China

How China is rethinking tank survival against FPVs and top-attack threats

The drone age did not end armored warfare. It rewrote the terms of survival, and Chinese military analysts are paying attention.

The Air Force says its China think tank will continue. Its director says it’s basically dead.

The Air Force’s stance that the China Aerospace Studies Institute can function without civilian staff is “not credible,” Brendan Mulvaney told Breaking Defense.

Fate of Air Force’s China Aerospace Studies Institute up in air

The China Aerospace Studies Institute will carry on by “leveraging assigned military service members to accomplish its objectives,” according to an Air Force spokesperson.

The US needs an information-warfare strategy for Iran — and beyond

In the face of authoritarian oppression, a US-made information warfare tool set could enhance the lives of those living in restrictive countries.

To counter China, America’s next CCA needs a different mission

The Center for Strategic and Budgetary Assessments' Greg Malandrino argues in this op-ed that a fight with China will require CCAs for defense as well as offense.

Estonian lawmaker calls US questionnaire to NATO ‘unnecessary stress test’

“It is critically important for us in this time, a time of not living in peace time ... that both in words and deeds to not make any steps to create an image that would indicate to Moscow or Beijing that NATO is not united or focused on deterring threats growing on our borders,” Marko Mihkelson told Breaking Defense.

What China’s PLA says it is learning from the Iran war

From AI integration to the economics of air and missile defense, Chinese military commentators are paying especially close attention to the US-Israel war in Iran.

Pentagon wants ‘expanding options’ for nuclear weapons, officials say

“There's, you know, a review or sort of relook at the employment guidance, which is more about the commander of STRATCOM and his responsibilities and [the defense] secretary's authorities, etcetera,” said Undersecretary of Defense for Policy Elbridge Colby.

GCAP timeline could shrink ‘by a couple of years,’ Leonardo CEO says

Lorenzo Mariani said the sixth-gen fighter could enter service two years ahead of its 2035 target date, but only if some requirements for the "initial version" were altered.

The devil was in the waivers: How new minerals procurement rules will change the game

Establishing durable domestic mineral supply chains will likely require closer coordination between US defense primes as well as small businesses and new entrants, says Abigail Hunter.

America’s fighter force is running out of margin: Rep. Biggs

The current demand signal for US air power abroad is not sustainable without significantly growing the force, argues Rep. Sheri Biggs, R-S.C.

Pentagon willing to work with industry over critical mineral EO concerns

A new executive order essentially gives companies until the start of 2027 to alter their supply of critical materials and minerals. Industry is worried that could be a difficult lift.

China dumping more rocket bodies in space, endangering low Earth orbit satellites: Report

Three Chinese rocket bodies have exploded over the last four years, creating dangerous debris that "will linger for decades to centuries, potentially colliding with other space objects," LeoLabs study author Darren McKnight told Breaking Defense.

Macron’s nuclear pact expands across Scandinavia as global forces surges

Norway is just the latest ally to open discussions with Paris about France’s extended nuclear deterrence initiative.