Threats
Air Force clearing out jungles in Pacific to bolster airfield options
But additional funding for these efforts may be held up by budget impasse on Capitol Hill, Pacific Air Forces commander says.
Defense Systems
Budget delays could ‘slow roll’ Air Force’s digital infrastructure plans
In early 2024, the service plans to launch cloud-based command and control technologies in three undisclosed locations.
Policy
USAF aims to ‘re-optimize’ for great power competition
Kendall dispatches teams to seek better ways to organize to take on China.
Business
Conference Wire: Air, Space & Cyber 2023, Day 1
The Air Force secretary on confronting China and getting nominees through Congress.
Business
Military hopes commercial airlines adopt new hybrid plane design
The head of U.S. Transportation Command says blended wing body designs could provide more efficient, especially if they can fly from existing airports.
Business
On the Paris Tarmac, Execs Vie for the Next US Tanker Order
Boeing is trying to keep its monopoly, while Lockheed and Airbus seek a bigger pie.
Policy
Ukraine F-16 Training Approval Will Likely Take Months, US Official Says
U.S. officials must also approve the jet transfers themselves.
Ideas
GEOINT Conference Wire 3: NRO on AI, DHS on Change Detection For Disasters
On Day 2, NRO director discusses AI and machine learning.
Ideas
GEOINT Conference Wire 2: All Eyes on AI
Many of the discussions on Day 1 of the geospatial-intelligence conference centered on generative artificial intelligence.
Defense Systems
A Classified Cloud Is Headed to the Indo-Pacific
It’s part of DISA’s effort to bring continental-U.S.-level computing resources to U.S. military forces around the world.
Science & Tech
Tomorrow’s Special Operator? Less Iron Man, More 007
But first, SOCOM must reverse a trend of “falling behind, not just linearly but exponentially” to Chinese and Russian tech.
Defense Systems
The Pentagon Wants to Peer Inside Its Cloud Providers’ Infrastructure
Recent leaks have the CIO’s office contemplating red teams and more IP scanning.
Science & Tech
The Pentagon’s AI Chief Is ‘Scared to Death’ of ChatGPT
But other defense leaders are more eager to deploy new artificial-intelligence tools.
Science & Tech
How DOD Is Experimenting with AI for Enhanced Cybersecurity
Automated penetration testing and threat hunting could enable much faster response to threats. But adversaries are also accelerating their capabilities.
Policy
US Space Command Wants Red Phones With China, Russia
Global norms and mil-to-mil hotlines are urgently needed as the prospects for war in space rise.
Business
The Pentagon Is Increasingly Relying on Billionaires’ Rockets. And It’s OK with That.
Space Force leaders say carefully written contracts can prevent things like SpaceX’s about-face on Ukrainian satcomms.
Ideas
Space Symposium Conference Wire 3: Threat Warnings
Day 3 of the conference brought warnings about China and Russia—and of a "subtle complacency" at home.
Policy