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...

Terror Attacks Give Trump a Chance to Shift Campaign’s Focus

By Rob Garver

If Donald Trump’s Twitter feed is a bellwether of his campaign in general, and it’s as good an indicator as any, we’re about to see a shift in focus from the Republican presidential nominee toward...
The Failed Syria Ceasefire Pushes US-Russia Relations to the Brink

By Patrick Smith

Unless there’s a quick and drastic turn for the better in Syria, the US may reach its moment of truth with Russia. If Washington is simply unable or unwilling to work with Moscow to resolve the...
Drone Warfare: Should the Air Force Be Using Contractors as Pilots?

By Ciro Scotti

As the Air Force beefs up its drone warfare squadrons, it has opened the door for more enlisted personnel to be trained as pilots of the unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) used for surveillance and...
Air Force Grounds More Than a Dozen F-35s for a New Problem

By Rob Garver

On Tuesday, according to Bloomberg’s Anthony Capaccio, the Air Force informed Congress that it had been forced to ground 10 of the jets because of a problem with the lines that deliver coolant...
Will the US Unleash an Army of Killer Robots? Ask Clinton or Trump

By Ciro Scotti

Are Terminators with American flags on their sleeves bound for combat anytime soon? In an interview published today by Breaking Defense , Defense Secretary Ash Carter said that the U.S. would never...

Search form