In Defense 101, a concise primer for understanding the United States' $700+ billion defense budget and rapidly changing military technologies, Michael O'Hanlon provides a deeply informed yet accessible analysis of American military power.

1. Introduction: A Primer on the US Military MachineToday's Global Security EnvironmentA Quick Historical Sketch of the American MilitaryThe Secretary, the Joint Chiefs, the Services, and the CommandsThe People and Personnel Policies of the MilitaryDomestic Bases and PlacesThe US Military's Global ReachConclusion: The American Military Juggernaut2. Defense Budgeting and Resource AllocationThe Big Picture: Broad Definitions and Budget ProcessesBreakdowns of the US Department of Defense BudgetThe Acquisition BudgetThe Wars and the Wartime SupplementalsBudgeting by Overseas RegionThe Economics of Overseas BasingMilitary ReadinessThe Main Show: Costs of Individual Combat UnitsConclusion: Defense Budgeting and Grand Strategy3. Gaming and Modeling CombatWargamingMicromodelingThe Lanchester's EquationsModeling Air-Ground CombatModeling Naval CombatArtillery Barrages against Population CentersNuclear Exchange CalculationsAssessing Counterinsurgency and Stabilization MissionsConclusion: Subconscious versus Conscious Modeling4. Technological Change and Military InnovationSensorsComputers, Communications, and RoboticsProjectiles, Propulsion, and PlatformsOther TechnologiesConclusion: Might a Revolution in Military Affairs Be in the Offing?5. Space, Missile Defense, and Nuclear Weapons: Three Case Studies in the Science of WarThe Military Uses of Space(Ballistic) Missile DefenseNuclear Weapons, Nuclear Testing, and Nuclear ProliferationConclusion: Security Dilemmas, Wars of Choice, Uncertainty, and the Science of War