Policy
The Pentagon awarded $350M to a firm tied to a senior DOD official
Experts expressed shock at a $281 million contract that was no-bid, enormous for consulting work, and set up as an OTA deal.
Policy
Hegseth plans ‘Autonomous Warfare Command’
The military’s 12th combatant command was among a slew of announcements in a Quantico speech Wednesday.
Threats
Pentagon update on National Defense Strategy cites progress, omits key threats
The report to Congress notes accomplishments but masks depleted arsenals, strategic distractions, and a quiet retreat from European defense.
Ideas
The military may be top-heavy. Don't make things worse with hasty cuts.
Congress should closely monitor Hegseth’s latest effort to reduce the number of generals and admirals.
Threats
Hegseth orders cyber, intelligence agencies to prioritize election defense
The directive comes as the administration has dismantled or reorganized offices that tracked foreign influence and reduced civilian election security support.
Business
Treat operational feedback as a strategic resource, new paper argues
And view software as a continuously developing capability, rather than a completed product.
Policy
Polish defense official says US has decided to establish a base in Poland
But the Pentagon declined to confirm a decision about Warsaw's longtime goal.
Threats
Anthropic loses legal fight to shed DOD's designation as a 'supply-chain risk'
The label is more typically assigned to companies suspected of ties to adversarial governments.
Science & Tech
GenAI.mil saw more than 2 million users in one week, top DOD official says
The Pentagon's top AI officer also said that “unilateral disarmament is the wrong approach” when it comes to calls for a slowdown in AI development.
Ideas
Time, not capital, is the constraint on the defense industrial base
Here are three changes to speed things up without lowering standards.
Ideas
Pete Hegseth is rebuilding the military's ‘brass ceiling’
The SecDef says his ideological approach to promotion is helping recruiting. Surveys don't back that up.
Threats
The Pentagon must prepare for battles around the moon: Joint Chiefs chair
Days after orbital weapons were revealed, Gen. Dan Caine ups the scope of the military’s desired reach.
Ideas
The Pentagon is using polygraphs to hunt leakers, but the tests are more theater than fact
My 27-year career with the CIA makes me wary of the certainty their use can appear to convey.
Policy
US absent as western powers meet on wartime protections for civilians
A multinational group meets this week at NATO headquarters in Belgium to discuss protections for civilians during combat. Even though the U.S. co-founded this effort, no American delegation will be in the room.
Science & Tech
Maven is becoming the Pentagon’s everything app
MSS has replaced “six, eight, ten” systems that the military used to analyze data, AI chief says.
Exclusive
Policy
Pentagon cyber strategy expected as soon as next week, sources say
Officials have previewed a blueprint emphasizing offensive operations, AI, and closer industry ties as the military reorganizes its cyber forces.
Policy
‘Change agent’ Army secretary resigns
Hegseth’s purging of transformation-focused generals led to Dan Driscoll’s resignation, source says.
Science & Tech
The US military gets its own ChatGPT today
After months of security testing, Pentagon adds an OpenAI product to the list of AI tools approved for unclassified work.
Policy
Senior officers advised Hegseth to keep civilian-protection program. He axed it anyway
The U.S. military has killed hundreds of noncombatants since gutting its Civilian Harm Mitigation and Response mission. The blowback may lead to a partial restoration.
Ideas