Ideas

Barred from Combat, These Women Rose to the Top of Military Intelligence

In candid interviews, five senior officers reveal the challenges and opportunities they've faced, from sexism to mentoring today's rising leaders.

Ideas

Q&A with Senior Women in Military Intelligence

Excerpts from our interviews with the women who hold five of the U.S. military's top intelligence jobs.

Threats

The Strongest Evidence Yet That America Is Botching Coronavirus Testing

“I don’t know what went wrong,” a former CDC chief told The Atlantic.

Science & Tech

The Army Just Tested Its New Supergun

It's the latest weapon meant to intimidate China and Russia: a giant cannon that can fire shells about three times farther than a standard howitzer.

Ideas

No One Has Tried This Kind of US-Taliban Deal

A study of nearly 200 modern peace accords shows what has worked. The list doesn't include "negotiate withdrawal, then negotiate peace."

Ideas

We Can Still Avoid the Worst-Case Coronavirus Scenario

The spread of COVID-19 may be inevitable, but the choices we make now will determine how bad the outbreak will get.

Science & Tech

US, UK Agree to ‘Further’ Restrict Huawei, Defense Secretary Says

But it’s not clear whether any actual changes emerged from Thursday’s meeting between the top U.S. and British defense leaders.

Science & Tech

The Pentagon’s AI Shop Takes A Venture Capital Approach to Funding Tech

The Joint Artificial Intelligence Center will take a Series A, B, approach to building tech for customers, with product managers and mission teams.

Ideas

Don’t Let On-Site Inspections Go Extinct

In-person visits to foreign military bases and weapons facilities improve national security in more ways than meet the eye.

Science & Tech

Russian and Chinese Satellites Are Helping US Pilots Spy on Russia and China

U-2 pilots are wearing watches that connect to foreign satellites, giving them backup navigation when GPS is jammed.

Policy

As Taliban Attack, Esper and Milley Downplay 'Mixed' Results of Peace Deal

Joint Chiefs chairman argued before Congress that the Taliban’s “small low-level” attacks on Afghan forces don't violate their four-day-old agreement with the United States.

Ideas

The US Has Abandoned Its Leadership on Land Mines, and For What?

Defense Secretary Mark Esper says new land mines are needed to “ensure mission success” and “reduce risk to our forces.” What success? What forces?

Business

F-35 Factory in Japan Shuts Down Amid Coronavirus Outbreak

An F-35 plant in Italy has also been affected by virus-related restrictions.

Policy

Exclusive: House Bill Tries To Force Trump To Keep Troops In Africa

The legislation from Rep. Jimmy Panetta, D-Calif., raises constitutional concerns but might still be a useful messaging tool for lawmakers.

Defense Systems

Diverted border wall funding may impact weapons testing

The White House has diverted billions of Pentagon dollars for border wall funding at the cost of a new information systems facility at White Sands Missile Range in New Mexico.

Defense Systems

Pushback on Trump's DOD union policy hits bipartisan stride

A key Republican lawmaker joined Democratic colleagues in opposing a policy that could spell doom for civilian unions at the Defense Department.