Business
Rust Is a $21-Billion Problem for the Pentagon
DoD is having trouble figuring out how to prevent damage from nature’s basic chemical reactions.
Policy
Trump's Space Force Faces an Uncertain Fate
Congressional lawmakers, including Republicans, were skeptical of the idea long before the midterms.
Threats
US-Backed Forces in Iraq, Syria May Face Challenges for Years
Latest report by three inspectors general details weakness in anti-ISIS effort.
Science & Tech
Pentagon Doesn’t Want Real Artificial Intelligence In War, Former Official Says
No one at the Defense Department wants weapons that make their own decisions, said former Deputy Secretary Bob Work.
Ideas
Here’s the Real Value in the U.S.-South Korean Alliance
As the U.S.-ROK Security Consultative Meeting convenes for a 50th time, it's worth reviewing the annual meeting's record of accomplishment.
Policy
Military Intelligence Spending Just Posted Biggest Spike in a Decade
With an 18 percent increase this year, the Pentagon’s $22 billion intelligence tab is rising faster than civilian spy agencies.
Ideas
Secretary Mattis, Defend This or Resign
If Defense Secretary Mattis believes the migrant caravan is not a threat requiring 5,000 active troops deploying to the border, he should say so and quit.
Threats
After Laser Attacks, Pentagon Spending $200M to Protect Pilots’ Eyeballs
The contracts came just months after the U.S. accused China of trying to blind military pilots in Africa and the Pacific.
Policy
What Mattis Said in the Middle East
The defense secretary said he pressed his Saudi counterpart on the murder of a U.S.-based journalist, but U.S.-Saudi relations appear little changed.
Ideas
The Pentagon’s Getting More Secretive — and It’s Hurting National Security
Trump’s DoD is rolling back the kind of basic transparency that prevents waste and fraud, enables Congressional oversight, and promotes public trust.
Policy
Will Trump Really Cut Defense Spending by 5%? It’s Way Too Early To Say
The Pentagon’s No. 2 confirms that the president’s surprise order will affect the military, but experts say there may ultimately be no decline at all.
Ideas
The US Needs a Cybersecurity Civilian Corps
Like the auxiliaries that arose during WWII, a new volunteer organization will help face today’s threats.
Policy
Pentagon Officials Debating How Fast to Launch Space Force, Deputy Says
White House panel announces formal recommendations, while Deputy Defense Secretary Patrick Shanahan confirms NRO will remain apart from Space Force.
Policy
US: Afghan Security Strategy Is ‘Working,’ Despite Insider Attacks
A Pentagon spokesman cites a two-thirds decrease in attacks since the war’s peak eight years ago.
Policy
Here’s The Pentagon’s Initial Plan For Creating a Space Force
Parts of the Air Force, Navy and Army would move into a sixth branch, but the NRO will likely remain independent.
Ideas
How the Joint Staff Calculated a Defense Program’s Return on Investment
As our office computed the utility of its wargaming grants and library, we learned some things that others in DoD may want to copy.
Policy
Mattis Asks Trump to OK US Space Command, Pick Leaders
The Pentagon has made a number of internal moves to create the 11th combatant command.
Science & Tech
The Pentagon Is Recruiting Tech Talent Like Colleges Recruit Athletes
The Defense Department is trying new methods of engagement to recruit young techies.
Policy
US Military Leaders Keep Quiet on Saudi Arabia Amid Khashoggi Outrage
The Pentagon has long accepted Saudi abuses as the price of friendship. The latest won’t change that.
Ideas