
As a business leader, Mr. FitzGerald moved from his native Australia and established, then led as Managing Director and board member, the North American business of Noetic, a privately owned national security strategy firm. He grew the business from an initial start-up to a highly regarded organization with clients including the Office of the Secretary of Defense, the United States Marine Corps, Joint Forces Command and the United Nations, among others. Ben’s work was recognized with Australian Capital Territory Export Awards in 2007, 2008 and 2011.
Mr. FitzGerald’s commentary and other publications have appeared in Foreign Policy, Mashable, Reuters, Small Wars Journal, the U.S. Army SSI PKSOI papers and Vice. He has undertaken field research in Australia, Afghanistan, Colombia, Sudan and most dangerously, Twentynine Palms, CA.
Ben FitzGerald before the Senate Armed Services Committee
Senior Fellow Ben FitzGerald testified before the Senate Armed Services Committee on the next steps regarding acquisition reform.
Read MoreCrisis Response: Institutional Innovation in the United States Marine Corps
As the U.S. Marine Corps prepares to celebrate its 240th birthday, Ben FitzGerald, director of the Technology and National Security Program, and LtCol Brian Bruggeman, a former Senior Military Fellow, have released a new report on Institutional Innovation in the U.S. Marine Corps.
Read MoreShades of Gray: Technology, Strategic Competition, and Stability in Maritime Asia
Amy Chang, Ben FitzGerald, and Van Jackson unpack how proliferating technologies are intersecting with strategic competition, coercive behaviors, and unclear norms to exacerbate dangerous "gray zone" scenarios. They outline ways to "remove the fog" of technology and shore up stability in maritime Asia.
Read MoreCreative Disruption: Technology, Strategy, and the Future of the Global Defense Industry
Technology and National Security Program Director Ben FitzGerald and Research Associate Kelley Sayler highlight the "growing disconnect" between Defense Department (DOD) needs and what the existing business climate and acquisition strategy and structures are able to provide.
Read MoreDigital Theaters: Decentralizing Cyber Command and Control
Ben FitzGerald and Lt Col Parker Wright, USAF recommend that Congress and the Department of Defense should establish a mature and effective C2 structure that responsibly decentralizes C2 of theater cyber forces.
Read MoreProcess Over Platforms: A Paradigm Shift in Acquisition Through Advanced Manufacturing
In Process Over Platforms: A Paradigm Shift in Acquisition through Advanced Manufacturing, Dr. Aaron Martin and Ben FitzGerald address concerns about the U.S. ability to maintain its current technological advantage and respond to changing military needs in an era of declining budgets, growing costs, emerging technology and increased global competition.
Read MoreGame Changers: Disruptive Technology and U.S. Defense Strategy
In Game Changers: Disruptive Technology and U.S. Defense Strategy, Vice President Shawn Brimley, Director of the Technology and National Security Program Ben FitzGerald and Research Associate Kelley Sayler discuss how the rapid diffusion of advanced technology throughout the world has the potential to challenge the U.S. technological advantage in defense capabilities.
Read MoreA Conversation About Healthcare Technology as a National Security Asset and Improving Outcomes
CNAS cordially invites you to attend a panel discussion of how the Department of Defense and others are leveraging technology to improve health care outcomes, improve readiness, and do so with greater efficiency.
The Pentagon Wants Your Favorite Homemade Bomb Recipe to Stop a Brussels-Style Terrorist Attack
In VICE, Technology and National Security Program Director Ben FitzGerald weighs in on DARPA's new initiative.
Read MoreCNAS Press Note: The “Hack the Pentagon” Project, the Defense Innovation Advisory Board, and the DoD Innovation Agenda
As Secretary of Defense Ashton Carter announced the “Hack the Pentagon” program in which vetted outside hackers engage in a cyber “bug bounty” program, CNAS senior fellows Ben FitzGerald and Loren DeJonge Schulman weigh in.
Read MoreCNAS Press Note: What to Look for in the Defense Budget
With the FY 2017 Defense Budget set to drop this week and Secretary Carter having outlined budget last week, ten CNAS experts have provided insight into the key items to look for in the budget.
Read MoreFormer National Security Officials: Battling Encryption is a Bad Idea
Director of the Technology and National Security Program Ben FitzGerald examines encrypted and unencrypted technology systems in Fortune.
Read MoreBen FitzGerald, Norman Augustine: DoD Should Push for Broader Commercial Tech Adoption
Director of the Technology and National Security Program Ben FitzGerald discusses commercially available drones in Executive Gov.
Read MoreDOD urged to go commercial
Senior Fellow and Director of the Technology and National Security Program Ben FitzGerald examines how the government can tap into commercial technology in FCW.
Read MoreIslamic State adds smartphone app to its communications arsenal
Senior Fellow Ben FitzGerald examines how Islamic State is using commercial technology in The Christian Science Monitor.
Read MoreExperts: Pentagon's Tech Edge Faltering
Senior Fellow and Director of the Technology and National Security Program Ben FitzGerald examines the acquisitions model in The Pentagon in Defense News.
