Breaking Defense

SpaceX to launch next SDA missile tracking satellites

Space

DIU to fund ‘unjammable’ magnetic navigation tech

DIU expects to fund prototypes of multiple airborne platforms for magnetic navigation, including one that scans the ocean surface at 2,000 ft.

By Theresa Hitchens

Air Warfare

How the Air Force is revamping its acquisition shop with new ‘portfolios’

The fresh approach is meant to streamline weapons procurement and cut through bureaucracy, though details like exactly what authorities new Portfolio Acquisition Executives will have are being worked out.

By Michael Marrow and Theresa Hitchens

Air Warfare

While the US military grabbed Maduro, where was Venezuela’s air force?

Experts said operational surprise was certainly a factor, but so too were years-long issues with Caracas’s aircraft fleet and personnel.

By Wilder Alejandro Sanchez

Latest News

Opinion

The digital defense depot: Moving IP from digital to physical

The framework for video streaming could offer a solution to reconcile the right to repair debate between the Pentagon and independent contractors, writes John Ustica.

By John Ustica

Land Warfare

Bell's 505 helicopter is one of the aircraft selected by the Army to move forward in the Flight School Next competition (Photo courtesy of Bell Textron.)

Army advances Bell, M1, Lockheed to second phase of Flight School Next competition

A call for solutions notice in December said the Army plans to award a contract by September.

By Carley Welch

In this episode:

CSIS' Mark Cancian weighs in on lessons learned from Operation Absolute Resolve and what may lie ahead for US defense.

Congress

Reed: Congress ‘would have to’ codify Trump’s defense industry stock buyback mandates

The top SASC Democrat stopped short of supporting Trump's executive order, as a few defense firms said they're on board, at least publicly.

By Valerie Insinna

Air Warfare

US ‘unlikely’ to launch military takeover of Greenland: European analysts

"I foresee no fighting, nothing like we saw in Venezuela," analyst Rasmus Søndergaard told Breaking Defense, but if there is the US would certainly prevail.

By Tim Martin

Global, Opinion

China holds the GPS advantage over the US. Here’s why, and how to solve it.

US strategic planners must confront an uncomfortable truth, writes Sean Gorman in this op-ed: A core pillar of American military and civilian power is far more vulnerable than many assume.

By Sean Gorman

Air Warfare

Lockheed boasts record 191 F-35 deliveries in 2025

The delivery total greatly exceeds a previous record of 142, boosted by a backlog of undelivered jets that had to be held in storage.

By Michael Marrow

Air Warfare

Northrop, Kratos team picked for Marine Corps drone wingmen

Northrop Grumman will serve as the prime contractor and integrate mission systems on Kratos’s XQ-58 Valkyrie for the Marine Corps’s MUX TACAIR Collaborative Combat Aircraft program.

By Michael Marrow

Pentagon

‘BEWARE’: Trump order demands some defense firms halt paying dividends, buying back stock

The executive order says future contracts should be written so that the Pentagon can enforce the mandates, including a cap on executive pay, during periods of "underperformance."

By Valerie Insinna and Lee Ferran

Space

‘Overwatch’ from space, cyber ops foundational to Maduro mission

Gen. Dan Caine, Joint Chiefs of Staff chairman, on Jan. 3 gave a shout-out to the roles played by US Space Command and US Cyber Command in Operation Absolute Resolve.

By Theresa Hitchens and Carley Welch

Air Warfare

Mid-tier defense companies are playing a larger role in shoring up the industrial base, such as with SNC’s work on upgrading the AC-130 gunship. (Photo courtesy of SNC)

Overhauling acquisition, production and procurement processes to rebuild the industrial base

As warfare evolves, the US defense industrial base must adapt to provide opportunity for non-primes.

By Casey Laughman

Congress, Pentagon

How the Venezuela operation could affect Pentagon budgets

The latest episode of the Congressional Roundup explores how US defense spending could evolve in the wake of Maduro's ouster.

By Breaking Defense Video

Land Warfare

Senate confirms LaNeve to be next Army Vice Chief

LaNeve currently serves as an advisor to Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth.

By Carley Welch

Opinion

Golden Dome’s first goal? Protecting the 2026 World Cup.

The World Cup involves sixteen cities and three countries. Creating a network to protect them could became a basis of Golden Dome's architecture, writes Army officer Peter Mitchell in this op-ed.

By Maj. Peter Mitchell

Networks & Digital Warfare

Air Force says AI tools outperform human planners in ‘battle management’ experiment

In a complex multi-service, multi-domain scenario — not typically covered in Air Force training — the best of several AI tools generated tactical “courses of action” not only faster than military professionals but also with fewer errors.

By Sydney J. Freedberg Jr.

Featured:

SpaceX to launch next SDA missile tracking satellites

DIU to fund ‘unjammable’ magnetic navigation tech

How the Air Force is revamping its acquisition shop with new ‘portfolios’

While the US military grabbed Maduro, where was Venezuela’s air force?

Latest News

The digital defense depot: Moving IP from digital to physical

Army advances Bell, M1, Lockheed to second phase of Flight School Next competition

CSIS' Mark Cancian weighs in on lessons learned from Operation Absolute Resolve and what may lie ahead for US defense.

Reed: Congress ‘would have to’ codify Trump’s defense industry stock buyback mandates

US ‘unlikely’ to launch military takeover of Greenland: European analysts

China holds the GPS advantage over the US. Here’s why, and how to solve it.

Artificial Intelligence & Autonomy: A New Era in Defense

Air Force says AI tools outperform human planners in ‘battle management’ experiment

The AI aircraft debate rages, but both sides are wrong

Pentagon rolls out GenAI platform to all personnel, using Google’s Gemini

GDIT chief Gilliland bets her humans will master artificial intelligence

Chinese use of Claude AI for hacking will drive demand for AI cyber defense, say experts

To compete with China on military AI, US should set the standards

Air Force offers federal land for private-sector AI data centers

Lockheed boasts record 191 F-35 deliveries in 2025

Northrop, Kratos team picked for Marine Corps drone wingmen

‘BEWARE’: Trump order demands some defense firms halt paying dividends, buying back stock

‘Overwatch’ from space, cyber ops foundational to Maduro mission

Overhauling acquisition, production and procurement processes to rebuild the industrial base

Golden Dome: The Path Forward

Inside Honeywell’s business strategy for Golden Dome

Golden Dome faces challenges of size, scope and scale from every angle

Can space-based interceptors really work? What to know about Trump’s plan [VIDEO]

China and Russia won’t like Golden Dome. Here’s how they might respond. [VIDEO]

Golden Dome: Tackling the myths and rumors around America’s new missile shield [VIDEO]

How the Venezuela operation could affect Pentagon budgets

Senate confirms LaNeve to be next Army Vice Chief

Golden Dome’s first goal? Protecting the 2026 World Cup.

Air Force says AI tools outperform human planners in ‘battle management’ experiment