Science & Tech
Next wave of Air Force drone wingmen could be cheaper, official says
The service is eyeing flying CCAs alongside the E-7 radar plane and B-21 bomber, in addition to fighters.
Business
DIU barrels ahead with tri-regional expansion plans
Once awarded, the Defense Innovation Unit would have eight OnRamp hubs to help steer commercial and dual-use tech to the Pentagon.
Science & Tech
China’s military aims to harness the coming ‘ChatGPT for robotics’
Analogues to large language models for movements and tasks could usher humanoid robots onto the battlefield.
Ideas
Indonesia needs a two-track approach to its foreign-fighter problem
The members of an al-Qaeda affiliate who went abroad must not be allowed to revive the group at home.
Threats
Trump pressures Zelenskyy to accept pro-Russian deal
But Ukraine ceasefire talks are still salvageable, experts say—if Trump changes course.
Business
Pentagon’s innovation arm looks beyond acquisition reform to speed commercial tech buying
DOD’s cyber verification process for software can be a costly chokepoint.
Business
Boeing’s defense arm is back in the black, but ‘not claiming victory’ yet
The company reported progress on some of its fixed-price programs.
Threats
China’s rare-earth mineral squeeze will hit the Pentagon hard
More than 78 percent of the U.S. military’s weapons rely on Chinese materials, a new report calculates.
Science & Tech
Nano-material breakthrough could revolutionize night vision
A new sensor material needs no bulky cooling gear—and fewer Chinese rare earths—to work well.
Ideas
Europe is realigning—but can leaders keep citizens on board?
Raising defenses will come at many costs.
Business
After NGAD loss, Lockheed says it will ‘supercharge’ F-35
Company officials confirmed they won’t protest the Air Force’s choice of Boeing for the F-47 contract.
Business
Northrop takes $477M loss on B-21 to speed up production, cover materials costs
Anticipated losses on the stealth bomber’s first five production lots have now surpassed $2 billion.
Policy
Read the State Department's new org chart
Cyber and digital policy functions move to the Economic Growth office, and the intelligence-and-research bureau to a new Emerging Threats organization.
Breaking News
Policy
State to slash 15% of domestic staff, eliminate 132 offices
Layoffs are expected by July 1. No overseas posts are yet affected.
Ideas
I went to the Naval Academy to defend freedom, not to dismantle it
Stripping the library of books undermines our Navy—and mimics regimes we spent decades confronting.
Business
Army picks Raytheon radar for Patriot system
The service used a special contracting authority to cut the selection timeline in half.
Policy