MAXWELL AIR FORCE BASE, Ala -- A collaborative research project between Air University schools, designed to enhance deterrence in the Indo-Pacific, recently earned a team of company grade officers a presentation to the Joint Staff at Maxwell Air Force Base, Alabama, June 10, 2025.
The project, part of an AU Taiwan Deterrence Research Group, pairs students and faculty from the Air War College, Air Command and Staff College and Squadron Officer School to develop innovative solutions for complex security challenges.
A team of five captains from a recent Squadron Officer School class was central to this achievement. Under the guidance of Lt. Col. David Benson, the team comprising active duty, Air Force Reserve, and Air National Guard officers, authored a paper that won the service-wide competition.
Benson explained that the group’s goal was to identify unique ways to bolster Taiwanese defense capabilities. Their research explored ways to make any potential aggression against the island a more significant challenge.
"What the group does is try to find innovative ways Taiwan can further build their readiness and deterrence capability," Benson said. "The three lines of effort for the group are denying air dominance, sustaining asymmetric strike, and generating resilient ISR comms and logistics.”
The captains' paper, one of 38 submissions, was selected by the Joint Staff J7, Joint Force Development Directorate. The award culminated in the opportunity for the paper to be presented to senior Department of Defense leaders on their findings.
The presentation highlighted not only the students' innovative work but also the strategic value of professional military education in generating solutions for the joint force.
"Overall, it went very well. Taiwan deterrence is a very important topic," said Benson. "It was nice to have some upper-level leadership within the DoD talking about this topic and the work these captains do."