The Pentagon is investigating a suspected cyberattack behind freezer malfunctions that spoiled food at military bases across the United States in August, according to a U.S. official familiar with the matter.
This summer, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth asked a Republican lawmaker what he thought the odds were that Congress would pass the Trump administration’s record $1.5 trillion defense budget request. The chances, the lawmaker responded, were about the same as Hegseth getting confirmed again by the Senate.
At least 14 people were killed and more than a dozen wounded when a Russian drone slammed into a train platform in the Ukrainian city of Dnipro on the morning of Oct. 29.
Under the cover of darkness, American jet fighters loaded with air-to-air missiles catapult off the deck of the aircraft carrier USS George Washington and make their way toward the Strait of Hormuz to shoot down Iranian cruise missiles and drones aimed at commercial ships.
Vice President JD Vance is engaging one of Iran’s most powerful hard-liners to revive peace negotiations even as President Trump threatens to restart the war after next week’s midterm elections, U.S. officials and people familiar with the matter said.
A top general at the Pentagon was suddenly removed from his senior post earlier this week for allegedly leaking classified information, according to a senior Pentagon official. Lt. Gen. Brett Sylvia served in the Joint Staff as the Director for Strategy, Plans & Policy for 11 months, an important office that handles long-term strategic planning and that is known in military jargon as the J-5.
The Pentagon wants to select a location for a new military base by June of next year based on four key metrics, and is asking states to submit their broad plans by Dec. 1, the senior official in charge of the effort told Breaking Defense this week.
The Department of War is making its acquisition leaders accountable for mission outcomes. Secretary of War Pete Hegseth set the tone in November 2025, when he announced an overhaul of defense acquisition at the National War College. He said contracting officers would be judged on mission outcomes rather than regulatory compliance, and that evaluation criteria would center on mission effectiveness over meeting specifications.
The Army gave the nod to Lockheed Martin to further develop a new missile interceptor that’s expected to have better engagement range, altitude, velocity, and maneuverability than legacy systems, the service announced Oct. 29.
The Air Force wants to meet with defense contractors to talk about fighter engines and propulsion early next month in a meeting to be held near Wright-Patterson Air Force Base. “The primary purpose of this event is to conduct robust, two-way pre-solicitation market research, brief the government’s propulsion priorities and operational timelines, and solicit direct industry feedback,” said a recent notice on the government contract website SAM.gov.
North Korea launched a barrage of ballistic missiles toward its eastern waters Oct. 29, South Korea’s military said, days after the North threatened to resume front-line propaganda loudspeaker broadcasts and deploy new weapons along the rivals’ tense border.
The U.S. military’s history dates back a few hundred years, and some military installations are really old. Add in the fact that the U.S. military wasn’t always guaranteed to win wars (especially those on its home turf) and certain bases, ships, and buildings can be downright scary at times. It’s that element that gave rise to some of the best ghost stories and urban legends out there.
