Todd South
Todd South served in the U.S. Marine Corps, deploying to Iraq during the Iraq War in 2003. He then attended the University of Georgia, where he earned his bachelor’s degree in journalism. He later worked at the Red & Black, the Anniston Star, the Chattanooga Times Free Press, The Record and Military Times. Todd earned his MFA in nonfiction writing from Goucher College and was named a Pulitzer Prize finalist in 2014 for local reporting.
Recent stories by Todd South
Does the Space Force Need Its Own Lawyers? Senate Seeks Answers
The Senate Armed Services Committee wants the Pentagon to study whether the unique legal issues arising from operations in space demand that the Space Force have its own lawyers.
LRASM Clears Integration Milestone for Use on the B-1B
The Air Force recently tested the Long-Range Anti-Ship Missile on the B-1B Lancer, clearing a key milestone for integrating the weapon on its bombers.
Guardians, Airmen Use AI in Experiment to Supercharge Battle Management
For the first time, members of the Space Force joined with the Air Force in using advanced artificial intelligence in a complex command-and-control experiment to speed up combat decision-making.
F-15EX Makes Another Visit to Kadena as Base Preps for Permanent Aircraft
An F-15EX fighter touched down at Kadena Air Base, Japan, this week—thought still not on a permanent basis. The Eagle II is on a “visit” to the crucial Pacific base on Okinawa, according to a July 1 release.
Amazon, Anduril Partner to Push AI and the Cloud to the Tactical Edge
One of the Pentagon’s largest cloud services providers is partnering with a rising defense juggernaut to provide high-capacity computing and AI for targeting and sensor fusion in a mobile data center built for austere conditions at the tactical edge.
New AI ‘Agent Network’ Could Gather Intel Faster for Strike Packages
A new Pentagon initiative could shrink the timelines for air and space commanders to gather and sort through the intelligence necessary to conduct operations.
Lockheed Accelerating Production of New Hypersonic Glide Body
Facing competition from fast-growing startups, Lockheed Martin is speeding up production of an “affordable, scalable” hypersonic glide body, dubbed the Next Generation Glide Body, the firm said in a June 24 release.
Boeing CCA to Fly with US Aircraft in Pacific Exercise
The U.S. Air Force is testing out a Collaborative Combat Aircraft in the Pacific this week as part of a large-scale exercise. But the CCA they’re flying is not one the two the service has committed to buying. Boeing’s MQ-28...
Chinese AI Agents Could Challenge Air and Space Operations, Planning
Current and near-term Chinese artificial intelligence capabilities could counter or replicate how the U.S. military plans and conducts operations, especially complex strike packages such as those seen recently in Iran, according to a new think tank report.
White House Taps 20 Air Force One-Stars for Promotion
President Donald Trump has nominated 20 Air Force brigadier generals for another star, according to a June 22 Pentagon announcement, including the heads of recruiting, ICBM acquisition, and a top training center.
New Report Looks at US Options for Potential Escalating Conflict in Space
With Space Force leaders making the case that the service must grow to meet the demand of new threats, a recent workshop with 50 experts studied how those threats could impact American civilian and military capabilities as they escalate in severity and how the U.S. ...
A Cyber Force With No Enlisted? Not So Fast, Some Experts Say
Calls for the creation of a dedicated cyber-focused military service are gaining traction among some cyber advocates and lawmakers. But a recent think tank report adds a twist to that push—calling for a so-called Cyber Force to have no enlisted personnel. It’s an idea some ...
Congress Wants Controls on How AI Is Used for Targeting and Planning
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 ...
Lawmakers Eye Four-Star Command for Unmanned, Autonomous Systems
The Pentagon could have the option to create a new combatant command devoted to unmanned and autonomous systems if a provision in the Senate Armed Services Committee’s annual defense policy bill becomes law. The legislation is one of several moves lawmakers have proposed in recent ...
Soldier Turned Guardian to Lead Space Force Component in Korea
For the next leader of its component in Korea, the Space Force is turning to a colonel who has decades of experience in the Army, historically the leading service for all things U.S. military on the peninsula.