Defense Systems

DOD office looks to field weapons faster

The Strategic Capabilities Office is working on rapid deployment of autonomous weapons and an "arsenal plane."

Defense Systems

Final GPS II satellite goes into orbit as Air Force gets ready for GPS III

With ULA launching the last of the second generation, the service awards Lockheed a contract to help the transition to the next generation.

Science & Tech

The Big Budget Crunch Awaiting America's Spies

The U.S. intelligence community overall budget may rise in the months ahead, but spending on information technology will not, a new report says.

Science & Tech

New Microchip Could Increase Military Intelligence Powers Exponentially

A military-funded breakthrough in microchips opens the door to portable deep learning.

Science & Tech

NASA's New Super-Fast Solar Ship May Have Just Revolutionized How We Explore Space

Instead of a traditional, chemical propellant, it’s powered by photons from the sun and can travel nearly 64,000 miles per hour.

Defense Systems

Report outlines cyber activity from top U.S. adversaries

The security firm CrowdStrike details cyber activity globally in 2015, with focuses on Russia, China, North Korea and Iran.

Defense Systems

Report details deficiencies in UAV testing

A recent annual report to Congress by the office of Operational Test & Evaluation details areas in which the services have missed the mark in mitigating vulnerabilities and deficiencies in tests of UAVs.

Defense Systems

DOD plans to invest $600M in unmanned underwater vehicles

Secretary of Defense Ashton Carter told sailors that the Defense Department big plans for UUV over the next five years.

Ideas

Three Reasons the 2017 Defense Budget Won’t Be Enough (And How to Fix It)

The responsible path is not the easy path, but there is bipartisan support for a stronger defense budget and ways to make it happen.

Policy

Obama Confronts the Politics of Religion and Terrorism

The president preached inclusion and hit back at anti-Muslim rhetoric during his first appearance at a mosque.

Ideas

27 Questions Before the US Extends the War in Afghanistan

Expanding U.S. combat operations or abandoning the Afghans are not the only options.

Ideas

Reagan's '76 Playbook Is the Ticket for Cruz and Trump

The rise of conservative outsiders like Ted Cruz and Donald Trump is not unprecedented.

Policy

Rand Paul the Dove Never Stood a Chance Among the Hawks

I planned to write a different story about the libertarian anti-neocon. Instead, I found this.

Ideas

Ben Carson's Blueprint for Better US Cybersecurity

The Republican 2016 contender is just the second candidate of either party to lay out a comprehensive cybersecurity plan for the United States.

Policy

Spy on Me All You Like, More Americans Say

A new poll shows more people are fine with increased national-security surveillance.

Ideas

Why Turkey Chose, and Then Rejected, a Chinese Air-Defense Missile

Ankara's decisions say a lot about what Turkey wants from the U.S. and NATO, if only the West will listen.

Defense Systems

DOD to invest heavily in cyber, although details are murky

Secretary Carter said the department will spend $7 billion in 2017 on cyber, but leaders are being coy about how the money will be spent.

Defense Systems

Air Force develops prototype for skin-ID sensor

A system developed by the Sensors Exploitation Research Group at the Air Force institute of Technology differentiates human skin from other materials, and can aid id search, rescue and surveillance.