Author Archive
Patrick Tucker
Science & Technology Editor, Defense One
Patrick Tucker is science and technology editor for Defense One. He’s also the author of The Naked Future: What Happens in a World That Anticipates Your Every Move? (Current, 2014). Previously, Tucker was deputy editor for The Futurist for nine years. Tucker has written about emerging technology in Slate, The Sun, MIT Technology Review, Wilson Quarterly, The American Legion Magazine, BBC News Magazine, Utne Reader, and elsewhere.
Science & Tech
Could an easy radio fix have prevented the Trump assassination attempt?
“Being able to talk to other agencies real-time certainly would assist in that response,” one official said.
- Patrick Tucker
Policy
Trump says NATO members should spend 3% on defense. Alliance official: ‘Yes’
Spending will have to rise to deliver needed capability, a NATO policy leader said.
- Patrick Tucker
Policy
European officials vow to boost defense production, but some worry it won’t be enough
Security elites gathering in Prague say it’s time for Europe to step up military support for Ukraine…and Europe.
- Patrick Tucker
Science & Tech
Special operators hope AI can reduce civilian deaths in combat
Automation could eventually turn “trigger-pullers into the experts that can do this,” one official said.
- Patrick Tucker
Science & Tech
Arrest of Telegram founder could hurt public understanding of the Ukraine war
Site is used by Russian government officials, regional officials, volunteers, and others, expert says.
- Patrick Tucker
Science & Tech
A group of 20-somethings built a GPS-independent drone in 24 hours—and caught the eye of US special operations forces
Here’s what that says about the new class of defense industry disruptors.
- Patrick Tucker
Science & Tech
Northrop shows off new digital radar tech in first flight
Breakthroughs in design for military-specific chips are ushering new capabilities.
- Patrick Tucker
Business
US still needs to improve monitoring of arms sent to Ukraine, GAO finds
The State Department and Defense Department aren’t communicating well about Ukraine aid. That could hurt Ukraine.
- Patrick Tucker
Threats
Russia is pulling some troops out of Ukraine to fight Ukrainians in Russia
But “there are also real questions about [Ukraine’s] ability to hold captured Kursk territory,” said one expert.
- Patrick Tucker
Policy
US, UK, Australia loosen mutual export controls
New rules may mark a “generational-level change” in allies’ industrial and technological collaboration.
- Patrick Tucker
Science & Tech
Two programs suggest the Pentagon is getting better at buying technology
The Maven and Collaborative Combat Aircraft efforts display real steps forward, a pair of reports say.
- Patrick Tucker
Science & Tech
Social-media firms are lowering defenses to foreign disinformation campaigns, researchers warn
Meta is about to become the latest to scuttle a key tool—just months before a U.S. election.
- Patrick Tucker
Science & Tech
Navy still bullish on lasers but widely-deployed directed-energy ship defense remains years away
Quest gains urgency as enemy drones and missiles get better, cheaper, and more widely used.
- Patrick Tucker
Threats
Replicator passes a milestone as some troops complete training with cheap new drones
DepSecDef says the systems will be a formal part of the 2026 budget.
- Patrick Tucker
Science & Tech
Pentagon planning huge experiment for its connect-everything concept
“We see significant progress,” in opening up DOD data, one observer said. But a bigger, multinational test is coming.
- Patrick Tucker
Policy
The US is helping the Philippines modernize its military
The move comes at a time of rising tensions in the South China Sea.
- Patrick Tucker