Breaking Defense

Space Force slates $1.8B for commercial sats to replace GSSAP neighborhood watch birds

Israel to ramp up production of Arrow interceptors

The announcement came before the US and Iran came to what has turned out to be a shaky ceasefire, one that didn't restrain Israel from striking targets in Lebanon.

By Seth J. Frantzman

Global

UK accuses Russia of covert submarine operation threatening undersea cables

Together with allies, the UK tracked “every mile” of the deployment involving an Akula-class and a pair of Main Directorate for Deep Sea Research (GUGI) surveillance submarines, according to British defense secretary John Healey.

By Tim Martin

Naval Warfare

Navy selects Leidos, Defense Unicorns to test software prototypes for ships

Leidos and Defense Unicorns will test prototypes in a lab-based environment under the other transaction agreement.

By Mark Pomerleau

Latest News

Air Warfare

Calvelli highlights technical chops, ‘daily’ interaction as key to space acquisition oversight

"We need to break the paradigm of thinking schedule slips are OK," Air Force space acquisition czar Frank Calvelli told Breaking Defense.

By Theresa Hitchens

Congress

Ahead of next budget, HII makes case against delays in buying next aircraft carrier

A Newport News Shipbuilding executive said “nearly half” of the companies in the supply chain that provide long-lead time materials for aircraft carriers are at risk of "going cold.”

By Justin Katz

In this episode:

Details of the $1.5 trillion defense budget request, and a key lawmaker’s take on the F-35

Global

In first, Estonian defense unit receives Polish Piorun MANPADS

“This is the first joint defence procurement between Estonia and Poland, with the advantages of quick delivery and a relatively low cost compared to the value of the destroyed target,” said the Estonian Centre for Defence Investments.

By Tim Martin

Naval Warfare

Navy’s SWO boss says fleet still short of goal to have 75 mission-capable ships daily

Vice Adm. Brendan McLane told reporters his forces, on average, have between 50 and 60 ships at a mission-capable status on any given day.

By Justin Katz

Congress

As pressure mounts, Pentagon releases timeline on Austin’s secretive hospitalization

Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin was transported by ambulance to Walter Reed National Military Medical Center on the evening of Jan. 1 due to "severe pain" but currently has a "good" prognosis, the Pentagon’s top spokesman said today.

By Michael Marrow

All Domain

‘Urgent need’: Army ‘Space Vision’ calls for new investment in kit, personnel

As well as leveraging space systems for its own operations, the Army intends to invest in capabilities to counter enemy space systems, the new vision document explains.

By Theresa Hitchens

Congress

The surface Navy should design for competition, rethink fleet make-up

The Hudson Institute's Bryan Clark argues in this op-ed that balancing tight budgets with global demands should push the Navy to rethink how it's buying ships.

By Bryan Clark

Air Warfare

Germany lifts block on Eurofighter Typhoon sale to Saudi Arabia: Reports

Germany had long blocked the sale of the fighters, but now the German foreign minister reportedly said the situation in the Middle East has changed.

By Tim Martin

Space

ULA’s Vulcan makes orbit, first step toward OK for DoD launches

ULA's Vulcan Centaur needs one more successful flight test to be certified to carry payloads to orbit under the Space Force's National Security Space Launch program.

By Theresa Hitchens

All Domain

Army sending additional ‘data stewards’ to commands, defining data roles

The Army first put out guidance two years ago on the idea of creating “data stewards” for its commands who would act as “kind of our spokesman for our supply side,” and will start codifying it in fiscal 2024, David Markowitz told Breaking Defense.

By Jaspreet Gill

All Domain

‘Take down’: Space Force targeting unit develops strike options for Joint Force

The Space Force's 75th ISR Squadron is looking at not just how to take out enemy satellites on orbit, but also the other dimensions of space systems including ground facilities and the command and control data links in between, explained Lt. Gen. DeAnna Burt.

By Theresa Hitchens

Air Warfare

DARPA, Aurora Flight Sciences started building radical prototype plane

DARPA and Aurora Flight Sciences' X-65 prototype aims to pioneer a new type of aircraft that maneuvers using pressurized air instead of physical flight control surfaces.

By Michael Marrow

Air Warfare

NATO signs off on $5.5 billion contract for hundreds of Patriot missiles

If all options are exercised under the contract, the European nations will buy a combined total of 1,000 Patriot Guidance Enhanced Missiles (GEM-T), according to manufacturer RTX.

By Tim Martin

Featured:

Space Force slates $1.8B for commercial sats to replace GSSAP neighborhood watch birds

Israel to ramp up production of Arrow interceptors

UK accuses Russia of covert submarine operation threatening undersea cables

Navy selects Leidos, Defense Unicorns to test software prototypes for ships

Latest News

Calvelli highlights technical chops, ‘daily’ interaction as key to space acquisition oversight

Ahead of next budget, HII makes case against delays in buying next aircraft carrier

Details of the $1.5 trillion defense budget request, and a key lawmaker’s take on the F-35

In first, Estonian defense unit receives Polish Piorun MANPADS

Navy’s SWO boss says fleet still short of goal to have 75 mission-capable ships daily

As pressure mounts, Pentagon releases timeline on Austin’s secretive hospitalization

Artificial Intelligence & Autonomy: A New Era in Defense

AFCENT awards Kraus Hamdani $270M for solar-powered, long-endurance drones

First set of defensive cyber kits to be delivered to CYBERCOM units

Judge grants Anthropic preliminary injunction but Pentagon CTO says ban still stands

Companies to enter negotiations to build commercial data centers on Army installations

Swiss Destinus, Shield AI wrap European drone autonomy test campaign

Trump admin’s comments could undermine case against Anthropic in court: Experts

Pentagon CTO ‘pretty confident’ about life after Anthropic

Baykar unveils K2 Kamikaze drone with AI, swarming capabilities

Anthropic CEO says Pentagon ban less harsh than Hegseth had threatened

Pentagon’s new chief data officer to push ‘AI capabilities to warfighters’

‘Urgent need’: Army ‘Space Vision’ calls for new investment in kit, personnel

The surface Navy should design for competition, rethink fleet make-up

Germany lifts block on Eurofighter Typhoon sale to Saudi Arabia: Reports

ULA’s Vulcan makes orbit, first step toward OK for DoD launches

Army sending additional ‘data stewards’ to commands, defining data roles

Pentagon Buzz News Video

Will the Pentagon have to cut exercises to pay for the Iran war?

Pentagon comptroller says a ‘generational investment’ is coming, but when?

The Pentagon wants to buy 30,000 new drones. Here are the key questions.

Watch Pentagon Buzz, Breaking Defense’s new show on DoD policies, personalities and power

‘Take down’: Space Force targeting unit develops strike options for Joint Force

DARPA, Aurora Flight Sciences started building radical prototype plane

NATO signs off on $5.5 billion contract for hundreds of Patriot missiles