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.
Threats

The D Brief: Baltics raise defenses; Israel orders hospital evacuations; Another Russian arms dump struck; New polls on Taiwan; And a bit more.

  • Ben Watson and Bradley Peniston
Threats

The D Brief: MacDill AFB evacuates; Ukraine hits oil terminal; Russia downs own UCAV; Big AI vs. small AI; And a bit more.

  • Ben Watson and Bradley Peniston
Threats

The D Brief: Another hurricane looms; Grim anniversary in Israel; Inside the Marines’ littoral regiment; China hacks ISPs; And a bit more.

  • Ben Watson and Bradley Peniston
Threats

The D Brief: Helene recovery; 100 new spy sats; Post-strike assessment in Israel; ULA certification launch; And a bit more.

  • Ben Watson, Audrey Decker and Frank Konkel
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The D Brief: Russia hacks Taiwan; Diego Garcia shocker; ‘Sunken nuclear sub’ likely wasn’t; Small cruise missile set for test; And a bit more.

  • Ben Watson and Bradley Peniston
Threats

The D Brief: Iran’s missile attack on Israel; Russia seizes town; Ukraine gathers industry; Jan. 6 whitewash; And a bit more.

  • Ben Watson and Bradley Peniston
Threats

The D Brief: Israeli troops in Lebanon; More Red Sea ship attacks; NATO’s new chief; Navy’s sub spending; And a bit more.

  • Ben Watson and Bradley Peniston
Threats

The D Brief: Israel kills Hezbollah chief; $600M for Taiwan; DOD’s uneven study of Ukraine; BBC visits Diego Garcia; And a bit more.

  • Ben Watson and Bradley Peniston
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The D Brief: SECDEF on subs; Shipyard sabotage?; US, Ukraine ‘missing consensus’; Chinese planes swarm around Taiwan; And a bit more.

  • Ben Watson and Bradley Peniston
Threats

The D Brief: New bomb for Ukraine; Congress averts shutdown; Army hits recruiting goal; SECDEF in London; And a bit more.

  • Ben Watson and Bradley Peniston
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The D Brief: Pleas at the UN; Russia-China drone project?; China tests ICBM; Army’s armor lessons; And a bit more.

  • Ben Watson and Bradley Peniston
Featured eBooks
The Future of the Air Force
Special Operations Technology 2020
C4ISR
Threats

The D Brief: US troops to Mideast; Navy oiler aground; US sets date for Iraq exit?; Dueling robot wingmen; And a bit more.

  • Ben Watson and Bradley Peniston
Threats

The D Brief: ‘Staggering’ toll in Lebanon; Deal averts shutdown; Zelenskyy visits Scranton; Chinese-car-software ban; And a bit more.

  • Ben Watson and Bradley Peniston
Threats

The D Brief: Israel, Hezbollah exchange fire; Exploding pagers’ secret source; Army’s new small-drone unit; Navy’s low-cost weapons; And a bit more.

  • Ben Watson and Bradley Peniston
Threats

The D Brief: More device detonations; House rejects CR plan; First B-21 flight video; AFSOC’s light-attack vision; And a bit more.

  • Ben Watson and Bradley Peniston
Threats

The D Brief: Why pagers explode; Russian ammo dump blows up; CNO releases guidance; N. Korea tests missiles; And a bit more.

  • Ben Watson and Bradley Peniston
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The D Brief: Ukraine’s population shrinks; Israel adds war goal; Exploding pagers wound 1,000; A cheap-ish next-gen fighter?; And a bit more.

  • Ben Watson and Bradley Peniston
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The D Brief: Gunman arrested near Trump; Bomb threats wrack Ohio city; ISIS leaders killed in raid; Iran launches satellite; And a bit more.

  • Ben Watson and Bradley Peniston
Threats

The D Brief: Allies press US on missiles; Boeing workers strike; Israeli SOF hit Syria; Navy’s sub-building spur; And a bit more.

  • Ben Watson and Bradley Peniston
Threats

The D Brief: Aid for Ukraine’s grid; Anduril’s new missiles; US chips still reach Russia; SpaceX’s spacewalk; And a bit more.

  • Ben Watson