Defense

Nothing’s ‘Irreversible,’ But the Pentagon’s New Bureaucracies Aim to Come Close

As budget hearing season gets underway, expect to hear a lot about "irreversible implementation" of changes toward great power competition.

Defense

Defense Policy Chief Ousted By White House

A Pentagon spokesman said he had “no information” that John Rood was fired for his role in Trump’s Ukraine scandal.

Defense

Senator Denies Threatening to Make Defense Secretary's Life 'Hell' If He Cuts AFRICOM Troops

"No, I never said that," Graham said in a brief phone call with Defense One. "It was a good conversation."

Defense

A Military Perspective on Climate Change Could Bridge the Gap between Believers and Doubters

U.S. military leaders have to plan for operations all over the world, so they can't afford to ignore climate change or debate its causes.

Defense

War on Autopilot? It Will Be Harder Than the Pentagon Thinks

Despite defense contractors’ glittering demonstrations, difficult realities are challenging the military’s race to network everything.

Defense

Pentagon Nominee Who Questioned Ukraine Aid Holdup Denies Report About Her Ouster

A story from the New York Post ignited speculation that Elaine McCusker’s nomination could be withdrawn. It’s not clear that’s the case. Navy Petty Officer 2nd Class James Lee

Defense

Pentagon 2021 Budget Would Trim Arsenal, Shift Funds To Arms Development

Some experts say the budget proposal assumes a worrying amount of near-term risk.

Defense

What Do You Call the Troops of the U.S. Space Force?

The Pentagon wants your input — and space cadets and spacemen are not under consideration.

Defense

One Step Closer to a Batsuit for Soldiers

Researchers announce new military funding in search for body armor skin that could be 300 percent stronger than anything we’ve seen before.

Management

The Iraq War Has Cost the U.S. Nearly $2 Trillion

The Pentagon has spent more than $800 billion on military operations in Iraq. But that doesn't include money needed to care for veterans, rebuild the country or pay interest on war debt.

Defense

The One War Zone Trump Doesn’t Want to Leave

The president’s resistance to withdrawing from Iraq boils down to three of his main enemies: ISIS, Iran, and Obama.

Defense

Now It's 64. Wounded Troop Tally from Iran Missile Strike Rises Again

Trump “understands the nature” of brain injuries, says Defense Secretary Esper after the president downplayed Americans’ wounds as not “serious.”

Defense

Kenya Base ‘Surprisingly’ Undefended During Attack, U.S. Officials Say

The Jan. 5. attack by al-Shabaab killed three Americans came as the Pentagon considers a further drawdown of its African presence.

Defense

A Preventable Disaster Killed Six Marines, and Congress Has Questions for Military Leaders

A ProPublica investigation showed senior military leaders were worried about how prepared American sailors and Marines were for combat.

Defense

A Call to Inaction on Defense Acquisition Law

The best thing Congress could do for a while is stop passing new legislation.

Defense

The Torturers Wanted to Stop, but the CIA Kept Going

An interrogator testified that even after prisoner Abu Zubaydah started cooperating, the waterboarding continued.

Defense

As Toll Mounts, Trump Downplays Injuries Suffered in Iranian Attack

The president's dismissive statements about the brain trauma suffered by U.S. troops at Al Assad may reflect a considered attempt to de-escalate – or not.

Defense

A Navy Scandal Sheds Light on the Nature of Bribery and the Limits of Free Speech

A massive scandal implicating senior US Navy officers highlights what bribery is and how it happens. A law and ethics scholar at the U.S. Naval Academy can't say much more than that, though.

Defense

Trump Says U.S. Is Ready for War. Not All His Troops Are So Sure.

A series of accidents calls the military’s preparedness into question.