Business
Lockheed has cleared backlog of stored F-35s
The company had 72 jets stacked up due to software delays.
Policy
House NDAA draft mandates database of contractors used in covert operations
The early stage defense bill draft would create an internal list of contractor clients that assist the U.S. military in its secret operations “to facilitate deconfliction and risk assessment.”
Ideas
To build 'peace through strength,' restore this pillar of US power
Administration cuts are breaking the federal-academic partnership that incubates U.S. technology and talent.
Policy
Drones are now bullets: How a new Pentagon policy may accelerate robot warfare
The new policy also allows more units to buy drones, which should boost the demand signal to industry.
Policy
SASC to Pentagon: you need a new cyber-deterrence plan
Trump-administration nominees and members of the Senate Armed Services Committee recently traded views on how to deal with rising threats to critical infrastructure.
Policy
Pentagon to become rare-earth mining company's largest stockholder
The Defense Department will buy a 15% stake in MP Materials and fund the construction of a magnet-making facility, all to reduce its reliance on China.
Ideas
The Trump administration’s lie-detector campaign is more likely to hurt than help national security
Pseudo-scientific polygraph tests may discourage internal candor and divert investigative energy while failing to stop leaks.
Threats
Kremlin gloats about US weapons pause to Ukraine
The halt in aid speaks to a shifting view of the threat Putin poses.
Policy
Thousands of Pentagon civilians and other feds are still waiting for their 2025 pay raise
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth’s decision last spring to shutter a slew of advisory committees has imperiled already-enacted pay raises for 60,000 federal employees in blue collar jobs.
Policy
Pentagon confirms it’s holding up weapons promised to Ukraine
Spokesman declined to say which weapons affected, when munitions review began, or who recommended the pause.
Defense Systems
Secure comms with allies is hard. The Pentagon wants to change that
The department is working on an effort to streamline a complex set of classified networks they use with allies and partners.
Policy
DOD’s budget request finally drops, combining a real decrease with a one-time boost
Officials are relying heavily on Congress to pass the reconciliation bill.
Threats
SecDef doubles down on claims Iran’s nuclear program is ‘obliterated’
Hegseth rails against reporting on DIA’s initial assessment that strikes did not destroy Tehran’s efforts.
Ideas
The White House is looking for savings in the wrong place
The main acquisition challenge isn’t how the military buys weapons, but what it aims to do with them.
Threats
US strikes on Iran not a step toward ‘open-ended war,’ SecDef says
Operation Midnight Hammer saw the first use of the GBU-57 Massive Ordnance Penetrator.
Ideas
For 250 years, it’s been ‘change or lose’ for our military. Here’s what needs changing now
A former commandant and a futurist take stock of Spider’s Web, Rising Lion, and more.
Business