Ideas
Across the line
This month’s Useful Fiction story explores how Army infantry, armor, and robotic systems might fight together.
Threats
Six military freezers went bad in August. Was it a cyber attack?
After food spoiled at commissaries, Pentagon investigators are looking at similar incidents in France.
Science & Tech
Army pilots are trying virtual reality to stay more alert in flight
The 101st Combat Aviation Brigade is testing the NeuroTrainer as a possible readiness tool for their aviators.
Defense Systems
Can inertial navigation make ground-robot swarms real?
Two startups are equipping small wheeled robots with a GPS-free nav package.
Business
The US space industry will suffer for Ukraine’s Starlink outage, experts say
US allies aren’t happy: “We naturally insist that it works if we're paying for it."
Threats
The port-call situation is wearing out Navy warships
Diego Garcia is the only safe place for ships fighting Iran, but the remote atoll can’t provide the maintenance they need.
Policy
Financial aid for Ukraine is getting harder to find
Helping a European neighbor remains politically popular, but rearming amid economic stress leaves less money to give.
Policy
The Army’s only remaining SFAB helped broker a ceasefire in southeast Asia
The service’s last train-advise-assist unit is working to counter Chinese influence in the Indo-Pacific theater.
Science & Tech
At last, Army seeing progress in Pacific network
Recent exercises suggest the service and its foreign partners are moving closer to a single-screen data system.
Exclusive
Policy
Policy proposal would require firms to disclose how they use AI to develop new models
The framework from Americans for Responsible Innovation would give Washington a closer look at AI’s role in developing new models as Jay Clayton’s task force shapes the government’s relationship with developers.
Threats
Funding, force-structure issues could hinder Hegseth’s new autonomous command
The money to start AUTOWARCOM is to come from a reconciliation bill whose passage is in doubt.
Science & Tech
Navy’s tech playbook serves as ‘toolkit’ for rest of government
The U.S. Navy dramatically upped its use of pilot tech programs, shuttered old technology systems and moved into the modern tech arena—and it is sharing its lessons learned from along the way.
Exclusive
Policy
Are yearlong deployments the Navy’s new normal?
That's what officials are telling sailors' families in Japan, where two destroyers are slated for 12- and 14-month cruises.
Policy
Qatar looks to bolster its military power with new hub, partnerships
The Kingdom has spent decades cultivating its reputation as a place where enemies can sit down and talk. Apparently, even that requires an air-defense system.
Threats
Critical flaws in ubiquitous website software draw urgent warning from NSA, FBI
Organizations should immediately update to the latest version of PHP or take systems offline, agencies say.
Science & Tech
Add ‘post-AI’ encryption to your to-do list
OpenAI’s trove of 400+ math results suggests traditional encryption may be at risk.
Threats
Military power rising as power of diplomacy falling, diplomats, crisis monitors, allies say
America is abandoning the rules, and the allies, it once kept safe.
Policy