Pentagon acquisition guru Ken Krieg has asked the Defense Science Board to form a task force to examine DOD’s energy strategy—everything from operational and strategic constraints inherent in aerial tanking to the high cost of delivering energy to the battlefield and the potential implications of disruptions to energy flow. The infrastructure required to transport and distribute energy to the battlefield is “extremely costly” and diverts resources from combat capabilities, Krieg cautioned. Among the DSB’s tasks, identify ways to reduce demand, identify the possibilities of DOD producing energy, and assess how a proposed new energy strategy would impact DOD’s global realignment.
Concerned about how artificial intelligence might be used to generate target lists or operational plans, lawmakers want to expand limits on autonomous weapons to address mission planning and target selection. The House Armed Services Committee's version of the 2027 National Defense Authorization bill would direct the Pentagon to revise Defense…