Threats

CNO: We Need a Bigger, Better Fleet Far Sooner Than You Think

Adm. John Richardson lays out an urgent vision for meeting the 21st century’s sail-to-steam moment.

Threats

Mattis Fills Key Executive Positions at the Pentagon

Former official: Defense Secretary James Mattis’ political SES appointments are mainstream choices.

Threats

US Forces Aren’t Working With Russians Against ISIS, SOCOM Chief Says

But information-sharing with coalition partners has never been better, says the general in charge of special operations troops.

Science & Tech

Stop Blaming the NSA for the Ransomware Attack

An inside look at how the intelligence community deals with the exploitable software bugs it finds.

Ideas

The Dangers of Presidential Indiscretions

President Trump had the legal right to declassify information—but by sharing sensitive intelligence with the Russians, he may have jeopardized national security.

Ideas

Foreign Leaders Have Realized Trump Is a Pushover

The president’s reported disclosure of classified information to Russia is only the latest example of the self-proclaimed great negotiator conceding to officials from overseas everything they want.

Ideas

Trump's Disclosures Are Another Win for Russia

Putin has long used the pretext of counterterrorism cooperation to get what he wants from the West. It just paid off again.

Ideas

The Terrible Cost of Trump's Disclosures

The consequences of the president’s reported divulgence of top-secret codeword information to the Russians are only beginning.

Science & Tech

China Is Creating a DNA Database Straight Out of Science Fiction

The Ministry of Public Security has collected the genetic information of more than 40 million people — and counting.

Defense Systems

U.S. Cyber Command: Russia hacking “the new normal”

The head of U.S. Cyber Command argues stronger data protection needed in new threat environment.

Science & Tech

DARPA Wants Artificial Intelligence That Doesn't Forget Everything It Knows

Biological systems don't completely freeze up when they encounter a new situation, but computers often do.

Ideas

A Defense Budget Increase is No More Needed in 2018 than It Was Last Year

A former assistant defense secretary argues the Trump administration’s bump-up was unnecessary, and in fact counterproductive, to national defense.

Ideas

The Army Wants to Let Troops off the ‘Digital Leash.’ That’s Easier Said Than Done.

Gen. Mark Milley’s injunction against IT-enabled micromanagement will require leaders at all levels to re-think what it means to be part of the profession of arms.

Policy

Gulf Leaders Still Love Trump

The UAE’s crown prince visits Washington today, pleased with the U.S. president’s embrace of Egypt’s al-Sisi and upcoming visit to Saudi Arabia.

Ideas

How American Special Operators Gradually Returned to Somalia

A U.S. soldier was killed in the country this month for the first time in more than two decades. What was he doing there?

Defense Systems

Air Force electronic weapons to get an electromagnetic power boost

Raytheon is investigating ways to bring speed-of-light power to electronic warfare systems.

Science & Tech

The Pentagon’s New Algorithmic Warfare Cell Gets Its First Mission: Hunt ISIS

Turning hours of drone video into actionable intelligence is just the start for the fast-moving machine-learning team.

Ideas

Trump’s Afghanistan Reset Needs a Soft-Power Mission, Too

Reconciliation and peace-building can only occur if there is an open dialogue and people are working towards a shared, communal interest.