Author Archive

Ben Watson

Senior Multimedia Editor, Defense One

Ben Watson is an Army veteran who writes The D Brief daily newsletter and hosts the bimonthly Defense One Radio podcast. Since arriving in Washington in 2012, Ben has written and produced award-winning features on politics, international security, technology, and military history for NPR, The Atlantic and Defense One.
Threats

The D Brief: Hegseth on the Hill; NATO’s newest mission; Next carriers named; C-130J firefighting video; And a bit more.

  • Ben Watson and Bradley Peniston
Threats

The D Brief: N. Koreans captured; New AI-export rule; 2,500 Guardsmen on wildfire duty; Mines found at IKEA; And a bit more.

  • Ben Watson and Bradley Peniston
Threats

The D Brief: Allies reel over annexation talk; Ukraine donors set production goals; Navy’s plans/funding mismatch; Iran’s painful admission; And a bit more.

  • Ben Watson, Patrick Tucker and Bradley Peniston
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The D Brief: ‘Imperialistic land grabs’; Trump’s conflicts of interest; Ukraine aid planning; AI helped design Las Vegas blast; And a bit more.

  • Ben Watson and Bradley Peniston
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The D Brief: Anti-ISIS ops continue; How sanctioned oil flows; DOD red-teams AI; Protecting undersea cables; And a bit more.

  • Ben Watson and Bradley Peniston
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The D Brief: Vegas bomber’s extremist writings; Honduras threatens to eject US troops; Militia-infiltrating mole; A Mexican invasion?; And a bit more.

  • Ben Watson and Bradley Peniston
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The D Brief: NOLA attacker acted alone, FBI says; China’s new jets; Cyber breaches hint at what’s next; US Steel sale blocked; And a bit more.

  • Ben Watson, Bradley Peniston and Audrey Decker
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The D Brief: New Orleans attack; US, Israeli strikes in Yemen; Africa’s ‘new era of war’; What drove Afghanistan lies?; And a bit more.

  • Ben Watson, Bradley Peniston and Meghann Myers
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The D Brief: Navy jet downed by US cruiser; Tech titans push tieup; Trump’s latest DOD picks; More Taiwan aid; And a bit more.

  • Bradley Peniston, Audrey Decker and Ben Watson
Threats

The D Brief: Troops’ pay in jeopardy; CENTCOM’s Syria surge; Army to cut 5% of generals; USAF may trim F-35 buy; And a bit more.

  • Bradley Peniston and Ben Watson
Ideas

Defense One Radio, Ep. 170: Year in review

We listen back on more than a dozen guests from conversations across 2024.

  • Ben Watson
Featured eBooks
Training and Simulation
Space Trends
Future of the Army
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The D Brief: Ukraine-aid plan; US production woes; How Navy ‘wasted’ $1.8B; Jersey drone update; And a bit more.

  • Ben Watson and Bradley Peniston
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The D Brief: Russian general slain in Moscow; Ukraine engages N. Korean troops; China’s wartime lessons; First Okinawa Marines move to Guam; And a bit more.

  • Ben Watson and Bradley Peniston
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The D Brief: Israel pounds Syrian military sites; Taiwan gets tanks; Will AI firms eat the Pentagon?; One dead on Fort Eisenhower; and just a bit more.

  • Ben Watson and Bradley Peniston
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The D Brief: Europe’s wartime crossroads; F-35’s training gap; Army’s to-do list; Space Force seeks boot camp; And a bit more.

  • Ben Watson
Threats

The D Brief: Russia races for gains; House passes NDAA; Taiwan talks to Trump team; USAF preps for transition; And a bit more.

  • Ben Watson and Bradley Peniston
Threats

The D Brief: Immigration hits record; Costs, consequences of deportation plan; Aviators’ battered brains; Army: too top-heavy?; And a bit more.

  • Ben Watson and Bradley Peniston
Threats

The D Brief: Israel strikes Syrian targets; Chinese warships surge near Taiwan; Trump Org’s new Saudi deal; Austin’s defense diplomacy; And a bit more.

  • Ben Watson and Bradley Peniston
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The D Brief: What’s next for Syria?; Defense-policy bill unveiled; New counter-UAV strategy; Some GOPers unsold on Hegseth; And a bit more.

  • Ben Watson and Bradley Peniston
Policy

Defense One Radio, Ep. 168: The decline of America’s commercial shipbuilding industry

We conclude our series of conversations about America's ailing shipbuilding sector.

  • Ben Watson