Threats

Obama Expected To Pick Ash Carter, Says Report

President Obama reportedly will nominate former Deputy Defense Secretary Ashton Carter to helm the Pentagon. By Gordon Lubold

Defense Systems

DOD approves new mobile security credentials

PIV-I credentials from Operational Research Consultants could allow limited access for more than 40 million DOD partners worldwide.

Defense Systems

Mobile satellite network gives Army swift artillery support

The Soldier Network Extension allows forward units to share target information from anywhere on the battlefield.

Science & Tech

What Happens When Spies Can Eavesdrop on Any Conversation?

The possibility of searchable conversations anywhere, thanks to better speech recognition software, recording device miniaturization, and future smart dust. By Patrick Tucker

Ideas

Why Does the Navy Still Not Have Enough Money for New Submarines?

The Navy has long known it must replace the Ohio-class Boomers, so why hasn’t it budgeted for it? By Jerry Hendrix

Policy

Congress Has Less Than 10 Days To Make All of These National Security Decisions

From Iraq to the budget, Congress has a long way to go and a short time to get there. By Molly O’Toole

Defense Systems

Handheld chemical detector can now sniff out explosives

With a few small add-ons, Army scientists adapt the familiar JCAD so that it can identify explosive residue.

Defense Systems

Navy deploys first anti-drone laser weapon in Persian Gulf

The Laser Weapon System could be used to knock out drones and small boats

Ideas

Why The Pentagon Must Not Lose The Innovation Arms Race

If the defense establishment wants to be at the forefront of the 21st century’s strategic technologies, there is no time to waste.

Threats

FBI Accuses Two in Minnesota of Trying To Join ISIS

A 20-year-old Somali American is believed to have made it to Syria and his 18-year-old friend was stopped before he could leave the U.S. By Kaveh Waddell

Policy

Boehner Snubs Report, Pushes Forward on Benghazi

After the release of a recent GOP-led report vindicating the Obama administration, the House speaker wants to reappoint his own select inquiry into the 2012 terrorist attacks. By Russell Berman

Threats

India's Quiet Role as a Hotbed of Terror

A recent study placed India sixth on the Global Terrorism Index—behind only Iraq, Afghanistan, Pakistan, Nigeria, and Syria. Here's why. By Saptarishi Dutta

Ideas

What It Means To Kill in Combat

After more than a decade of war, the military still prepares its recruits to kill far better than it prepares them to carry the confusion and doubt that can follow. By Phil Zabriskie

Business

Defense Firms Could Be Skeptical of Investing in Research

Top Pentagon leaders have been calling for large companies to spend more of their own money on research projects, but making a case might be difficult. By Marcus Weisgerber

Business

Veterans and Troops Lament Losing Advocate in Hagel

Troops and veterans say they lost an advocate and sympathetic ear in Hagel. By Gordon Lubold

Business

A Look Back at Chuck Hagel’s Tenure as Defense Secretary

In the 21 months that Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel was on the job, he faced everything from the budget crisis in Washington to the rise of ISIS. By Kedar Pavgi

Ideas

What If There Is No Iran Nuclear Deal

Imagine if you will, a world where instead of compromise, Washington pressures Iran back to the brink. By Kelsey Davenport