Bold. Innovative. Bipartisan.
Paul Scharre
Paul Scharre is a Senior Fellow and Director of the 20YY Future of Warfare Initiative at the Center for a New American Security.
From 2008-2013, Mr. Scharre worked in the Office of the Secretary of Defense (OSD) where he played a leading role in establishing policies on unmanned and autonomous systems and emerging weapons technologies. Mr. Scharre led the DoD working group that drafted DoD Directive 3000.09, establishing the Department’s policies on autonomy in weapon systems. Mr. Scharre also led DoD efforts to establish policies on intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) programs and directed energy technologies. Mr. Scharre was involved in the drafting of policy guidance in the 2012 Defense Strategic Guidance, 2010 Quadrennial Defense Review, and Secretary-level planning guidance. His most recent position was Special Assistant to the Under Secretary of Defense for Policy.
Prior to joining OSD, Mr. Scharre served as a special operations reconnaissance team leader in the Army’s 3rd Ranger Battalion and completed multiple tours to Iraq and Afghanistan. He is a graduate of the Army’s Airborne, Ranger, and Sniper Schools and Honor Graduate of the 75th Ranger Regiment’s Ranger Indoctrination Program.
Mr. Scharre has published articles in The New York Times, Foreign Policy, Politico, Proceedings, Armed Forced Journal, Joint Force Quarterly, Military Review, and in academic technical journals. He has presented at the United Nations, NATO Defence College, Chatham House, National Defense University and numerous other defense-related conferences on robotics and autonomous systems, defense institution building, ISR, hybrid warfare, and the Iraq war. He has appeared as a commentator on CNN, MSNBC, NPR, the BCC, and Swiss and Canadian television. Mr. Scharre is a term member of the Council on Foreign Relations. He holds an M.A. in Political Economy and Public Policy and a B.S. in Physics, cum laude, both from Washington University in St. Louis.
Autonomous Weapons and Human Control
Paul Scharre and Kelley Sayler of CNAS’ Ethical Autonomy Project examine how autonomy is used in current and future weapons and prospects for human control.
Read MoreNetworked Transparency: Constructing a Common Operational Picture of the South China Sea
As tensions rise in the South China Sea, five CNAS experts have written a report arguing in favor of, and creating a roadmap for, a shared maritime domain awareness (MDA) for the South China Sea.
Read MoreAutonomous Weapons and Operational Risk
20YY Future of Warfare Initiative Director Paul Scharre examines the risks in future autonomous weapons that would choose their own targets and the potential for catastrophic accidents.
Read MoreUncertain Ground: Emerging Challenges in Land Warfare
Defense Strategies and Assessments Program Senior Fellow Paul Scharre makes recommendations for enhancing strategic agility to adapt to a changing world.
Read MorePaul Scharre before the Senate Armed Services Committee
Paul Scharre testified before the Senate Armed Services Committee on the future of warfare.
Read MoreAutonomous Weapons at the UN: A Primer for Delegates
CNAS experts Paul Scharre, Michael Horowitz, and Kelley Sayler provide a pimer for UN delegates on autuomous weapons.
Read MoreMeaningful Human Control in Weapon Systems: A Primer
Dr. Michael Horowitz and Paul Scharre assess statements made by those advocating for meaningful human control and studied the use of weapons today, which have varying degrees of autonomy.
Read MoreAn Introduction to Autonomy in Weapon Systems
20YY Warfare Initiative Director Paul Scharre and Adjunct Senior Fellow Michael Horowitz discuss future military systems incorporating greater autonomy.
Read MoreIdeas to Action: Suggestions for the 25th Secretary of Defense
In advance of Dr. Ashton Carter’s upcoming nomination hearing to be Secretary of Defense, CNAS experts have produced a series of commentaries outlining the key issues the 25th Secretary of Defense will face.
Read MoreAutonomous Weapon Systems at the United Nations
CNAS experts Michael Horowitz, Paul Scharre and Kelley Sayler examine the issues facing U.N. delegates, along with recommendations for action.
Read MorePages
Terminators: Fact or Fiction?
CNAS will host a movie screening for Terminator: Genisys on Monday, September 14, 2015. RSVP today.
Read MoreRise of the machines? The danger of autonomous weapons
In Fox News, 20YY Future of Warfare Initiative Director Paul Scharre weighs in on ethical autonomous weapons.
Read MoreVietnam-era planes used against ISIS
On CNN, 20YY Future of Warfare Initiative Director Paul Scharre discusses the visibility of drones use to fight ISIS.
Read MoreReport Cites Dangers of Autonomous Weapons
The New York Times features new report by 20YY Future of Warfare Initiative Director Paul Scharre on the dangers of future autonomous weapons.
