Breaking Defense

What now? Budget fight, Hegseth impeachment on deck for defense-focused lawmakers after midterms

Navy unfairly evaluated Saildrone MUSV proposal, court finds

The court found that the Navy "engaged in disparate treatment" toward Saildrone's MUSV proposal, according to an opinion unsealed Wednesday.

By Diana Stancy

Naval Warfare

Navy appoints Rucker as new PAE Maritime lead

Rear Adm. Jonathan Rucker is the second person to hold the position since PAE Maritime was established in March.

By Alyssa Schonhaut

Naval Warfare

Naval Group unveils new drone carrier concept

“The return of high-intensity conflict and the emergence of hybrid naval warfare require a new vision. Naval Group answers with a new concept ship: SCX 26,” the company stated.

By Elisabeth Gosselin-Malo

Latest News

Global

NATO chief calls for five times more air defenses increase to deter Russia

Mark Rutte also appeared to accept that the US will go through with plans to withdraw its forces from Europe, but in a way that won't leave "capability gaps."

By Tim Martin

Air Warfare

Poland, changing helo ‘priorities,’ pushes for trainers and naval aircraft

The changes, one official said, were influenced by rapid developments in technology, as well as the war in Ukraine.

By Bartosz Głowacki

In this episode:

Another busy week for the defense industry, with Euronaval underway in Paris and the International Fighter Conference convening in Germany
A closer look at the Hollywood star who became an Air Force general

Air Warfare

House Appropriations Committee releases flat $832B FY26 funding proposal ahead of the Pentagon

The Pentagon has yet to send its budget to Congress, but House Appropriators are moving forward with their own version of the spending plan.

By Valerie Insinna

Air Warfare

‘Spider’s Web’ warning: The US must prioritize drone defense to avoid Russia’s fate

CNAS's Stacie Pettyjohn and Molly Campbell argue in this op-ed that Ukraine's clandestine operation should be a wake-up call for the US military and its own base defense.

By Stacie Pettyjohn and Molly Campbell

Air Warfare

Inside Turkey’s ASFAT and its push to become regional hub for military aircraft MRO

“Turkey is a very good choice for MRO, so we’re talking to them, and we are introducing our capability,” ASFAT CEO Mustafa Ilbas told Breaking Defense.

By Agnes Helou

Air Warfare

Poland hits the brakes on S-70i Black Hawk procurement process

Pawel Beja, Poland’s deputy minister of national defense, suggested the decision related to a reexamination of priorities in part prompted by the war in Ukraine.

By Tim Martin

Networks & Digital Warfare

‘Stop doing that’: Arrington pleads to industry to quit ‘complaining’ about CMMC

"I don't need China, Russia, Iran, Afghanistan, North Korea, knowing any more about us than they already do," Katie Arrington, who is performing the duties of the DoD CIO, said.

By Carley Welch

Air Warfare

How South Korea can deter North Korea’s nuclear gambit with precision air and naval power

To be prepared against North Korea's nuclear capabilities, South Korea should be prepared to execute preemptive, conventional strikes, argues Ju Hyung Kim of the Security Management Institute.

By Ju Hyung Kim

Air Warfare

The F-35’s future: Can the fifth-gen fighter withstand political, technological headwinds? [Video]

The F-35 has won every competition it's been in, but now is facing new hurdles from geopolitics and new sixth-gen fighters. What's the best path forward?

By Breaking Defense Video

Air Warfare

Turning Qatari jet into Air Force One would cost ‘less than $400 million,’ Air Force secretary says

Troy Meink also said he “couldn’t guarantee” that a proposal to accelerate a separate and long-delayed Boeing program for two new Air Force Ones could achieve a delivery date of 2027.

By Michael Marrow

Global

At Shangri-La, one question dominated: Where is China?

Beijing has not explained why its defense minister did not attend. Interestingly, there was little speculation at Shangri La about whether he had been investigated, arrested or just disappeared, as has happened with three of his predecessors.

By Colin Clark

Pentagon

Amid Trump, Musk blowup, canceling SpaceX contracts could cripple DoD launch program

Elon Musk's SpaceX is already expected to conduct more than two dozen national security-related space launches over the next few years.

By Theresa Hitchens

Air Warfare

Hypersonics on the Hill: ARRW back in Air Force quiver, Army to seek new munitions

Army leaders also discussed the future of their non-hypersonic long-range missile options, including tests planned for a newer munition.

By Ashley Roque and Michael Marrow

All Domain

DoD S-band needed for Golden Dome, border defense threatened by spectrum auction plans: CSIS

Selling off the low S-band "is a terrible, horrible, no good, very bad idea," Tom Karako, director of the CSIS Missile Defense Project, told Breaking Defense today.

By Theresa Hitchens and Carley Welch

Breaking Defense

Latest News

Another busy week for the defense industry, with Euronaval underway in Paris and the International Fighter Conference convening in Germany

A closer look at the Hollywood star who became an Air Force general

Artificial Intelligence & Autonomy: A New Era in Defense

Pentagon Buzz News Video