Cyber Concerns, Classification Disagreements Lead Space Survey Results

Cyber Concerns, Classification Disagreements Lead Space Survey Results
Cyber Concerns, Classification Disagreements Lead Space Survey Results

The first-ever Breaking Defense Space Survey gathered information from national security space professionals in government, the military, and industry.

US Must Weigh ‘Strategic Impacts’ Of Arming The Heavens: Aerospace

US Must Weigh ‘Strategic Impacts’ Of Arming The Heavens: Aerospace
US Must Weigh ‘Strategic Impacts’ Of Arming The Heavens: Aerospace

“I think probably the biggest single thing that I know Gen. Raymond is working on … is really fleshing out that long-term vision for the Space Force,” Justin Johnson, acting deputy assistant secretary for space policy says.

Trump Will Not Always Get What He Wants From GOP Congress

Trump Will Not Always Get What He Wants From GOP Congress
Trump Will Not Always Get What He Wants From GOP Congress

WASHINGTON: Donald Trump visited the White House this morning for the first time in an official capacity as the initial shock of his election as president of the United States began to wear off. You could tell it was wearing off because Congress already began to remind Trump of the limits of his power. At first, the Republicans…

Budget Fight At The OCO Corral

Budget Fight At The OCO Corral
Budget Fight At The OCO Corral

Should war funds be used to help the military patch gaps in its regular budget? It sounds like a technical issue, but the ongoing debate has turned into a battle royale, with a new scuffle breaking out just last week. It’s a slugfest featuring bad ideas, even worse ideas and a healthy dose of hypocrisy,…

The Military’s Real Readiness Crisis; Petraeus & O’Hanlon Are Wrong

The Military’s Real Readiness Crisis; Petraeus & O’Hanlon Are Wrong
The Military’s Real Readiness Crisis; Petraeus & O’Hanlon Are Wrong

It’s no news to Breaking Defense readers that the U.S. military faces a readiness crisis. But retired Gen. David Petraeus apparently disagrees. Yes, the military’s budget has been cut by 25 percent in real terms since 2011—much of it coming from accounts used to maintain and build combat readiness. Yes, leaders from the Army, Navy,…

Dems May Refuse To Support HASC NDAA: Our Markup Preview

Dems May Refuse To Support HASC NDAA: Our Markup Preview
Dems May Refuse To Support HASC NDAA: Our Markup Preview

WASHINGTON: Mac Thornberry, chairman of the House Armed Services Committee, wants to boost funding for readiness and modernization and he’s using a budgeting gimmick in the defense policy bill to do it that is prompting much head shaking. (A similar gimmick led to a short-lived presidential veto last year). Colin’s bet is that, should the Senate…

Budget Deal Shows Obama Hypocrisy On NDAA Veto

Budget Deal Shows Obama Hypocrisy On NDAA Veto
Budget Deal Shows Obama Hypocrisy On NDAA Veto

This week Congress should pass the 2016 defense authorization bill –again. It will be virtually identical to the one that President Obama vetoed just weeks ago.  The only change: a $5 billion reduction in costs so it complies with the budget deal reached last week. But passage of the up-dated authorization is no done deal. If Mr.…

Army Bases Bleed, Then BRAC Comes

Army Bases Bleed, Then BRAC Comes
Army Bases Bleed, Then BRAC Comes

WASHINGTON: Congress hates base closures, known as BRAC. But it turns out you don’t need a Base Realignment And Closure round to hurt homestate economies. If you cut the Army by 120,000 (from a wartime peak of 570,000 to 450,000), and prohibit the Pentagon from closing bases, what you get — instead of wholesale shutdowns…

Issues To Watch At Space & Missile Defense Conference: Heritage

Issues To Watch At Space & Missile Defense Conference: Heritage
Issues To Watch At Space & Missile Defense Conference: Heritage

Monday marks the beginning of the Army-centric Space and Missile Defense Symposium, an annual conference in Huntsville, Ala.  Here are a few topics likely to generate conference buzz. Missile Defense The Obama administration’s 2016 budget request for missile defense investments went up slightly to $9.6 billion for missile defense development and operations, of which $8.1 billion is for the Missile Defense…