Japan loosens arms exports rules in major shift
Tokyo's shift clears the way for arms exports to partners and allies.
Edgewing receives first GCAP next-gen fighter international contract to boost design activities
The new funding invests in "key design and engineering activities and enables the trilateral partnership to build momentum and accelerate pace of delivery."
The AFCEA DC Small Business Breakfast Program is coming up next Wednesday 5/20.
The event explores how AFCEA DC is accelerating delivery of next-gen capabilities to the US Navy and the Navy's transformation of small business programs. Secure your spot today!
State Department clears $340M FMS request for hypersonic missile testing support for Japan
The Japanese government has earmarked $769 million in its defense budget for HVGP development and deployment for the upcoming fiscal year, which begins on April 1.
How Takaichi’s supermajority in Japan rewrites the strategic map of Southeast Asia
A unified force in Japan's House of Representatives opens the door for widespread military reform under Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi, writes analyst Ronny Sasmita.
Grok for DoD and subs for North Korea: What you missed in defense over the break
Successfully tune out the news over the holidays? We don't believe you, but just in case ...
China to once again dominate the headlines: 2026 preview for the Indo-Pacific
China will almost certainly dominate the defense and security headlines in the coming months, as tensions continue to simmer in the South China Sea and around Taiwan.
Satellites at the center: Inside the Pentagon’s next-gen space architecture
From emerging data networks to missile tracking and cyber resilience, Breaking Defense’s latest eBook brings together essential reporting on the evolving role of satellites in national security.
China showed off its nukes and caused problems in the region: 5 Indo-Pacific stories from 2025
China was once again at the forefront of Indo-Pacific news in 2025.
Hung Cao and the new Pacific defense architecture
Robbin Laird and Edward Timperlake discuss newly-appointed Navy Undersecretary Hung Cao’s thoughts on Guam and Vietnam’s roles in the Indo-Pacific when it comes to deterring China.
As China pushes out from the First Island Chain, US allies like Japan and the Philippines surveil from nearby
Industrial imbalance grows in the Indo-Pacific as China outbuilds the region in ships and rockets.
The role of Japan and the Philippines in resisting a Chinese blockade of Taiwan
Strategic geography, resupply corridors, and maritime access underscore Manila and Tokyo’s ability to assist Taiwan.
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America needs next-gen solutions to counter modern air and missile threats
Defending a country the size of the US from threats requires advanced sensing, communications and interception capabilities.
Logistics is the Achilles’ heel of China deterrence
In this op-ed, Eyck Freymann and Harry Halem lay out three areas where action is needed to avoid a logistical catastrophe in deterring China.
Reapers to recon: American planes at Kadena Air Base in Japan [PHOTOS]
Breaking Defense recently visited Japan's Kadena Air Base. Check out some select photos from the trip.
Chinese fighters intercepted Japanese surveillance planes during carrier exercise: Official
JMSDF Capt. Naoto Tabata told Breaking Defense that one time the Chinese jets came as close as 45 meters (147 feet) from the surveillance birds.
Okinawa-based F-15 squadrons responsible for nearly 60 percent of country’s scrambles
"We conduct surveillance of Japan's airspace in the area on a 24/7 basis and maintain readiness for any situation by utilizing all the systems and assets available to us," Col. Hideo Kiyonaga, chief of staff at the headquarters of the Southwestern Air Defense Force, told Breaking Defense.