Defense Systems

What happens when COVID-19 infiltrates the defense supply chain?

The Defense Department is extremely efficient at planning and logistics, but the uncertainty surrounding how long and how widespread COVID-19 will be raises concerns on how parts, people, and acquisition will be affected.

Defense Systems

DOD names contractors as part of nation's critical infrastructure

DOD acquisition chief Ellen Lord has declared that contractors in the defense industrial base are part of the nation's critical infrastructure sector and can continue to report to work during the pandemic.

Threats

Marine Is First Known Service Member Assigned to the Pentagon with COVID-19

A U.S. Marine has become the first disclosed case of coronavirus among the thousands of people who work in the world's largest office building.

Business

As Stocks Sink, Pentagon Fears Foreigners Will Buy Control of US Defense Firms

The coronavirus pandemic has made vetting foreign investment more important than ever, officials say.

Ideas

Trump Could Have Led the World Against the Coronavirus

We have to isolate ourselves from the virus. He doesn't have to isolate us from the world.

Ideas

China’s Defense Spending Is Larger Than It Looks

Accounting for true purchasing power, Beijing’s military budget is about 87% of America’s.

Science & Tech

Chinese Hackers Attacked Foreign Health Care, Military, Oil Networks as Coronavirus Hit China

In January, the ‘widespread’ assault targeted a vulnerability in virtual desktops, cloud computing, and network applications, FireEye announced.

Threats

America’s Allies Are Becoming a Nuclear-Proliferation Threat

Some of the United States' oldest allies are considering the once-unthinkable: building their own nuclear weapons.

Business

Defense Industry to DOD: If We Send Workers Home, Will You Penalize Us?

Execs want clarity on Pentagon guidance that suggests they must choose between sending employees to factories or defaulting on contracts.

Science & Tech

Esper to DOD: Expect to Telework for 'Weeks For Sure, Maybe Months'

At a virtual town hall, the defense secretary asked troops and employees to be extra careful of phishing attempts and to disregard dis- and misinformation about COVID-19.

Science & Tech

Amazon: Pentagon Is Trying to ‘Gerrymander’ Its JEDI Fix

Amazon Web Services said the Pentagon’s plan to fix the Joint Enterprise Defense Infrastructure cloud contract is not enough.

Ideas

China’s Coronavirus Disinformation Ensnared Its Chief Target

Trump’s “Chinese virus” tweets are, in part, an attempt to cover up how he ignored U.S. intelligence and believed Beijing.

Ideas

It’s Time for the US and Saudi Arabia to Break Up

Riyadh’s recent crude-oil dump is the latest indication that the oil-for-security basis of the special relationship is no longer applicable.

Policy

Why Trump Isn’t Using The Defense Production Act

He wants to allow corporations to sell vital medical gear to the highest-bidding states. Governors say that’s exactly the problem.

Threats

Esper Orders Pentagon into Stricter Health-Related Lockdown

Most of the military installations in the Washington, D.C., area have already been designated HPCON-C, the second-highest level, to protect personnel from the coronavirus.

Ideas

This Is How We Can Beat the Coronavirus

Mitigation can buy us time, but only suppression can get us to where we need to be.