Read MoreVideo: 'Anonymous' vs The Islamic State
Senior Fellow & Director of the Technology and National Security Program Ben FitzGerald discusses the battle between the hacking group Anonymous and the Islamic State on HuffPost Live.
Read MoreCould More Online Surveillance Have Stopped the Paris Attacks?
Senior Fellow and Director of the Technology and National Security Program Ben FitzGerald examines whether online surveillance could have prevented the Paris attacks in U.S. News & World Report.
Read MorePages
Reforming Acquisitions and the Need for Speed
In Defense News, CNAS technology experts Ben FitzGerald, Alexandra Sander, and Jacqueline Parziale examined House Armed Services Committee Chairman Rep. Mac Thornberry's new acquisition reform legislation.
Read MoreOpinion: Cybersecurity collaboration needs a toolkit. So we built a prototype
CNAS experts Ben FitzGerald and Alex Sander pen an op-ed discussing the NextWare Cyber Collaboration Toolkit.
Read MoreWhen Superiority Goes Wrong: Science Fiction and Offset Strategies
Senior Fellow Ben FitzGerald discusses science fiction and offset strategies in a War on the Rocks op-ed.
Read MoreTechnology strategy then and now – the Long Range Research and Development Planning Program
As part of the Beyond Offset Project, Senior Fellow Ben FitzGerald contributes an op-ed to War on the Rocks discussing technology strategy and planning in the Cold War era.
Read MoreCan America Maintain Its Military-Technology Edge?
Senior Fellow and Director of the Technology and National Security Program Ben FitzGerald in The National Interest responds to Deputy Secretary of Defense Bob Work’s call for a third ‘offset strategy’ and discusses how the Department of Defense must develop new strategies to maintain military-technical superiority.
Read MorePeering into America's Military Blind Spots: High-Impact Long Shots
Senior Fellow and Director of the Technology and National Security Program Ben FitzGerald co-authors with August Cole from the American Security Project an op-ed in War on the Rocks that dissects survey results which unveiled troublesome blind spots in U.S. defense strategy deemed least disruptive.
Read MoreThe Best Defense Ready, Aim, 'F.I.R.E.': A review
Ben FitzGerald reviews F.I.R.E. How Fast, Inexpensive, Restrained, and Elegant Methods Ignite Innovation on Foreign Policy's Best Defense blog.
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Ben FitzGerald before the Senate Armed Services Committee
Senior Fellow Ben FitzGerald testified before the Senate Armed Services Committee on the next steps regarding acquisition reform.
Read MorePodcast: How Drones Are Reshaping the World
On an America Abroad podcast, Senior fellows Ben FitzGerald and Paul Scharre look at how drones are revolutionizing the skies, and how this technology has moved from science fiction to reality.
Read MoreKnowledge@Wharton Radio: Ben FitzGerald on Data Encryption
On Knowledge@Wharton (SiriusXM Channel 11), Senior Fellow Ben FitzGerald joins Dan Loney and Jeffrey L Vagle to discuss the terrorist attacks in Paris and the battle of the encryption of data.
Read MoreVideo: CNAS 2015 Annual Conference - The Promise and Peril of Drones
President and Chief Executive Officer of Textron, Ellen Lord, Chief Executive Officer of Finmeccanica North America and DRS Technologies, Inc. William J. Lynn, Senior Fellow Paul Scharre, Senior Fellow Ben FitzGerald, and Associate Fellow Kelley Sayler discuss the use of drones and advances in their technology.
Read MoreThis Week in Defense News: DoD Offset Strategy
Bob Martinage of the Center for Strategic and Budgetary Assessments, and Ben FitzGerald of the Center for New American Security discuss how the U.S. plans to offset the technological gains of other countries.
Read MoreAudio: Senior Fellow and Director of the Technology and National Security Program Ben Fitzgerald discusses lessons learned from the F-35.
Senior Fellow and Director of the Technology and National Security Program Ben Fitzgerald discusses lessons learned from the F-35.
Read MoreBeyond Offset Working Group Interview: Ben FitzGerald
Senior Fellow Ben FitzGerald discusses the importance of the Beyond Offset project and provides recommendations for the Department of the Defense's third offset strategy.
Read MoreHagel's Departure and DOD Offset Strategy
Senior Fellow Ben FitzGerald and CSBA's Robert Martinage discuss Sec. Chuck Hagel's departure from the Department of Defense and DOD's Offset Strategy.
Read MoreInterview: Ben FitzGerald talks Cybersecurity on Federal News Radio
Senior Fellow and Director of the Technology and National Security Program Ben FitzGerald examines cybersecurity strategies and cyber cultures on Federal News Radio.
Read MoreVideo: Eighth Annual Conference: Creative Disruption: Strategy, Technology and the Future Defense Industry
The Honorable William J. Lynn III, former U.S. deputy secretary of defense and Admiral James Stavridis, USN (Ret.) discuss strategy, technology and the future of the defense industry. Technology and National Security Program Director Ben FitzGerald moderated the discussion.
Read MoreVideo: Ben FitzGerald on VOA News Discussing Spying Charges Against China
Ben FitzGerald, director of the Techonology and National Security program, discusses the DOJ's spying charges against individuals in the Chinese military.
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