
Ideas
No TikTok deal at all is better than a bad one
And it’s high time to prepare for the next time an app threatens national security.
Policy
‘What a mess for me and many others’: DOD’s murky hiring freeze has civilians in limbo
Some employees are still living in hotels, their belongings shipped overseas.
Science & Tech
Defense One Radio, Ep. 177: Army chief Gen. Randy George
We conclude our interview series of military service chiefs with the general in charge of the Army.
Sponsor Content
Red Hat OpenShift Virtualization for DoD IT operations
Discover how the Department of Defense can modernize ITOps using Red Hat OpenShift Virtualization.

Science & Tech
What will quantum computing actually look like?
DARPA picks 15 companies to detail their approaches.
Threats
How China is expanding its anti-satellite arsenal
The Space Force chief doesn’t like the “curves” of how China is progressing vs the U.S.—and says he doesn’t have the funding to reverse it.
Exclusive
Science & Tech
Navy expands use of AI for target spotting, tracking
Two warships will test prototypes of Rebellion Defense’s IRIS system next year.
Sponsor Content
Saviynt ICAM for DDIL
The DOD aims to ensure access to mission-critical systems in DDIL environments through an Identity, Credentialing, and Access Management solution within a Zero Trust framework.

Business
A shipbuilder leans into lasers and emerging tech
HII CEO touts mission-systems business, downplays tariffs’ effects, and worries about the federal workforce.
Threats
Denmark's naval modernization plan reflects threats from Russia, US
Copenhagen aims to buy one vessel to protect undersea cables and six or more that might defend Greenland.
Voices
Insights & Reports
Ideas
We tried ‘fighting China’ with lower budgets. It didn’t go well.
Tabletop exercises hosted by the Center for Strategic and Budgetary Assessments offer one big lesson for the fiscal 2026 spending plan.
Policy
US-Europe divorce unlikely—absent a new crisis
The European Union wants more defense autonomy from the United States. But they still want a partnership with Washington.
Ideas
Add special operators to the Joint Simulation Environment
The X-Men have the right idea: training needs to include the whole team.
Threats
How NORAD could be hurt by US-Canada tensions
US commander says a Canadian exit would partially blind the Pentagon to enemy missiles—at least until new defenses could be built.
Policy
Administration, unions trade lawsuits over ‘national security' order to reduce feds' rights
U.S. agencies have asked a Trump-appointed judge to uphold a ban on unions for Defense civilians and two-thirds of the federal workforce.
Business
Signalgate spurs DOD interest in chat-archiving services
Federal law—and a judge's order—have officials with Defense, Justice, and Homeland Security reaching out to at least one company that specializes in encrypted-message retention.
Policy
SecDef gives DOD leaders less than two weeks to lay out cuts, changes
A Friday memo opens a new phase in Hegseth’s hurried effort to shrink the defense workforce.
Science & Tech
The Army wants simple, cheap unmanned tech—here are some options
A 3D-printed kamikaze drone with a jet engine and a self-powered laser for downing incoming threats.
Business