Author Archive
Ben Watson
Senior Multimedia Editor, Defense One
Ben Watson is an Army veteran who writes The D Brief daily newsletter and hosts the bimonthly Defense One Radio podcast. Since arriving in Washington in 2012, Ben has written and produced award-winning features on politics, international security, technology, and military history for NPR, The Atlantic and Defense One.
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The D Brief: Israel bombs Iran; Courts debate Guard deployment; Navy merges drone efforts; SecDef pressed on firings; And a bit more.
- Ben Watson, Bradley Peniston and Lauren C. Williams
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The D Brief: Will Israel attack Iran?; CJCS sees no “invasion”; Budget testimony; AUKUS under review; And a bit more.
- Ben Watson and Bradley Peniston
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The D Brief: Protestors ‘a foreign enemy’; DOD DOGE team, ID’d; Trouble for USAF radar plane; Robot navy?; And a bit more.
- Ben Watson and Bradley Peniston
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The D Brief: Trump sends Marines to LA; Hegseth, testifying; State’s AI hires; A first for China’s navy; And a bit more.
- Ben Watson and Bradley Peniston
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The D Brief: ARRW is back; Amphib budgets; Putin’s AI plan; Europe’s aid to Ukraine; And a bit more.
- Ben Watson and Bradley Peniston
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The D Brief: COCOM noms; Mass 3D-printing in the field; Trump, Xi talk; The future of deception; And a bit more.
- Ben Watson and Bradley Peniston
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Defense One Radio, Ep. 181: What the Army is learning about FPV drones
The 173rd Airborne Brigade's commander unpacks lessons from recent exercises in Lithuania and Tunisia.
- Ben Watson
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The D Brief: Cuts to DOT&E; Uncrewed F-35?; Qatari jet’s a mess; Border gets barracks funding; And a bit more.
- Ben Watson and Bradley Peniston
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The D Brief: RIP, 5-things email; German-Ukrainian missile plan; Russia’s latest demands; P&W strike ends; And a bit more.
- Ben Watson and Bradley Peniston
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The D Brief: Russia pounds Ukraine; Germany sends troops abroad; Pentagon’s retention pricetag; Still no CNO; And a bit more.
- Ben Watson and Bradley Peniston
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The D Brief: More DOD cuts; Trump’s Putin pivot; N. Korea’s failed launch; Qatar’s gift, accepted; And a bit more.
- Ben Watson and Bradley Peniston