Ideas
How to Step Back from the Brink with Iran
Right now, everything both sides do to strengthen their defenses looks to the other side like preparation for attack.
Business
This Kansas Aircraft-Parts Supplier Is Flying High on Secret Military Projects
A longtime maker of airliner parts, Spirit Aerosystems is finding new work in the defense sector.
Ideas
The US Military Emits More Carbon than Sweden
Even as it begins to grapple with climate change, the Defense Department remains the world’s single largest consumer of oil.
Threats
How to Navigate the Fog of War on Iran
The question of how to read U.S. intelligence on Iranian threats—and how to respond to them—is at the center of a debate over military escalation.
Ideas
A New Industrial Base Is Taking Shape. Call It the Military-AI Complex.
The most essential Pentagon suppliers will be the ones that master robotics and artificial intelligence.
Policy
Shanahan ‘Not Planning’ USS McCain Investigation, But Still Reviewing Facts
“There’s no restriction on how people can send email,” the acting defense secretary said.
Threats
Shanahan: ‘We’re Not Going To Ignore Chinese Behavior’
The speech at the Shangri-La conference was closely watched amid rising U.S.-China tensions over trade and security.
Policy
Still 'Acting' Shanahan Faces Test With China Face-off and USS McCain Scandal
Raising the stakes for the would-be SecDef, the White House has not yet sent formal nomination paperwork to the Senate.
Threats
Shanahan Heads to Asia as White House Beats Drums on Iran
The acting defense secretary is expected to detail how the Pentagon is implementing a strategic shift away from counterterrorism.
Policy
Former Aerospace CEO Tapped as Next Air Force Secretary
She once landed an F/A-18 Hornet on an aircraft carrier.
Ideas
Trump’s Counter-Iran Moves Are Provocative, But They’re Not War
Truly bad messaging is undermining trust among allies and the American public — and increasing the chance of accidental escalation.
Policy
Under Pressure, Pentagon Publishes a Contractor-Fraud Report
Released under FOIA, the 4-page document names firms barred from government work, but lacks the detail of a predecessor report.
Ideas
The Brain of the Pentagon
Andrew Marshall leaves behind an American tradition of strategic thinking that will live well beyond him.
Science & Tech
Pentagon ‘Matchmakers’ Aim to Keep US Tech Firms from Taking Chinese Money
Defense officials hope to protect cutting-edge technologies by getting innovative firms funded by U.S.-friendly investors.
Policy
Trump Taps Shanahan To Lead DOD, Ending Months of Speculation
The nomination marks the beginning of the end of the tenure of the longest-serving acting defense secretary.
Policy
CBO: Space Force Could Cost $3B Up Front, $1.3B Annually
The new independent analysis comes as lawmakers weigh the creation of a new branch of the military.
Ideas
How Not to Announce a Ship Deployment
A simple press conference could have avoided 36 hours of confusion and fears of war with Iran.
Science & Tech
The Pentagon Still Buys Software Like It's 1987
The Defense Innovation Board recently discovered that a 32-year-old report "pretty much said it all."
Ideas
The Pentagon Is Flubbing Its Pitch to Silicon Valley
Appeals to patriotism won’t move America’s tech industry. Other approaches might work better.
Threats