Just like old times.
Air Force Sec. Troy Meink made the surprising admission that seemed targeted to rattle adversaries during his keynote remarks at the annual Air and Space Forces Association's Air, Space & Cyber Conference at National Harbor, Maryland on Monday.
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Retired U.S. Air Force Lt. Gen. David Deptula on Tuesday said the revelation that the U.S. has deployed weapons into space is in response to a space "arms race" that has "already been underway." Read more from the Hill. China urged the United States to halt its military buildup in outer space after Washington acknowledged it has weapons deployed in orbit, according to Defense News. Also from AFA this week, get the highlights from Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Dan Caine's remarks from Breaking Defense.
Top Headlines
The intelligence report, circulated across the US military this spring in the midst of the war with Iran, immediately set off alarm bells: A Chinese ship in the Middle East was transporting components of a nuclear weapons program.
The figures underscore the significant strain the conflict has placed on both Pentagon finances and air-defense readiness, with interceptor depletion raising particular concern among defense planners given the time and industrial capacity required to replenish those systems.
House Republican leaders canceled scheduled votes and adjourned early ahead of a potential impeachment vote targeting Sec. Hegseth, with members not returning to Washington until after the midterms.
President Trump said the U.S. is closing in on plans for a new Army base in Poland, signaling that NATO's eastern flank could get a more permanent American foothold even as the Pentagon reportedly considers withdrawing tens of thousands of troops in Europe.
Defense industry investment in design, engineering, and manufacturing is being shaped by demand signals from Air Force and Space Force leadership, as the industrial base adjusts to meet evolving service requirements across key capability areas.
The unusual operation, carried out on Aug. 21 and Aug. 24 aboard two foreign-flagged ships, comes as U.S. authorities grapple with a series of cyber incidents that media reports have linked to Iran since the outbreak of conflict between Washington and Tehran.
The Pentagon intends to replace its government-unique accounting standards with Generally Accepted Accounting Principles, a significant policy shift that experts say will require a lengthy implementation process before taking effect in contracts.
The security protocol could offer a solution when a state faces a significant security threat that is not clearly armed aggression, including cyberattacks, the severing of undersea cables, or the protection of critical infrastructure.
Pentagon military leaders are pressing ahead with artificial intelligence development, arguing that the risk of falling behind adversaries—particularly China—outweighs the potential dangers posed by the technology itself, even as critics warn of safety and ethical concerns.
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Leaders in AI made waves last week with public statements about concerns for the future of humanity as the pace of development continues to increase. A bipartisan group of representatives sent a letter to House leadership urging swift action on AI guardrails legislation, warning that Congress must respond to early warning signs before major AI-related disasters occur. Read more from FedScoop. Meanwhile, China's AI leaders have been quiet recently, according to CNBC.
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FeatureD Opinions
The war in Iran has made obvious what years of contracting delays obscured: the U.S. needs production at scale, not just partnerships on paper, according to journalist Roderick Navarro.
Julie Lofreddo with Greystones Group says retaining personnel with security clearances is a strategic priority, as high turnover among cleared workers disrupts continuity on sensitive programs, drives up costs, and creates vulnerabilities across the defense and intelligence communities.
The Space Force faces pressure to rapidly develop the Space Data Network with analysts urging the Pentagon to structure acquisition processes that prevent vendor lock-in and encourage multiple commercial providers to participate.
In the weeds
The GAO has issued an overview of the Economy Act, which governs intra- and interagency procurement transactions across federal entities, clarifying that it does not authorize agencies to circumvent appropriations law restrictions, including the purpose statute, the bona fide needs rule, the Antideficiency Act, and the rule against augmentation.
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The contracting vehicle for a command-and-control architecture designed to link sensors, shooters, and decision-makers across domains is intended to streamline how the service brings in industry solutions at speed.
Chinese naval officers have expressed concern over the Marine Corps' reorganization toward small-unit expeditionary warfare, specifically the Stand-In Forces concept designed for operations in the Pacific island chains near China's coastline.
"That aircraft is smoking," Air Force Lt. Gen. Daniel Tulley said at the Air, Space and Cyber Conference this week. "There are holes in it, and it's a fully loaded KC-135. Two hundred thousand pounds of jet fuel. Took 48 hours for that [fuel] to be drained out of that aircraft."
U.S. Cyber Command welcomes Rear Adm. Ronzelle Green, who was most recently the director of geospatial intelligence innovation and research for the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency.
"Selling to the Department of War should be a line of business, not a corporate identity. Our nation's greatest strength is its private sector, and our defense industry must harness and mimic it," said Deputy Secretary of War Steve Feinberg.
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