Defense

Factbox: What happens in a U.S. government shutdown?

By Richard Cowan and Susan Cornwell and Amanda Becker and Richard Cowan and Susan Cornwell and Amanda Becker, Reuters

In shutdowns, nonessential government employees are furloughed, or placed on temporary unpaid leave. Workers deemed essential, including those dealing with public safety and national security, keep...
The Mysterious Threat to Pilots That the Pentagon Can’t Solve

By Ciro Scotti

Episodes of oxygen deprivation affecting the pilots of F/A-18 Hornet and Super Hornet — and other military aircraft including the F-35 — are on the rise and remain an unsolved mystery.
What Game Theory Tells Us About Trump’s ‘Madman’ Approach to North Korea

By Rob Garver

Is Donald Trump out of his mind? Maybe he wants North Korea to think so.
Does the Army’s $580 Million Handgun Have a Fatal Flaw?

By Ciro Scotti

Last January, the Army made a $580 million decision: It would replace its longstanding sidearm, the M9 Beretta, with a new modular handgun made by the U.S. arm of the German-controlled gunsmith Sig...
Why the Escalating Threats Between Trump and Kim Won’t End in War

By Patrick Smith

The supercharged threats volleyed between President Trump and Kim Jong Un this week bring us closer to war with the North Korea than at any time since Pyongyang tested its first nuclear device in...

Here’s the Real State of the $1 Trillion U.S. Nuclear Upgrade

By David Francis

The American nuclear arsenal is just about the same as it was when Trump took office.
Here’s Why North Korea Put Guam in Its Crosshairs

By David Francis

Hours after President Donald Trump threatened North Korea with fire and fury like the world has never known, Pyongyang announced it is "examining the operational plan" to attack Guam, a tiny U.S...
Why the Price of the F-35 Keeps Soaring

By Ciro Scotti

The most costly fighter ever built is getting even more expensive. A new General Accounting Office report says the Pentagon will spend an additional $3.9 billion over the next five years on “...
The Media Has to Stop Provoking Trump’s Worst Instincts

By Rob Garver

For a man constantly boasting about his extraordinary negotiating prowess, President Trump made a pretty obvious rookie mistake on Tuesday, with his apocalyptic-sounding promise to deliver “fire and...
Five Things You Need to Know About Plans to Privatize the Afghan War

By David Francis

The White House is actively considering a plan to turn a big chunk of the war in Afghanistan over to private contractors. That’s according to Erik Prince, founder of the Blackwater security firm, who...

Yet Another Costly F-35 Glitch That Won’t Be Fixed Any Time Soon

By Martin Matishak

The Defense Department’s multi-billion dollar F-35 Joint Strike Fighter effort has a new snag, and it’s one that could take anywhere from a year to 18 months to fix, according to the program’s chief.
As Russia Agrees to Flight Rules, Will the U.S. Use A-10 Tank Killers in Syria?

By Martin Matishak

The United States and Russia just struck a deal to establish safety protocols aimed at reducing the risk to their aircraft as they carry out separate air campaigns in Syria. But don’t expect the...
How the Liberal’s Win in Canada Could Hurt the F-35

By Martin Matishak

The sweeping victory by Justin Trudeau and the Liberal Party in Canada’s latest election could have major implications for the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter program and raising the specter of possible...
Putin Flexes His Muscles in the Pacific with the New Su-35 Fighter

By Martin Matishak

The Russian air force has deployed its most advanced fighter jet to partake in military exercises in the Pacific, marking another spot of the globe where Moscow is flexing its military might.
5 Things Obama Needs to Do in Afghanistan

By Michael Waltz, Defense One

The situation in Afghanistan remains precarious . The Taliban are contesting Kunduz and holding more rural ground than they have since 2001; ISIS is threatening Jalalabad in the east. The unity...

Search form