Science & Tech

‘Hellscape’: DOD launches massive drone swarm program to counter China

INDOPACOM wants to be able to find and hit 1,000 targets in 24 hours. Cheap drones are the answer—if DOD can make them quickly enough.

Science & Tech

Army looks to de-tangle its networks to combat China’s ‘digitally native’ military

By year’s end, troops should be able to jump on a network from just about any location, an Army cyber leader said.

Ideas

Extend the Pentagon’s ban on China’s consumer drones

The rest of the federal government—and state and local agencies and even private-sector infrastructure companies—should quit using this Chinese technology.

Ideas

China’s war planners are leaning harder on its militia

The PLA’s reserve auxiliary force dwarfs the regular military, but is understudied and too often overlooked.

Ideas

Defense One Radio, Ep. 130: A brief history of China’s nuclear forces

From Cold War-era distrust of the Soviets to Beijing's recent silo buildup, we review some of the ideas and methods that have helped China become the nuclear power it is today.

Policy

China, Russia are eroding the US electronic-warfare advantage, lawmakers say

The Pentagon needs to change its passive approach to spectrum management, EW capabilities, said bipartisan chairs of the Congressional Electromagnetic Warfare Working Group.

Science & Tech

US is losing AI edge to China, experts tell lawmakers

‘China will be able to outspend us if they choose to do so,’ said one former senior Pentagon official.

Threats

China, Russia creating a ‘dangerous world’ with friendlier military relationship, Pacific commander says

Asked about a Chinese invasion of Taiwan, Aquilino said: “With what we have today, I'm confident that they would fail.”