Ideas
How China’s new rare-earth export controls target the Pentagon—and the world
The licensing system replaces a cruder, less flexible means of economic leverage.
Policy
Allies struggle to work with US military in space operations, GAO finds
An excess of overlapping roles, classification, and unfilled jobs are hurting U.S. collaboration with partners in space.
Policy
DHS intelligence office halts staff cuts after stakeholder backlash
Pushback from law enforcement associations and Jewish orgs came after Nextgov/FCW first reported plans to shed most staff within a core DHS intelligence unit.
Science & Tech
Defense One Radio, Ep. 186: Tech Summit talks: Anduril's Chris Brose
The second in a series of conversations from this year’s Defense One Tech Summit.
Sponsor Content
Building trust at the speed of mission: Why identity is the new frontline in DoD cybersecurity
As threats and priorities evolve, modern identity solutions enable secure, scalable defense operations.
Defense Systems
Pentagon seeks sensors to aid regenerative medicine
And as a byproduct, to boost the U.S. biotech industry.
Threats
The deadly Texas flash flood is a preview of the chaos to come
Climate change is making disasters more common, more deadly and far more costly, even as the federal government is running away from the policies that might begin to protect the nation.
Sponsor Content
Powering Resilience: Advancing Electrification and Infrastructure Readiness on Military Installations
Military infrastructure must modernize through electrification and sustainability to ensure readiness, resilience, and energy security.
Ideas
The Trump administration’s lie-detector campaign is more likely to hurt than help national security
Pseudo-scientific polygraph tests may discourage internal candor and divert investigative energy while failing to stop leaks.
Threats
Army aims to quadruple Patriot missile procurement
Move comes amid conflict with Iran, questions about aid to Ukraine.
Voices
Policy
Plan to slash DHS intel office faces multi-front pushback
Jewish-community and law enforcement organizations have asked Trump administration security chiefs to preserve the DHS Office of Intelligence and Analysis.
Policy
Pentagon gets millions for cyber in GOP reconciliation act
But the law’s deep cuts to Medicaid will lower cyberdefenses around rural hospitals targeted by data thieves.
Policy
Civilian intel analysts get relocation tax break long given to troops
The measure is part of the "Big, Beautiful" policy-and-spending bill passed last week.
Threats
Kremlin gloats about US weapons pause to Ukraine
The halt in aid speaks to a shifting view of the threat Putin poses.
Policy
Thousands of Pentagon civilians and other feds are still waiting for their 2025 pay raise
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth’s decision last spring to shutter a slew of advisory committees has imperiled already-enacted pay raises for 60,000 federal employees in blue collar jobs.
Ideas
How the National Guard’s domestic missions build deterrence
The Guard’s citizen-soldiers and -airmen boost American resiliency, complicating any adversary’s calculations.
Ideas
Defense reconciliation bill begins rebuild and transformation of our military
The cost of deterring war will always be dwarfed by the cost of fighting one.
Threats
Defense One Radio, Ep. 185: Tech Summit talks: Golden Dome, hypersonics and missile defense
The first in a series of conversations from this year’s Defense One Tech Summit.
Ideas
The Army’s role in the Pacific
Deterrence can’t be achieved with maritime or air systems alone.
Policy
Pentagon confirms it’s holding up weapons promised to Ukraine
Spokesman declined to say which weapons affected, when munitions review began, or who recommended the pause.
Featured eBooks
Science & Tech
Army experiments with integrating attack drones into artillery formations
New division formation design includes HIMARS, howitzers, and one-way UAVs.
Ideas
What the R&D budget proposal says about the future of war
The Pentagon’s research-and-development section heralds several quiet, monumental shifts.
Defense Systems
Marines testing ‘narco sub’ for contested logistics in the Indo-Pacific
Leidos’ autonomous surface drone went from concept to prototype in nine months.
Science & Tech
What SDA’s latest win signals for military space
The agency is working to build a massive constellation of satellites.
Science & Tech
Defense Department budget request goes hard on AI, autonomy
The Pentagon is leaning into new technologies, but can it change the way it buys and builds to keep up with trends in AI and autonomy?
Policy
Air Force wants to retire the rest of its A-10s in 2026
The proposal is sure to get pushback from Congress.
Threats
Iran-backed hackers may target US defense companies tied to Israel, agencies warn
“Despite a declared ceasefire and ongoing negotiations towards a permanent solution, Iranian-affiliated cyber actors and hacktivist groups may still conduct malicious cyber activity,” a government advisory says.
Ideas
The Israel-Iran war may have saved both countries’ embattled leaders
External threats tend to heal internal divisions—and shatter dreams of “regime change.”
Defense Systems
Secure comms with allies is hard. The Pentagon wants to change that
The department is working on an effort to streamline a complex set of classified networks they use with allies and partners.
Defense Systems
Air Force using Sentinel money to retrofit Qatar jet
The move won’t further delay the troubled ICBM program, SECAF says.
Science & Tech
Cyber Command executive director departs for expected role in private sector
As Morgan Adamski leaves, the NSA's Patrick Ware will become the top civilian at the combatant command, amid other changes at the nation’s top hacking unit.
Policy
DOD’s budget request finally drops, combining a real decrease with a one-time boost
Officials are relying heavily on Congress to pass the reconciliation bill.
Threats
SecDef doubles down on claims Iran’s nuclear program is ‘obliterated’
Hegseth rails against reporting on DIA’s initial assessment that strikes did not destroy Tehran’s efforts.
Threats
