Ideas

Can Global Agreements Survive Without the US? Climate Change Offers A Test Case

American withdrawal from the Paris agreement is a test for the future of the globe, but also for the international order.

Science & Tech

US Retakes Supercomputing Crown, But China Has Far More of Them

Since 2002, China has gone from having none of the world's fastest supercomputers to having more than anyone else.

Ideas

An Extraordinarily Expensive Way to Fight ISIS

The tale of a 2017 bombing raid in the Libyan desert that pitted stealth bombers and 500-pound bombs against 70 ragtag fighters.

Ideas

CIA Official: Cloud Is More Secure Than Old Tech, Less 'Soul-Crushing'

Is cloud more secure than traditional government data centers? The CIA seems to think so.

Defense Systems

DOD's cloud strategy illustrates need for outside innovation

The Defense Department is now looking to the likes of Amazon Web Services, Microsoft, Google and others for advances in cloud technology.

Policy

Army Corps of Engineers May Lose Its Domestic Missions

The White House's sweeping reorganization proposal would move the Corps' navigation functions to the Transportation Department, and other civil works missions to Interior.

Science & Tech

NSA ‘Systematically Moving’ All Its Data to The Cloud

The National Security Agency has moved most of its mission data into the Intelligence Community GovCloud.

Ideas

What War Games Tell Us About the Use of Cyber Weapons in a Crisis

Recent U.S. war games have shown that decision makers are surprisingly reluctant to use cyber weapons during a crisis scenario that escalates into armed conflict. Why?

Ideas

Turkey's Slow-Cooking Crisis With Its Allies Is Coming to a Boil

Ankara just got its first F-35. It may never get another.

Ideas

Ep. 9: Space Force!; BAE Systems CEO Jerry DeMuro; Border security, Trump, and more.

Welcome to our podcast about the news, strategy, tech, and business trends defining the future of national security.

Defense Systems

DISA modernizing clearance process with continuous monitoring

By continuously vetting cleared personnel, the Defense Information Systems Agency hopes to virtually eliminate the reinvestigation process and reduce the backlog.

Science & Tech

In 2020, We’ll Have Digitized Immigration. Until Then, We Have JAG Lawyers

An effort to shrink the case backlog hobbling the immigration system is just getting started.

Science & Tech

Officials ID North Korean Nuclear Test Site To Be Destroyed

But arms control officials yawn, saying this site is not as important as it was a few years ago.

Ideas

SpaceX Just Sold the US Air Force the Cheapest Enormous Rocket It’s Ever Bought

The launch will cost $130 million, far less than the $350 million average cost of United Launch Alliance’s Delta IV.

Defense Systems

AF sees aircraft maintenance via augmented reality

To make aircraft maintenance more efficient, the Air Force Research Laboratory is considering projecting scaled visualizations of the task onto the machinery being serviced.

Defense Systems

Reorg puts DOD in charge of clearances

Under the Trump administration's reorganization plan, the Pentagon would become the central hub for security clearance authority in the federal government.

Ideas

Before You Help a Fragile State’s Military, Ask These Uncomfortable Questions

A checklist for a Pentagon that rarely looks into why so many of its partner-building efforts fail.