Science & Tech
Army puts drones front and center in unfunded wishlist
List includes commercial drones for infantry units, plus more counter-drone gear.
Defense Systems
Preparing for electronic warfare is the Army’s top cyber priority in 2024
Troops could have a backpack capability in the next six months—as long as Congress passes a budget.
Policy
House passes $825B defense bill, racing the clock to avoid shutdown
Bill includes new money for ships, planes, ground combat vehicles, and AI.
Policy
UN adopts resolution to keep AI 'safe, secure and trustworthy'
The U.S.-led effort garnered the support of more than 120 countries—including China.
Threats
Russia's lies helped persuade Niger to eject US troops, AFRICOM says
The U.S. needs to beef up its own counter-disinformation efforts, Gen. Langley tells lawmakers.
Threats
Houthis granting China, Russia safe passage in Red Sea, CENTCOM says
The group is armed by Iran using the revenues from Beijing’s veiled oil purchases.
Policy
How to airdrop: A C-17 pilot describes delivering food and water to Gaza
U.S. airlifters get close enough to see the destruction.
Policy
Navy offers 2-option shipbuilding plan
One path shows the service's desired path; the other, a plan for no real growth in the Navy budget.
Ideas
Use 'hedge forces' to break the Pentagon's force-structure death spiral
The U.S. military must move away from exquisite general-purpose units and weapons.
Policy
Special operations seeing growing demand amid planned cuts: commander
Faced with a more active China, “I certainly wouldn't support” shrinking the force, SOCOM's Fenton told lawmakers.
Science & Tech
Spy agency ready to launch new vehicle-tracking satellites
After tests go well, NRO director looks to start replacing JSTARS aircraft with orbital sensors.
Ideas
New Arctic strategy? Good. Now do one for the Antarctic
China and Russia aren’t limiting their adventurism to the northern polar region.
Policy
Milley, McKenzie detail mistakes that led to Afghan evacuation chaos
The retired generals blamed the State Department for the debacle at Hamid Karzai airport. But it’s not that simple.
Defense Systems
Sprouts of promise bud in NATO’s tech incubator
Hopeful seedlings include improvements in energy resilience and storage.
Science & Tech
Marines see progress with drones, despite flat budgets
However, a program to mount loitering munitions to vehicles faces delays.
Ideas