Next presidential jet will arrive a bit earlier than projected, Air Force says

New GAO, Navy reports warn of serious V-22 Osprey safety risks, with some fixes stretching into 2030s

There’s a divide within the Space Force. Congress is forcing the service to address it

‘Enemy from within’? NORTHCOM commander says he hasn’t seen it

Congress supports bare minimum on Navy’s F/A-XX, while fully backing Air Force’s F-47 | Appropriators and other lawmakers have pushed for the Navy’s next-gen fighter, but the latest NDAA offers only enough to keep the nascent program warm. buff.ly/f6h394a

‘Make Europe Great Again’ and more from a longer version of the National Security Strategy | buff.ly/277jSv0

Can partner nations help solve the Navy’s shipbuilding woes? | On a trip through the Pacific, the chief of naval operations sought ways to get more warships faster.

Most of the Air Force’s biggest programs will now be overseen by a 4-star under the deputy SecDef |

Military aircraft crashes skyrocketed from 2020 to 2024, new data shows | Possible causes include stagnating budgets and increased operations, experts said.

COMMENTARY by former Marine commandants Charles Krulak, Michael Hagee, and James Conway: More is needed to turn the Marine Corps' aspirations into reality

The pilot of an F-22 just controlled a drone wingman in flight

COMMENTARY by Marine Commandant Gen. Eric Smith: Our nation requires three ARG/MEUs

TODAY: Join us in Washington DC for the Defense One acquisition summit. Details and registration:

The pilot of an F-22 just controlled a drone wingman in flight | The General Atomics linkup is a first for the Air Force’s collaborative combat aircraft effort.

Experts see promise, risk in Pentagon’s draft acquisition reforms | A draft memo is circulating ahead of SecDef Hegseth’s Friday speech. buff.ly/utkSSyq

Memo lays out path to removing even more defense civilians from their jobs | The department, which has met its 8-percent overall reduction goal, is now going after “low performers.”

At NSA, a leadership vacuum and staff cuts threaten operations and morale | "That’s what happens when your boss disappears, and then some of your lead unicorns also disappear,” one person said.

COMMENTARY: What ‘House of Dynamite’ gets right and wrong about nuclear command and control | The Netflix film is good on process and tech, but has one major flaw.

Pentagon’s policy shop is ‘a pigpen-like’ mess: Sen. Cotton

The Air Force wants to put private AI data centers on its bases, raising security, land-use fears | The service will offer upwards of 3,000 acres across five U.S. bases to qualified developers.

New national security strategy could redefine homeland defense: experts | Recent budgets have prioritized innovation over deterrence, leaving a widening gap, according to a new report.

EXCLUSIVE: Hegseth fired the Air Force’s top lawyer. The JAG who took on the job is stepping away.

Defense Trade Press Statement on Media Restrictions at the Pentagon buff.ly/iwYFYjV

It took 45 days to rush drone defenses to CENTCOM. That’s no longer good enough: Army vice chief | Agile funding could have cut that down to a few days, Gen. Mingus says.

China is ‘pacing threat,’ Army Secretary says—while backing Trump’s homeland defense push | Driscoll’s comments follow Pentagon documents detailing shift away from Indo-Pacific.

Dismount before contact: Learning to fight with the infantry squad vehicle | How the Army is adapting to protect soldiers in its new open-air dune buggy.

Amid shutdown, the Army will do its best to talk transformation, counter-drones, and acquisition reform | AUSA's annual meeting is slated to feature a rare public discussion of Pentagon’s new homeland focus.

Homeland pivot isn't affecting troops in South Korea, so far: commander | Soldiers are “being fed,” “still training” amid government shutdown, 8th Army commander says.

Anduril debuts Eagle Eye, a modular, AI-powered soldier headset | One variant is being pitched for the Army’s Soldier Borne Mission Command program.

Sikorsky’s unmanned U-HAWK is a UH-60L minus the cockpit | As Army mulls retiring its Black Hawks, company touts variant that can carry more while freeing up aircrew.

EXCLUSIVE: Startup aims to reinvent battlefield medicine for the drone era | High-intensity conflict will require better connected, more defendable field hospitals for longer term care.

SecDef uses unprecedented meeting to unveil 10 personnel, due-process reviews | After summoning senior officers from around the world, Hegseth invites them to resign if they don’t agree with him. buff.ly/6KoejKy

Inside NATO’s response to Russia’s violation of Estonian airspace | Russia’s increasing violations of NATO met with new radars, missiles, “calm heads.” By Patrick Tucker, reporting from Estonia:

ANALYSIS: China’s new missiles on parade: showpieces or showstoppers? | The Sept. 3 parade was clearly meant to convey China's growing military strength and technological ambition.

When China plays orbital hide-and-seek, Maui’s telescopes give the US an edge | In an interview, Space Force’s Saltzman reveals what’s next for the key sensor site.

China, China, Chi—wait, what? Air Force mulls next steps amid homeland focus | Officials tout applicability of ongoing modernization, but experts and former officials have doubts.

EXCLUSIVE: More than 60K defense civilians have left under Hegseth—but officials are mum on the effects | Months into a hastily ordered overhaul, officials declined to disclose metrics, discuss problems.

Agencies should prep for mass layoffs if shutdown occurs, White House says | OMB is requesting updated reduction-in-force plans even if a shutdown is averted. buff.ly/eytcrZa

BREAKING: General Atomics’ collaborative combat aircraft notches first flight | Competitor Anduril says their version will fly “soon.”

The Army is equipping its Black Hawks to launch drones | But how long will the venerable rotorcraft keep its central role as the service transforms?

Pentagon reductions set back critical AI-data platform | After users flocked to Advana, DOD’s AI office laid out a plan to keep it growing. Then came DOGE.

ODNI to shrink further under new reorganization plan | Tulsi Gabbard said her office will cut more staff as part of a restructuring aimed in part at “ending the weaponization of intelligence.”

How the Marines’ attack drone team is defining UAV warfare | A competition to find the Corps’ best operators begins this fall.

COMMENTARY: What National Guardsmen in the nation’s capital need to hear | You have every right to expect a clear mission, an unambiguous chain of command, and appropriate training.

Navy to cut at least a third of its civilian public-affairs staff | The service is also centralizing all PAO hiring and contracting.

In surprise, USAF chief announces upcoming retirement | Gen. Allvin will leave about halfway through his expected term, but will stay on until a replacement is found.

COMMENTARY: AI is about to reshape command structures that haven’t changed much since Napoleon | I explored the possibilities with a team of researchers at CSIS' Futures Lab. Here's what we found.

Trump’s national defense strategy is focused on the homeland. So far, that has included troops in the streets. | by @meghannmyers_

COMMENTARY: How big will China’s nuclear arsenal get? | No one knows, but we can game out potential endpoints of Beijing’s buildup.

COMMENTARY: How the National Guard’s domestic missions build deterrence | The Guard’s citizen-soldiers and -airmen boost American resiliency, complicating any adversary’s calculations.