Science & Tech

Smaller, easier, smarter: what special operations forces need from AI, now

AI agents are coming to a special operations mission near you—if they can fit in the pack.

  • Patrick Tucker
Science & Tech

SOCOM adding AI, autonomy ‘at every level,’ commander says

Fast adoption illustrates smaller organizations’ ability to harness disruptive tech.

  • Patrick Tucker
Ideas

'Mission ahead, heavens above'

Welcome to Fictional Intelligence, the first of a monthly series that explores the future through short stories.

  • Peter W. Singer and August Cole
Threats

The D Brief: Greenland discussions; Russian sabotage in Europe; ‘Ideological tuning’ in DOD AI; Some leave Al Udeid; And a bit more.

  • Ben Watson and Bradley Peniston
Threats

The D Brief: ‘Perfidy’ in boat strike?; Pentagon’s new AI plan; Venezuela’s broken air defenses; Quantum space cameras; And a bit more.

  • Ben Watson and Bradley Peniston
Science & Tech

The right-to-repair fight could make or break US troops’ robot-war plans

Contracts that prevent battlefield repair, mods are hindering troops’ lethality, operators and experts say.

  • Patrick Tucker
Threats

The D Brief: Trump plans oil seizure; US forces seize tanker; Greenland seizure floated; Experts pan Maduro seizure; And a bit more.

  • Ben Watson
Threats

The D Brief: Trump threatens more countries after Maduro abduction; SCOTUS rejects Guard deployment; Nigerian-strike fallout; 2025 scorecard; And a bit more.

  • Ben Watson and Bradley Peniston
Threats

How ‘Absolute Resolve’ harnessed 150 aircraft and more to launch a regime change in Venezuela

The Joint Chiefs chair described the "precise" and "unprecedented" military operation at a Saturday press conference.

  • Bradley Peniston
Threats

The D Brief: Trump rebrands housing subsidies as ‘bonus’; Venezuelan navy starts escorting tankers; SOF needs jamming ranges; Big arms sale to Taiwan; And a bit more.

  • Ben Watson and Bradley Peniston
Science & Tech

Special operators seek larger ranges for electronic warfare and drone development and training

“We're going to start having some of these uncomfortable discussions,” said one official.

  • Patrick Tucker
Policy

Space Force Special Operations Command? Congress has questions, too

The service defended its need for a SOCOM component. Defense experts said it’s redundant.

  • Thomas Novelly
Threats

The D Brief: WH, DOD change their stories; Trump pardons drug trafficker; Today’s US-Russia talks; ‘Awful arithmetic’; And a bit more.

  • Ben Watson and Bradley Peniston
Threats

The D Brief: Congress investigates boat strikes; Promises of profit propelled peace proposal; Guardsman in critical condition; Germany’s war plan; And a bit more.

  • Ben Watson and Bradley Peniston
Science & Tech

Systems, not silver bullets, are key to victory in the Pacific: SOCPAC chief

Specifically, integrated systems that can disrupt the enemy, Maj. Gen. VanAntwerp said.

  • Jennifer Hlad
Threats

The D Brief: SOUTHCOM steps down early; Ops near Venezuela; Setback for Chicago deployment; Illegal funding diversion?; And a bit more.

  • Ben Watson and Bradley Peniston
Business

SOCOM to get robotic anti-drone turret for maritime platforms

Defense tech startup Allen Control Systems landed a contract for Bullfrog, which can use a variety of common weapons.

  • Lauren C. Williams
Threats

The D Brief: China’s global challenge; NATO on Russian incursions; Estonia’s requests; Germany’s big arms plan; And a bit more.

  • Ben Watson and Bradley Peniston
Threats

The D Brief: Ukraine-support pledges; Secret mission gone awry; Venezuela’s show of force; China’s AI startups; And a bit more.

  • Ben Watson and Bradley Peniston
Science & Tech

Defense One Radio, Ep. 191: “Primal Intelligence” with Angus Fletcher

A researcher uses his work with U.S. special operations forces to explain a new neuroscientific approach to intuition, imagination, emotion, and common sense.

  • Ben Watson
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