Still ways to go before mil-to-mil talks with China restart: NSC official

Still ways to go before mil-to-mil talks with China restart: NSC official
Still ways to go before mil-to-mil talks with China restart: NSC official

“Right now, of course, the secretary of defense does not have a counterpart; there is no [Chinese] minister of defense. We’re going to have to probably wait on that one,” NSC official Sarah Beran said.

New ‘Watch Center’ to ring alarms on space-related cyber threats

New ‘Watch Center’ to ring alarms on space-related cyber threats
New ‘Watch Center’ to ring alarms on space-related cyber threats

“Space is a warfighting domain and cyber is a critical area to focus on to ensure space security. I think we all know cyber attacks are becoming more frequent. They’re more severe, they’re even more sophisticated,” Sreenidhi Tummala, a senior software engineer at Lockheed Martin, told reporters at today’s Space-ISAC press conference.

At home and internationally, ‘governance’ is the space watchword: 2023 Preview

At home and internationally, ‘governance’ is the space watchword: 2023 Preview
At home and internationally, ‘governance’ is the space watchword: 2023 Preview

There are a host of open questions bedeviling national and international policy- and law-makers as they struggle to get a better grip on both the explosion of commercial players with innovative ideas for space utilization and the growing military interest in space as a tool of, and venue for, war.

EXCLUSIVE: US Strategic Space Review signed out, but no unclassified version is coming

EXCLUSIVE: US Strategic Space Review signed out, but no unclassified version is coming
EXCLUSIVE: US Strategic Space Review signed out, but no unclassified version is coming

“If we want deterrence to be effective, it takes three things: 1. Capabilities 2. Credible threats in the mind of the adversary and 3. The will to communicate the first two,” Chris Stone, Mitchell Institute fellow, told Breaking Defense.

With Russian industrial base in shambles, US looks for arms sale ‘opportunities’

With Russian industrial base in shambles, US looks for arms sale ‘opportunities’
With Russian industrial base in shambles, US looks for arms sale ‘opportunities’

“Countries that have heretofore relied on Russian equipment are going to find it very difficult to get even basic supplies coming through because of this weakened defense industrial base. So it is an opportunity,” said Cara Abercrombie, deputy assistant to the president and the White House’s coordinator for defense policy and arms control.

Key senators renew push to undo FCC’s Ligado spectrum ruling

Key senators renew push to undo FCC’s Ligado spectrum ruling
Key senators renew push to undo FCC’s Ligado spectrum ruling

The National Academies of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine is planning to release on Sept. 9 its review of the impacts on DoD use of GPS – just a few weeks before Ligado plans to go live.

Australia, US grapple with Solomon Islands tilt to China

Australia, US grapple with Solomon Islands tilt to China
Australia, US grapple with Solomon Islands tilt to China

The White House announced that Daniel Kritenbrink, assistant secretary of State for east Asian and Pacific affairs, and Kurt Campbell, the National Security Council’s Indo-Pacific Coordinator, will lead an interagency delegation to the Solomon Islands, Fiji and Papua New Guinea.

Biden’s space policy nominee backs ban on destructive ASAT testing, pushes norms

Biden’s space policy nominee backs ban on destructive ASAT testing, pushes norms
Biden’s space policy nominee backs ban on destructive ASAT testing, pushes norms

“Kinetic destructive tests,” White House nominee for ASD Space Policy John Plumb said, “pose a long term enduring problem to all spacefaring nations, including astronauts.”

Chirag Parikh Tapped For National Space Council ExecSec

Chirag Parikh Tapped For National Space Council ExecSec
Chirag Parikh Tapped For National Space Council ExecSec

Addressing climate change, and setting norms of behavior are among the focus areas for Biden administration space policy.

Biden Orders Fed Cybersecurity Boost; Targets Prevention, Reporting

Biden Orders Fed Cybersecurity Boost; Targets Prevention, Reporting
Biden Orders Fed Cybersecurity Boost; Targets Prevention, Reporting

“It reflects a fundamental shift in our mindset — from incident response to prevention, from talking about security to doing security,” a senior administration official says.

White House Needs New Arms Sales Approach

White House Needs New Arms Sales Approach
White House Needs New Arms Sales Approach

President Biden has made clear in his first 100 days that he will pursue a values-based foreign policy that prioritizes democracy and human rights. This is welcome and past due. But his administration will need to lay out a new approach to US arms sales to make it happen. US arms sales are one of the…

Who’s Who in Defense: Jake Sullivan, National Security Advisor

Who’s Who in Defense: Jake Sullivan, National Security Advisor
Who’s Who in Defense: Jake Sullivan, National Security Advisor

National Security Advisor (NSA) Jake Sullivan   Responsibilities Called the “the best foreign policy job in government,” the NSA serves as the top aide to the president on national security and foreign policy. The NSA is generally a low-profile, high-influence position that plays a foundational role in the National Security Council (NSC). Created in 1947…

Human Rights: A New Role For The Intelligence Community

Human Rights: A New Role For The Intelligence Community
Human Rights: A New Role For The Intelligence Community

Human rights literally disappeared from former President Trump’s National Security Council (NSC) when he dropped the term from the position once known as the special assistant to the President for multilateral affairs and human rights. President Biden has appointed a new coordinator for democracy and human rights in the NSC. This firmly reestablishes the issue…

NSC Memo May Spell End Of National Space Council

NSC Memo May Spell End Of National Space Council
NSC Memo May Spell End Of National Space Council

“What happens to the funds that were authorized and appropriated by Congress for the NSpC?,” a former space official wonders.