Science & Tech

Defense One Radio, Ep. 166: The Second Battle of Fallujah, 20 years later

A decorated Marine veteran and a videogame maker revisit the bloodiest battle of the Iraq War.

Air Force hedges on next-gen tanker plans

Plans for USAF future aircraft programs look too pricey, service secretary says.

Broader federal investment in quantum sensing needed to outpace China, industry report says

Fostering quantum development for a wide range of industries is the best way to answer national-security needs, they argue.

New rule aims to stop US investors from funding Chinese AI, quantum research

The new rule conscribes U.S. investment in technological areas of national-security interest.

Defense One Radio, Ep. 164: AUSA conference, in review

Defense One staff summarize the leading developments from this year's Association of the U.S. Army conference in Washington.

AUKUS experiment shows how allies with autonomy will speed up naval operations

Three nations are bringing new drone tech to Australia for an experiment that points to the future of naval warfare.

Immigrants show greater willingness to join the military, study shows

Propensity to serve appears tied to civic-mindedness rather than militarism, authors write.

Researchers sound alarm on dual-use AI for defense

That shiny Silicon Valley tool comes with big risks for civilians, according to a new report.

How two units are learning from each other as the Army moves to modernize

The units’ experiences are also driving interest in new capabilities, like automated object detection for drones.

Estonia considering missiles, drones that can strike inside Russia

The Ukraine war shows “you need to carry the effects deep into enemies,” the country’s defense acquisition chief said in an interview.

Army to expand tech-equipping effort—and cut some programs

Gen. Randy George also said the Army will cancel programs that don’t serve the service’s modernization goals.

US Army rushes to boost defenses as Russia ups strike-drone autonomy

From the Red Sea to the Pacific, the drone and counter-drone game is accelerating.

New AI-powered strike drone shows how quickly battlefield autonomy is evolving

First-person drone piloting is yesterday’s news. Drones are becoming smarter as the electronic environment around them makes operator communication more difficult.

Is ‘Big AI’ beating 'small AI'—and what does it mean for the military?

Efforts to build giant, power-hungry models may be squeezing out the kind of computing-at-the-edge projects the military actually needs.

Exclusive

Senators want answers from DOD on quantum sensing efforts

Bipartisan letter wonders whether China’s programs “outstrip the efforts of the United States.”