Read MoreWhy drone swarms will buzz to the forefront in the new Pentagon budget
In The Washington Post, Senior Fellow Paul Scharre weighs in on the importance of drone swarms in the U.S. military.
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 MoreWhy does the Pentagon need an Iron Man suit?
In Christian Science Monitor, Senior Fellow Paul Scharre discusses extending to ground forces the same technologies afforded to airmen and sailors.
Read MoreObama picks Special Operations commander to lead U.S. Central Command
In the Washington Post, Senior Fellow Paul Scharre comments on Army Gen. Joseph Votel's nomination to lead U.S. Central Command.
Read MorePentagon's lesson learned from Ramadi: patience
In the Christian Science Monitor, Senior Fellow Paul Scharre comments on how to approach victories and challenges battling ISIS.
Read MoreCNAS Press Note: Autonomous Weapons Fears and the Davos World Economic Forum
Senior Fellow Paul Scharre has written a press note following the high-level discussion at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, on autonomous weapons.
Read MoreCNAS Press Note: U.S. Special Operations in Iraq
CNAS experts write a press note following Secretary of Defense Ashton Carter’s announcement that the United States will deploy more special operations forces to Iraq.
Read MorePages
The Smartphone Wars are Coming
Senior Fellow and Director of the 20YY Future of Warfare Initiative Paul Scharre wrote an op-ed examining how changes in technology will impact the military in The National Interest.
Read MoreYes, Unmanned Combat Aircraft are the Future
Senior Fellow and Director of the 20YY Warfare Initiative Paul Scharre penned an op-ed discussing the capabilites of robots and whether they will replace humans in War on the Rocks.
Read MoreThe Morality of Robotic War
CNAS experts Paul Scharre and Michael Horowitz pen a New York Times op-ed discussing the moral argument for autonomous weapons.
Read MoreIt’s Time To Arm the Sunni Tribes
20YY Warfare Initiative Director and Senior Fellow Paul Scharre notes that a failure to support moderate Sunnis strengthens ISIS’ hand as well as spoilers like Iran who can argue they are necessary to counter ISIS.
Read MoreScharre: Protect the X-47B to safeguard innovation
20YY Warfare Initiative Director Paul Scharre discusses the importance of the Navy’s X-47B.
Read MoreKeeping Killer Robots on a Tight Leash
20YY Warfare Initiative Director Paul Scharre and Adjunct Senior Fellow Michael Horowitz pen an op-ed discussing autonomous weapons systems.
Read MorePages
Paul Scharre before the Senate Armed Services Committee
Paul Scharre testified before the Senate Armed Services Committee on the future of warfare.
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 MoreVideo: Paul Scharre before the Senate Armed Services Committee
Paul Scharre, senior fellow and director of the 20YY Warfare Initiative, testified before the Senate Armed Services Committee.
Read MoreTransforming Training for a 21st Century Threat Landscape
Senior Fellow Paul Scharre joined RealClearPolitics as a panelist for their event with Sen. Tom Cotton: “Transforming Training for a 21st Century Threat Landscape.”
Read MoreVideo: Paul Scharre on Unmanned and Autonomous Systems and Emerging Weapons Technologies
Paul Scharre, senior fellow and director of the 20YY Warfare Initiative leads a discussion called "Unmanned and autonomous systems and emerging weapons technologies" during the 2015 Mad Scientist Conference.
Read MoreVideo: Terminators - Fact or Fiction?
CNAS and the U.S. Department of State co-hosted a discussion on autonomous weapons featuring the following speakers:Tom Malinowski, Assistant Secretary of State for Democracy, Human Rights and LaborStuart Russell, Professor of Computer Science and Smith-Zadeh Professor in Engineering at University of California, BerkeleyPaul Scharre, Senior Fellow and Director of the CNAS 20YY Warfare InitiativeMissy Ryan, Pentagon Correspondent, The Washington Post
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 MoreCommander trained to fight terrorism joins ISIS
On CNN's Situation Room with Wolf Blitzer, 20YY Warfare Initiative Senior Fellow and Director Paul Scharre
Read MoreBeyond Offset: Paul Scharre on Technical Landscape
CNAS recently held a working group session to discuss the capabilities and technologies that should be at the center of this strategy. In the video below, Paul Scharre, director of CNAS’s 20YY Warfare Initative, weighs in.
Read MoreAudio: 20YY Warfare Initiative Director Paul Scharre discusses the threat of ISIS to service members.
20YY Warfare Initiative Director Paul Scharre discusses the threat of ISIS to service members.
Read MorePaul Scharre, Director, 20YY Warfare Initiative, Center for a New American Security
Paul Scharre, director of the 20YY Warfare Initiative, joined the Federal Drive with Tom temin to discuss long-term military affairs and the Defense budget.
Read More