Science & Tech

Air Force hedges on next-gen tanker plans

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

Ideas

National security deserves better than House Speaker’s 6-month CR plan

Bipartisan leaders should insist on—and meet—a tighter deadline for the fiscal 2025 spending bills.

Ideas

Defense One Radio, Ep. 162: Europe in a tight spot

Patrick Tucker unpacks findings from his recent trip to Prague for the 2024 Global Security Conference.

Threats

Is NGAD slipping off the table? Air Force chief declines to confirm plans to build next-gen fighter

“We're going to have to make those choices” in the next few years, Gen. Allvin says at an AFA event.

Policy

House defense bills on collision course over F-35, second sub

Appropriators would boost, not cut, jet purchases, and hew to the Navy’s submarine-building plan.

Policy

Biden threatens veto as GOP outlines proposed FY25 cuts

House Republicans propose cutting $700m from military construction, 12% of State and USAID funding, and more.

Policy

Defense One Radio, Ep. 154: Behind the rise in global defense spending, Part 3: The wider world

In the final episode in a three-part series, we revisit the guns-vs.-butter debate and take another look at the consequences of Washington's "porcupine" strategy for Taiwan's defense.

Science & Tech

B-2 that caught fire in 2022 won’t be fixed, Air Force confirms

That will leave just 19 of the stealth bombers, according to the service’s new force-structure plan.

Policy

Australia aims to double its naval fleet. Can its plan work?

Questions remain about financial commitment, manpower, schedule, and ability to avoid acquisition missteps.