Military History Book Club – September 2026

The spirited discussion will be lead by Bob Epstein: Texas Guard- 19th Military Police Brigade; Law Enforcement Reserves ( 20 years); National Security Task Force Chair – Military Order of World Wars.

As demonstrated in Russia v Ukraine and Iran vs US, the world is plunging into a new era of warfare dominated by robotic systems and artificial intelligence. Drone warfare and autonomous weapons fill the headlines; militaries, governments, and concerned citizens are asking urgent questions about the future of conflict. Author George M. Dougherty provides much-needed answers from a unique perspective as a senior military leader of US Air Force science and technology and a strategic business consultant to companies facing disruptive change in their industries.

Beast in the Machine offers a fascinating exploration of the future of combat. It takes the reader on a whirlwind journey through previously secret robotic warfare history from the World Wars to the War on Terror, and to today’s lethal battlefields in Ukraine and beyond. With gripping combat examples and easy-to-understand explanations of emerging technologies, Dougherty reveals the trends driving change and helps us to anticipate and prepare for what comes next. In these pages, readers will learn how the robotic military revolution is disrupting the balance of power, undermining US security and making all of us targets:

• Why today’s drones and autonomous weapons are only the start of the revolution—and what comes next
• Why familiar military platforms like tanks, ships, and airplanes will be replaced by robotic systems that may look radically different
• How self-organizing drone swarms in the “atmospheric littoral” may become a dominant force on the future battlefield
• Which threats from military AI are more dangerous than artificial superintelligence, and how to avert them

RSVP to Bob Epstein at: macabee1948@gmail.com