War of the Worlds

In a feature for Vanity Fair, Klay writes:

After two decades in Iraq and Afghanistan fighting insurgents and terrorist groups who used guerrilla-style tactics, the US armed forces have a new focus: “peer-to-peer combat.” War between great nations with large militaries. War—hypothetically—with Russia or with China. Combat of the sort America hasn’t engaged in since Korea. As alarming as it may sound, every branch of the Defense Department is currently undergoing a major restructuring, reevaluating doctrine, weaponry, tactics, and training to prepare for just this kind of war.

Klay served in the U.S. Marine Corps for four years before embarking on an acclaimed literary career—with much of his writing focused on war. His latest magazine story, quoted above, highlights the work of photographer Peter van Agtmael, documenting soldiers going through combat exercises developed for a new era of warfare.