Ideas

Where the Space Force’s new ‘theory of success’ succeeds

The chief of space operations’ revelatory paper should be read across the Joint Force.

Defense Systems

B-21 production is a go, Pentagon says

Defense undersecretary confirms Northrop Grumman has approval to start making non-test variants of the stealth bomber.

Science & Tech

The Pentagon is already testing tomorrow’s AI-powered swarm drones, ships

DOD pulled off unmanned amphibious landings, self-coding drones, and more just in the last year. What's next?

Ideas

How China is winning the Middle East

China is working to present itself as a responsible alternative to the U.S. in the Middle East, just as many are questioning Washington’s long-term commitment to the region.

Threats

Russia rejects US proposal for negotiations on nuclear arms control

Despite several outreach attempts by Washington, Moscow has made no specific proposals on arms control since January 2022, a senior U.S. official said.

Defense Systems

How the Navy is using deployed ships to improve maintenance

The goal is to keep ships at sea and those in queue up to date, the service’s surface warfare director said.

Threats

Defense One Radio, Ep. 142: Trouble on the Red Sea

We review how the Iran-backed Houthis are disrupting global shipping in the Red Sea, and we look back at similar dynamics near the end of the so-called tanker wars of the late 1980s.

Business

Shark Tank Kyiv? Investors hunt ‘war-winning’ tech in Ukraine

Fund managers say Ukraine is a major opportunity, but also that they must overcome investor concerns over security and corruption.

Ideas

Belarus adds nukes to its military doctrine

Alexander Lukashenko has been pressing Russia's Vladimir Putin to return Soviet-era nuclear weapons to Belarus.

Threats

Expect a Chinese show of force against Taiwan soon, says INDOPACOM head

“When something occurs that they don’t like, they tend to take actions,” said Adm. John Aquilino.

Defense Systems

Some secret military programs are getting a little less secret

New classification guidance aims to streamline operations within the Pentagon and with foreign partners.

Exclusive Policy

The secret history of the Air Force One shadow fleet

Service officials do not acknowledge the existence of four of the world's most prominent Boeing 757s.

Policy

Senate inches toward another two-tiered stopgap spending bill

Facing a shutdown at the end of the week, Congress aims to push the deadlines into early March.

Policy

A thumbs-up for State's 3-year-old cyber bureau

GAO says the Bureau of Cyberspace and Digital Policy has “helped to better position State to achieve its cyber diplomacy goals.”

Defense Systems

Pentagon’s next-gen missile-tracking effort moves ahead—for now

Three firms have been picked to build 54 satellites, but plans depend on funds in the still-unpassed 2024 budget.