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...

North Korea Warns the United States: Our Nukes Are Ready

By Martin Matishak

Weeks after narrowly averting a potential armed conflict with its neighbor to the south, North Korea is once again saber-rattling, this time claiming it has resumed work at a major nuclear site.
Obama’s Iran Deal Could Punish Democrats in 2016

By Liz Peek

Twice, now, Senate Democrats have blocked an honest up-or-down vote on the Iran deal. As with Obamacare, they have instead pushed through this unpopular agreement with zero Republican support. This...
Why Exactly Is Putin Sending Troops and Weapons Into Syria?

By Martin Matishak

Weeks after Russian President Vladimir Putin signaled he would redouble his efforts to end the bloody, years-long civil war in Syria, developments on the ground show Moscow may have pulled a double-...
A New Kind of Drone That Could Change Naval Warfare Forever

By Patrick Tucker, Defense One

Do a Google image search for “armed drone” and you’ll see General Atomics Reapers outfitted with Hellfire missiles, perhaps soaring over the sandy plains of Iraq, Syria, or somewhere in Africa. In...
The Battle Over the Iran Nuke Deal Could End Up in Court

By Eric Pianin

In a major victory for President Obama, Senate Democrats held fast on Thursday and blocked action on a Republican resolution designed to derail the U.S. –Iran nuclear non-proliferation agreement. By...

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