Breaking Defense

CCA Round 2: Air Force picks 9 vendors for next batch of drone wingmen

Trump nominates Marine general for top SOUTHCOM job

If confirmed, Lt. Gen. Frank Donovan will replace Adm. Alvin Holsey, who announced in October that he would step down as SOUTHCOM's commander by the end of the year.

By Valerie Insinna

Naval Warfare

Navy announces new frigate class, taps HII to build off national security cutter

“Recent operations from the Red Sea to the Caribbean make the requirement undeniable,” Chief of Naval Operations Adm. Daryl Caudle said.

By Justin Katz

Congress, Pentagon

10 Breaking Defense op-eds that defined 2025

It's been a whirlwind of a year — and the defense establishment has plenty of thoughts on how it's unfolded and what might come next.

By Breaking Defense

Latest News

Air Warfare

Wilsbach expected to become next Air Force chief of staff: Sources

Former Air Combat Command head Gen. Kenneth Wilsbach had emerged as the frontrunner for the Air Force’s top uniformed job shortly after Gen. Dave Allvin announced his retirement in August.

By Valerie Insinna and Aaron Mehta

Air Warfare

State clears Germany for $1.2 billion worth of AMRAAMs

The sale would cover up to 400 copies of the Advanced Medium Range Air-to-Air Missile produced by defense giant RTX, which the Defense Security Cooperation Agency says will “provid[e] increased air-to-air capability for the German F-35 program” and other NATO requirements.

By Michael Marrow

In this episode:

With the Reagan National Defense Forum in the rearview mirror, lawmakers are zeroing in on a $901 billion National Defense Authorization Act.

Congress

Is it time to bet on a government shutdown? [Video]

In the latest edition of the Congressional Roundup, Aaron Mehta walks you through the state of play around a government shutdown.

By Breaking Defense Video

Space

German military to invest $41B in space capabilities

"Satellite networks today are an Achilles' heel of modern societies. Whoever attacks them paralyzes entire nations,” German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius said.

By Theresa Hitchens

Air Warfare

Amid strike, Boeing taking rare step of hiring permanent replacements for union workers

“We've had our first hiring event. We've received hundreds of qualified applicants. We're working through that now,” said Dan Gillian, Boeing's vice president of its air dominance portfolio.

By Valerie Insinna

Networks & Digital Warfare

DoD issues replacement for risk management framework

The new Cybersecurity Risk Management Construct consists of a five-phased lifecycle and is based on ten core principles.

By Mark Pomerleau

Global

US, Western allies should look to ‘friendshoring’ defense production in the Middle East: Report

"[T]here is a unique opportunity now to enhance the capacity of our partners in the Middle East, and thus our collective capacity as well," the report states.

By Agnes Helou

Air Warfare

Germany’s Helsing unveils AI enabled CA-1 Europa UCAV, targets 2029 entry to service

CA-1 Europa will be equipped with Helsing’s Centaur AI agent — an autonomous fighter jet pilot — and sits within the three-to-five tons weight class.

By Tim Martin

Space

SPACECOM discussing expansion of joint space monitoring missions with allies

US Space Command has now completed two rendezvous and proximity operations with partners in Multinational Forces Operation Olympic Defender: France and Britain.

By Theresa Hitchens

Opinion

Back to Key West: The Army must own air base defense, not chase Air Force missions

The Army must return to its Key West roots, writes Lt. Col. Grant “SWAT” Georgulis in this op-ed, and allow the Air Force to focus on air dominance.

By Lt. Col. Grant “SWAT” Georgulis

Naval Warfare

Maritime tech startup Blue Water Autonomy, Conrad Shipyard sign deal for USV production

The startup, launched earlier this year by three Navy veterans, is aiming to produce capable USVs en masse.

By Justin Katz

Air Warfare

About that ‘tension’ with Qatar, and refueling on orbit: AFA day 3 [Video]

On day three of AFA, a senior Air Force official acknowledged the US didn't see Israel's strike in Qatar coming.

By Breaking Defense Staff

Air Warfare

Day 3 of AFA’s Air, Space & Cyber Conference [Photos]

Check out more scenes from the AFA trade show.

By Breaking Defense Staff

Air Warfare

CCA update: Air Force expects early contracts for second iteration in ‘months’

“The exact number [of awardees] will be dependent on several factors,” said Air Force Col. Timothy Helfrich.

By Michael Marrow

Featured:

CCA Round 2: Air Force picks 9 vendors for next batch of drone wingmen

Trump nominates Marine general for top SOUTHCOM job

Navy announces new frigate class, taps HII to build off national security cutter

10 Breaking Defense op-eds that defined 2025

Latest News

Wilsbach expected to become next Air Force chief of staff: Sources

State clears Germany for $1.2 billion worth of AMRAAMs

With the Reagan National Defense Forum in the rearview mirror, lawmakers are zeroing in on a $901 billion National Defense Authorization Act.

Is it time to bet on a government shutdown? [Video]

German military to invest $41B in space capabilities

Amid strike, Boeing taking rare step of hiring permanent replacements for union workers

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

DoD issues replacement for risk management framework

US, Western allies should look to ‘friendshoring’ defense production in the Middle East: Report

Germany’s Helsing unveils AI enabled CA-1 Europa UCAV, targets 2029 entry to service

SPACECOM discussing expansion of joint space monitoring missions with allies

Back to Key West: The Army must own air base defense, not chase Air Force missions

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]

Maritime tech startup Blue Water Autonomy, Conrad Shipyard sign deal for USV production

About that ‘tension’ with Qatar, and refueling on orbit: AFA day 3 [Video]

Day 3 of AFA’s Air, Space & Cyber Conference [Photos]

CCA update: Air Force expects early contracts for second iteration in ‘months’