December 21, 1944

Compromise Defense Appropriation Would Add Funds for Fighters, E-7

Jan. 20, 2026

In a new 2026 appropriations bill released Jan. 20, Congress included an extra $900 million to save the E-7 airborne early warning and control aircraft from cancelation, an additional $500 million for the F-47 Next-Generation Air Dominance fighter to address “emerging” needs, and $401 million to make up for “economic factors” in…

Congress Sets Guardrails for Pentagon Acquisition Reforms

Jan. 20, 2026

House and Senate lawmakers say they’re on board with the Pentagon’s latest plan to reform the way it buys new systems, but in a report accompanying the latest draft of fiscal 2026 defense spending bill, they urged more investment in the defense acquisition workforce and expressed skepticism about the Defense…

Gene Smith, Former POW and AFA Chair, Dies at 91

Jan. 19, 2026

Lt. Col. Richard “Gene” Smith, who overcame five and a half years as a prisoner of war in the notorious Hanoi Hilton from 1967 until 1973, died Jan. 16. He was one day short of his 91st birthday.

DOD Task Force Moves Closer to Launching a Counter-Drone Shopping Site

Jan. 18, 2026

The Pentagon’s Joint Interagency Task Force 401 took a step toward making an Amazon-like online marketplace for counter-drone tech a reality this week with its first acquisition under the Replicator 2 effort.

What to Watch as Pentagon Implements AI, Innovation Reforms

Jan. 17, 2026

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth last week released strategies meant to focus the Pentagon’s “alphabet soup” of innovation organizations and proliferate artificial intelligence—moves that experts say could provide the structure needed to make the military’s efforts to integrate and field new technology more effective.

CYBERCOM Nominee Cautions Against Creating Cyber Force, Splitting Off NSA

Jan. 16, 2026

The nominee to lead U.S. Cyber Command and the National Security Agency touted the value of the organizations’ dual-hat command structure and urged caution toward creating a dedicated cyber military service in written testimony to Congress released Jan. 15.

US, Japanese Defense Chiefs Vow to Strength Alliance; USFJ Changes Proceed

Jan. 15, 2026

Japanese Defense Minister Shinjiro Koizumi met U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth on Jan. 15 as the two nations look to further solidify their ties in the face of growing Chinese and North Korean threats.

What to Watch as Lawmakers Race to Pass 2026 Defense Budget by Jan. 30

Jan. 15, 2026

House and Senate lawmakers say they’re hopeful Congress will pass a defense appropriations bill in the coming weeks to avoid a repeat of last fall’s government shutdown, with only having a handful of working days remaining before the Jan. 30 deadline. Yet legislations still have to release a compromise version of defense spending legislation, which will have to…

Future SOUTHCOM Boss Sees Need for More Resources

Jan. 15, 2026

The Trump administration’s new National Security Strategy released in November made it clear that the Western Hemisphere is the new priority theater for the Pentagon. To put that into action, U.S. Southern Command needs to grow, the Marine Corps general nominated to lead SOUTHCOM told lawmakers.

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