May 20, 2026
Hellscape Taiwan: Drones, Deterrence, and the Future of Asymmetric Defense
Stacie Pettyjohn joined the Irregular Warfare Podcast to examine how Taiwan could deter—or potentially defeat—a Chinese invasion by transforming the Taiwan Strait into an “unmanned hellscape.” Anchored in the recent CNAS report Hellscape for Taiwan: Rethinking Asymmetric Defense, the conversation explores how drones, autonomous systems, and mobile defenses are reshaping warfare in the Indo-Pacific. Drawing from lessons in Ukraine, the guests argue that cheap, expendable drones offer Taiwan a way to strengthen its longstanding “porcupine strategy” by imposing massive costs on a PLA invasion force during the dangerous amphibious crossing of the Taiwan Strait.
Listen to the full interview on Irregular Warfare Initiative.
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