Defense Systems

Air Force says the F-35 is combat ready

The Joint Strike Fighter, the most complex and expensive weapon system in history, gets a green light from its biggest customer.

Science & Tech

F-35 is ‘Ready For War;’ Now the Air Force Wants More, and Faster

Buying more JSFs would lower the per-plane price tag and allow the service to retire older jets sooner.

Business

Neither Clinton Nor Trump Will Be Able to Fix the Pentagon’s Budget

With the federal budget capped through 2021, defense spending will be an immediate first test of the next American president.

Defense Systems

Army puts battlefield robots to the test

At an exercise in Hawaii, troops test a pocket-sized ISR drone and a robotic ground vehicle that can quietly carry up to 600 pounds of supplies.

Defense Systems

ARL opens up a supercomputer to outside researchers

ARL reaches an agreement with the University of Maryland to make its Harold HPC machine available to academic and industry researchers.

Ideas

Keep Your Politics Private, My Fellow Generals and Admirals

We must not compromise our military’s special role in democracy, nor hinder those who come after us.

Threats

Obama Orders Air Campaign Against ISIS in Libya, Escalating ‘No-Boots War’

There’s no projected end to the strikes, which U.S. officials say have been requested by the new Libyan government.

Ideas

Gold Star Families Deserve Better Than One News Cycle

Hashtag sympathy must be matched by real-world caring.

Policy

How Trump Turned the US Foreign-Policy Consensus Upside-Down

The Republican nominee doesn’t just disagree with Democrats—his ideas represent a break with a long list of policies that have won bipartisan support for decades.

Threats

Despite Objections, Pentagon Takes Step Toward Buying New Nuclear Weapons

The U.S. Air Force has asked defense firms to bid to supply new ICBMs and controversial nuclear cruise missiles.

Threats

Until We Reduce Cybercrime, Expect More Russian Meddling

A strong U.S. response to the DNC theft might discourage state-sponsored attacks, analysts and industry leaders say, but it won’t stop them.

Science & Tech

Maybe the Secret Service Should Start Protecting Candidates’ Email As Well

Some private cyber investigators say it’s time the agency expand its reach beyond mere physical security.

Ideas

NATO Spending, in Two Charts: 2016 Edition

Who’s hitting the 2% guideline?

Defense Systems

Cyber teams ready to throw down in Grand Challenge

Seven teams are set to test if their automated systems can quickly find a fix flaws at DARPA's cyber Grand Challenge in Las Vegas.

Ideas

Trump’s Plea to Russian Hackers Foreshadows a Dangerous Stance on NSA Surveillance

His call out to Russian hackers validates the worst suspicions of security-state critics.

Policy

WATCH: Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton on National Security

Defense One, with the Council on Foreign Relations, is pleased to offer an explainer of the GOP and Democratic candidates’ positions on national defense, Russia, China, and ISIS.

Science & Tech

Russia Wanted to be Caught, Says Company Waging War on the DNC Hackers

Pointing a finger at Russia is easy. Punishing them is hard. That’s why they hacked the DNC, according to the company that first named one of the key suspects.