Author Archive
Lauren C. Williams
Senior Editor
![Lauren C. Williams](https://cdn.defenseone.com/media/img/cd/2024/08/30/lauren_williams/original.jpg?1725057405)
Lauren C. Williams is senior editor for Defense One. She previously covered defense technology and cybersecurity for FCW and Defense Systems. Before then, Williams has reported on several issues, including internet culture, national security, health care, politics and crime for various publications. She has a master's in journalism from the University of Maryland, College Park and a bachelor's in dietetics from the University of Delaware.
Defense Systems
NSA’s China-focused ‘innovation pipeline’ targets economic imbalances
A new pilot program crowdsources ideas from analysts to scope out U.S. vulnerabilities.
- Lauren C. Williams
Business
Mike Gallagher talks priorities as Palantir’s new defense business chief
The former lawmaker is looking to draw on a decade of national security policy work in the new position.
- Lauren C. Williams
Defense Systems
How one Army infantry division is using data analytics to keep soldiers safe
The 4th ID has tandem data efforts designed to track, alert, and predict harmful behavior trends.
- Lauren C. Williams
Threats
The D Brief: Fires in Russia; Rising morale in Ukraine; US fugitive fighting for Putin; Assessing troops in Syria; And a bit more.
- Ben Watson and Lauren C. Williams
Defense Systems
The Pentagon’s IT agency looks to expand cloud offshore
The agency has been expanding services outside the continental U.S. while reworking tools to ease data access.
- Lauren C. Williams
Defense Systems
More than 7,000 NSA analysts are using generative AI tools, director says
The signals-intelligence agency has about 170 AI-related projects in the works, including 10 of the highest priority.
- Lauren C. Williams
Science & Tech
Quick satellite replacement should send a message to China, Air Force No. 2 says
Space Force aims to improve on last fall’s five-day replacement exercise.
- Lauren C. Williams
Threats
The D Brief: Chinese-Russian flight near Alaska; Warships chased from Azov?; B-2 tests cheap shipkiller; France’s big deployment; And a bit more.
- Ben Watson, Lauren C. Williams and Bradley Peniston
Defense Systems
Air Force to miss its data-linking goal for cargo aircraft, commander says
But even if just 20% of the planes get the networking gear by next year, it's already proving its value, mobility chief says.
- Lauren C. Williams
Policy
Pentagon’s new cyber rules are ‘stifling’ foreign suppliers, advisors say
The soon-to-be-mandatory cybersecurity certification—and a 2018 OSD reorganization—are slowing vital work, the Defense Innovation Board says.
- Lauren C. Williams
Defense Systems
Info warriors coming to Navy subs in the Pacific
The move follows two other pilot efforts with Naval Submarine Forces, said Vice Adm. Kelly Aeschbach, the service’s outgoing “I-boss.”
- Lauren C. Williams
Business
Pentagon expects F-35 deliveries to restart this month
The head of Air Combat Command is “hopeful” the fighter jets will be ready for deliveries to resume in July.
- Lauren C. Williams
Defense Systems
Space operations boss wants more virtual simulations to boost training
After a recent demo, Lt. Gen. David Miller said Space Operations Command needs realistic simulations to train at the highest levels.
- Lauren C. Williams
Policy
A US agency focused on foreign disinformation could shut down after the election
The State Department’s Global Engagement Center recently opened an anti-Russian propaganda center in Poland, but needs Congressional action to continue operations.
- Lauren C. Williams
Defense Systems
The double-edged global ship tracking system
Houthi groups have used public tracking data to target commercial ships—revealing that staying undetected is trickier than just going dark digitally.
- Lauren C. Williams
Threats
The D Brief: Alerts across Europe; $4.5 billion for Patriot missiles; Thousands of US weapons to Israel; China taps private firms for cyber offense; Boeing’s new deal; And a bit more.
- Ben Watson, Lauren C. Williams and Audrey Decker
Defense Systems
Homeland Security tests AI waters with tools for intel analysts
The pilot program is starting with unclassified data.
- Lauren C. Williams
Defense Systems
Supercomputer cloud services greenlit by Pentagon's innovation office
After 18 months of work, two companies get DIU’s approval to offer remote high-performance computing.
- Lauren C. Williams
Defense Systems
A key Pentagon data-analysis tool is getting ease-of-use upgrades
The Advana platform is being rebuilt to handle data differently.
- Lauren C. Williams and Patrick Tucker
Defense Systems
Pentagon background-check systems at risk of hacking, GAO says
The Defense Counterintelligence and Security Agency didn’t fully implement DOD’s cybersecurity process, a new report finds.
- Lauren C. Williams