Hudson Study Tests Navy Hedge Forces in Wargames
A Hudson Institute report released 3 November describes wargames that tested hedge forces against China, Russia, and Iran in 2035-40 scenarios.
Updated on Nov. 9, 2026 in Military
The Hudson Institute released its report Righting the Ship on 3 November, detailing a series of wargames conducted from 2024 to 2026. The scenarios assumed China blockading Taiwan, Russia threatening US and European NATO allies, and conflict with Iranian forces in a Red Sea region.
Why it matters
The report evaluates hedge forces, a concept Admiral Daryl Caudle introduced at the beginning of 2026 as tailored or hedge forces. It offers a test of how such forces might perform against the navy's most challenging operational scenarios.
The wargames were conducted over 2024 to 2026 and set in 2035-40 scenarios, with participants drawn from active-duty US and allied military personnel, government officials, and industry experts. The source does not report specific outcomes or results from the exercises.
The players
Hudson Institute
A Washington-based public policy think tank that conducts research on defense, foreign policy, and national security.
Admiral Daryl Caudle
The Chief of Naval Operations who introduced the tailored or hedge forces concept for the US Navy.
The details
Hudson Institute developed hedge forces by running wargames against the navy's most challenging operational scenarios. Admiral Daryl Caudle discussed the concept during a question-and-answer period at the Navy Memorial's SITREP Speakers Series on 26 October.
Timeline
Beginning of 2026: Caudle introduces the tailored or hedge forces concept.
26 October: Caudle speaks at the Navy Memorial SITREP Speakers Series.
3 November: Hudson Institute releases the Righting the Ship report.
Big Picture
The Hudson Institute's Righting the Ship report is the product of its multi-year wargame series testing hedge forces against China, Russia, and Iran scenarios. It tests the hedge force concept Admiral Daryl Caudle introduced at the start of 2026 against the navy's most demanding operational challenges.
The report's findings could influence how the US Navy structures its fleet and allocates resources in coming years. For readers, the outcome shapes future defense spending priorities and the force posture the navy adopts.
The takeaway
Hedge forces represent an effort to prepare the navy for several threats at once rather than optimizing for a single adversary. How the concept performs in testing will shape whether it becomes central to naval planning.
Further reading
Explore more on Military developments shaping US naval strategy.
