Ideas
Why the US attack on Iran is unlikely to produce regime change in Tehran
A conversation with veteran diplomat Donald Heflin, a leader at Tufts University's Fletcher School.
Threats
Iranian drones damage US Navy base in Bahrain; Americans evacuate
Retaliatory strikes damaged facilities at the home of the 5th Fleet headquarters.
Threats
Shahed drone meets clone in US war on Iran
The Feb. 28 strikes saw the first combat use of the LUCAS, a near-copy of Iran’s cheap and effective Shahed-136.
Threats
Strikes on Iran will test US cyber strategy abroad, and defenses at home
The federal government’s cyber defense agency is short-staffed, and Tehran is known for its retaliatory cyberattacks.
Sponsor Content
Building public trust in a data-driven government
Each day, government agencies collect millions of data points about the people they serve, from birth certificates to business licenses, tax returns to benefit applications.
Ideas
Expect Iranian regime to respond to US‑Israeli strikes as existential threats
The response to last year's strikes on nuclear sites was muted. Don't expect this one to be the same.
Threats
Trump directs government to ‘immediately cease’ using Anthropic technology
Ban follows AI firm’s refusal to enable mass surveillance, autonomous weapons.
Policy
Sen. Wyden to block confirmation for NSA director, citing lack of experience
The Oregon senator took issue with Lt. Gen. Joshua Rudd’s responses to questions regarding civil liberties and oversight against unlawful surveillance.
Sponsor Content
Why file trust fails at the tactical edge and how Zero Trust solves it
Cross-domain solutions (CDS) are designed to protect data as it moves between trust boundaries—but at the tactical edge, traditional detection-based security models often fail.
Ideas
Defense One Radio, Ep. 204: “Until the Last Gun Is Silent” by Matthew Delmont
A historian explores patriotism, U.S. foreign policy, and the anti-war movement during the Vietnam era.
Threats
It would take the Pentagon months to replace Anthropic’s AI tools: sources
AI maker digs in with Thursday statement rejecting DOD pleas for unfettered use.
Voices
Threats
Pentagon pick to lead homeland defense policy grilled over election security
The heated debate follows President Trump’s calls to “nationalize” elections.
Science & Tech
25th ID helping the Army smooth out the wrinkles in its next-generation C2
Organizing data, automatic spectrum-switching and more from soldiers’ wish lists.
Defense Systems
Cost estimate for new Sentinel ICBM plan won’t arrive until year’s end
Program managers tout progress, dismiss GAO concerns.
Defense Systems
USAF ‘woefully behind’ on modernizing mobility aircraft, airlift commander says
Pushing aging aircraft decades past their service life is the emerging service strategy.
Special Report
Business
Several trends are shifting defense tech toward Europe
War, regulation, and distrust of the United States are tilting a big market homeward.
Policy
Trump repeats claims to have ‘obliterated’ Iran’s nuke program, ended ‘8 wars’
In the longest-ever State of the Union speech, the president also took credit for a “trillion-dollar” defense budget, while falsely claiming that tariffs funded a pay bump for troops.
Science & Tech
Air Force test pilots used tactical AI to evade a missile
A Skunk Works project pushed pilots to give artificial intelligence control in the cockpit.
Policy
Pentagon’s spending plan doubles down on land, air, sea robots
A look at new tech efforts in the Pentagon’s $151 billion reconciliation allocation plan.
Business
An Air Force drone wingman has started flying with weapons
Anduril’s collaborative combat aircraft began “captive carry" testing last month.
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