Defense

Washington Resumes Talking About Nuclear War

As the North Korean crisis escalates, the unthinkable has suddenly become discussable.

Nextgov

Kaspersky Says It Intercepted NSA Hacking Tools but Didn't Hand Them Over to Russia

The Russian anti-virus firm released preliminary results of an investigation into how and when it lifted NSA malware from a personal computer.

Defense

Air Force Chief Helps Young Airman Locate Family In Puerto Rico

After going a month without hearing from his hurricane-stricken family, Sr. Airman Malcom Soto-Gonzalez got a hand from an unexpected source.

Nextgov

Pentagon Extends Commercial Health Records Pilot to Fourth Site

The system will be tested at one of the largest military hospitals on the West Coast.

Defense

Trump Attacks a Grieving Widow’s Account

The president reescalated the ongoing debate over his condolences to Gold Star families by contradicting the widow of a fallen Special Forces sergeant.

Nextgov

Pentagon to Scrub Kaspersky From Defense Systems Following DHS Ban

The Defense Department is following a DHS directive to remove the Russian anti-virus from its systems but it’s not clear if the software was there in the first place.

Defense

U.S. Preparing to Put Nuclear Bombers Back on 24-Hour Alert

If the order comes, the B-52s will return to a ready-to-fly posture not seen since the Cold War.

Defense

Donald Trump Is Rush-Shipping Condolences to Military Families

Four families of fallen servicemembers received next-day UPS letters from President Trump after a turbulent week in which Trump falsely claimed he had called “virtually all” of the families.

Defense

This Technology Could Help Solve IED Detection — And Airport Security Too

New radio-wave sensors are designed to suss out hidden explosives —whether in car bombs or carry-on laptops.

Defense

Analysis: The Anguish of John Kelly

The White House chief of staff decried the desacralization of military deaths—but it was the president he serves who politicized condolence calls.

Nextgov

GAO Denies Northrop Grumman Protest in $1 Billion DHS Cybersecurity Contract Fight

Northrop Grumman has been wrangling with contract winner Raytheon over the DOMino contract since 2015.

Nextgov

Mattis Opposes Splitting Defense CIO Duties

The defense secretary’s letter also objects to a requirement that the Defense Department notify other nations before responding to cyber threats.

Defense

Slain Soldier's Mother: 'Trump Did Disrespect My Son'

Despite claiming he was better at consoling the families of slain servicemembers than his predecessors, Trump offended the family of La David Johnson and skipped calls and letters to other grieving loved ones.

Defense

How US Special Operators Helped Take Down Joseph Kony’s Army With Tailored Messages

For six years, an elite Army team waged psychological warfare against a murderous warlord. Here’s how they won.

Defense

Why Trump Accused Obama of Not Consoling Families of Fallen Soldiers

The president touched off a brief firestorm with the unfounded charge, but real answers about why four service members were killed in Niger remain elusive.

Defense

If War with Russia Breaks Out, Borders and Bureaucracy Could Slow the West’s Response

In a summer of multinational exercises in Europe, the first thing the U.S. Army learned was: ‘Borders are hard.’

Defense

Are Trump's Feuds With Tillerson and Corker a Prelude to War?

While it’s tempting to view the spats as just more palace intrigue, they reveal a president impatient with diplomacy and drawn toward military force.

Defense

The U.S. Air War in Afghanistan Is Nearing Surge-Era Intensity

The latest figures from Air Force Central Command show that more bombs are being dropped than have been in nearly seven years.