Strategic Competition > Strategic Domains
Strategic Domains
Shaping the Battlegrounds of the 21st Century
“Strategic competition is decided not in a single arena, but across a series of interconnected domains—from semiconductors to supply chains to space. Leadership demands mastery of them all.”
Kennedy with the moon rover at Cal Tech.
Strategic Framework
- Strategic domains define the battlegrounds.
Why Strategic Domains Matter
- In today's global landscape, competition is not confined to conventional military arenas. It plays out across a series of critical domains where technology, economics, and infrastructure define future power.
- Victory in strategic competition will belong to those who:
- Secure leadership across multiple domains
- Shape the rules and norms that govern them
- Build resilient ecosystems of innovation, production, and strategic resources
- Each domain is interconnected — advantage in one strengthens leverage across others.
- Sustained U.S. leadership requires a strategy that integrates action across all strategic domains, not isolated efforts.
Applying the STEAD Framework: Integration, Not Silos
- To align efforts across these complex domains, WISC applies the STEAD Framework:
STEAD Framework: Integrating Security, Technology, Economics, Alliances, and Diplomacy efforts to align non-military tools toward strategic goals and lasting advantage.
- STEAD Pillar > Strategic Actions
- Security > Strengthen resilience in critical technologies, supply chains, energy, and infrastructure.
- Technology > Drive leadership in emerging fields and shape global standards.
- Economics > Anchor supply chains, secure investment, and align trade and industrial policy.
- Alliances > Build trusted innovation, economic, and security partnerships.
- Diplomacy > Expand engagement with partners to reinforce open, resilient systems.
- Through the STEAD Framework, actions across domains are coordinated — avoiding silos and amplifying strategic impact.
Strategic Breadth, Long-Term Focus, and Direct Engagement
- Broad View. WISC deliberately integrates across sectors, regions, and domains — avoiding narrow stovepiped approaches.
- Long View. We assess not only immediate tactical gains but second- and third-order strategic consequences to secure enduring advantage.
- Long View. We assess not only immediate tactical gains but second- and third-order strategic consequences to secure enduring advantage.
- Strategic Evaluation. Every WISC recommendation is assessed by three primary criteria:
- Will it deter great power aggression?
- Will it advance the peace and prosperity of Americans?
- Will it advance the peace and prosperity of the world?
The Critical Domains of Competition
Victory in strategic competition demands mastery across the following interconnected domains:
- Dominating design, manufacturing, and supply chains essential to innovation and defense.
- Winning the race to deploy secure 5G/6G networks and digital backbone infrastructure based on open, trusted standards.
- Shaping the competitive landscape, ethics, and global rules for artificial intelligence.
- Building resilient, trusted networks for critical minerals, medical supplies, and key technologies.
- Revitalizing America's capacity to innovate, produce, and surge defense capabilities in a contested world.
- Ensuring reliable, sustainable energy access while competing in the technologies shaping the global energy future.
- Safeguarding the freedom of navigation and strategic waterways critical to global commerce and military mobility.
- Securing leadership in space technology, infrastructure, and norms to ensure freedom of action in the final frontier.
Closing Principle
Victory in strategic competition will belong to those who master not one domain, but all of them.