Breaking Defense

Compromise NDAA protects Wedgetail, greenlights Black Hawk multiyear buys

Adam Smith details NDAA deal, blasts Pentagon secrecy at Reagan National Defense Forum

Defense authorizers are seeking $901 billion for national security in 2026, though appropriators have the final say on how much money to offer.

By Breaking Defense Video

Land Warfare

Army stands up Western Hemisphere Command prioritizing homeland defense, consolidation

“This integration delivers uninterrupted readiness, rapid force generation and expertise in homeland defense and civil support,” the service wrote. “This enables the U.S. Army to respond more rapidly to crises and continue building strong military alliances.”

By Carley Welch

Sponsored Post, Networks & Digital Warfare

Elsight’s Halo platform helps extend communications beyond visible line of sight. (Photo by David Garb/Elsight) cyber security, networks

How warfighters communicate when their missions are beyond visual line of sight

Standoff capability means warfighters stay connected and remain remotely located in a safer environment while making it harder for adversaries to target them.

By Breaking Defense

Latest News

Pentagon

Pentagon acquisition chief pledges new ‘program czars’ will cut red tape, not add to it

Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition and Sustainment Michael Duffey outlined key steps taken since early November mandate to move out on acquisition reform.

By Ashley Roque

Air Warfare

Boeing completes $4.7B Spirit AeroSystems acquisition, reabsorbing key supplier

Spirit Defense, which makes aerostructures for aircraft like the B-21, will be run as a "non-integrated" subsidiary of Boeing’s defense unit.

By Valerie Insinna

In this episode:

Navy’s multibillion-dollar Constellation-class frigate decision and a Reagan Forum preview

Air Warfare

Small but mighty: DARPA’s new Lift competition wants drones to carry much, much more

A drone capable of carrying four times its own weight "can actualize the dreams that a lot of people have of using drones in both the military and civilian sectors," DARPA Program Manager Phillip Smith told Breaking Defense.

By Michael Marrow

Opinion

Europe must invest in munitions to keep the US invested in Europe

An increased production in munitions from Europe takes the burden off the US while securing Europe's position as a key defense partner, write Michael Kidd and Giana Farry.

By Michael Kidd and Giana Farry

Land Warfare

Israeli official says Gaza conflict was ‘first robotics war’

The Israeli Defense Forces deployed thousands of unmanned systems, in what senior officials said was an illustration of the future of combat.

By Seth J. Frantzman

Global

‘No warehouses anymore’: Ukrainian troops get drone deliveries to the front

"For those who believe it's about technology, I tell you the solution is about human capital and processes," Marco Criscuolo, NATO's acting head of strategy and policy, told the conference.

By Colin Clark

Congress

Compromise NDAA released with bigger topline, $8 billion above Pentagon’s request

The $8B jump is essentially a compromise from the House version, which stuck to the Pentagon’s budget request, and the Senate numbers, which were $32 billion above the department’s request.

By Aaron Mehta

Pentagon

From Hegseth to the Hill, defense budget talk at the Reagan National Defense Forum

Catch up on highlights from the high-powered event in California.

By Breaking Defense Video

Pentagon

Hegseth endorses National Security Strategy, outlines military priorities focused on the West

“We will instead put our nation's practical, concrete interests first,” Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said. “We will deter war. We will advance our interests. We will defend our people. Peace is our goal.”

By Ashley Roque and Valerie Insinna

Pentagon

No decision made on second round of reconciliation for defense: OMB director

Whether another temporary multi-billion-dollar add-on is in the Pentagon's future, Russell Vought attempted to assuage concerns, saying "there will not be a hole" in the defense budget.

By Valerie Insinna

Air Warfare

‘It’s alive’: Biden-era Replicator drone initiative lives on as DAWG, looking at bigger UASs

Renamed the Defense Autonomous Working Group, the drone initiative is now conducting wargames and working on larger, longer-ranged attack drones, Adm. Sam Paparo and Pentagon CTO Emil Michael said.

By Sydney J. Freedberg Jr.

Congress

Congress eyes $8B boost over Trump’s Pentagon budget in NDAA

Rep. Adam Smith, the House Armed Services Committee's ranking Democrat, said Congress is aiming to release a compromise defense authorization bill in the next 24 hours.

By Valerie Insinna

Naval Warfare

Navy’s Caudle: F/A-XX fighter decision needs to come ‘quickly’

"My job is to pressurize that decision, because the war fighting imperative, I think, is there, and and I'm trying to build a compelling case to get that decision made quickly," Chief of Naval Operations Adm. Daryl Caudle said.

By Justin Katz

Air Warfare

Army will seek new airborne jammer, lightweight ground EW in 2026

“Once you emit, you are a target,” warned Laurence Mixon, the senior civilian in Army Intelligence, Electronic Warfare, & Sensors (IEWS).

By Sydney J. Freedberg Jr.

Featured:

Compromise NDAA protects Wedgetail, greenlights Black Hawk multiyear buys

Adam Smith details NDAA deal, blasts Pentagon secrecy at Reagan National Defense Forum

Army stands up Western Hemisphere Command prioritizing homeland defense, consolidation

How warfighters communicate when their missions are beyond visual line of sight

Latest News

Pentagon acquisition chief pledges new ‘program czars’ will cut red tape, not add to it

Boeing completes $4.7B Spirit AeroSystems acquisition, reabsorbing key supplier

Navy’s multibillion-dollar Constellation-class frigate decision and a Reagan Forum preview

Small but mighty: DARPA’s new Lift competition wants drones to carry much, much more

Europe must invest in munitions to keep the US invested in Europe

Israeli official says Gaza conflict was ‘first robotics war’

Multi-Domain Operations: Global C2 and Joint Operations

France’s Safran.AI, UAE’s TII team up on agentic AI for geospatial intelligence

Joint Ukraine-NATO training and analysis team gets classified, AI-enabled Google Cloud

IBCS set for full rate production, Polish milestone, Northrop says

Golden Dome implementation plan under review, Congress may get look this week

Army doubles balloons for upcoming SWARMS demo, adds NORAD to the mix

Golden Dome SBIs will need to be defended from adversary attack: Experts

Pentagon formalizes conventional forces’ role in irregular warfare, but will it stick?

‘That’s a tank’: Army introduces AI-aided target recognition to Next Gen C2 prototype

US slams ‘discriminatory’ draft EU space law as imperiling NATO cooperation

‘No warehouses anymore’: Ukrainian troops get drone deliveries to the front

Compromise NDAA released with bigger topline, $8 billion above Pentagon’s request

From Hegseth to the Hill, defense budget talk at the Reagan National Defense Forum

Hegseth endorses National Security Strategy, outlines military priorities focused on the West

No decision made on second round of reconciliation for defense: OMB director

Golden Dome: The Path Forward

Inside Honeywell’s business strategy for Golden Dome

Golden Dome faces challenges of size, scope and scale from every angle

Can space-based interceptors really work? What to know about Trump’s plan [VIDEO]

China and Russia won’t like Golden Dome. Here’s how they might respond. [VIDEO]

Golden Dome: Tackling the myths and rumors around America’s new missile shield [VIDEO]

‘It’s alive’: Biden-era Replicator drone initiative lives on as DAWG, looking at bigger UASs

Congress eyes $8B boost over Trump’s Pentagon budget in NDAA

Navy’s Caudle: F/A-XX fighter decision needs to come ‘quickly’

Army will seek new airborne jammer, lightweight ground EW in 2026