Weekly Defense News.
Just like old times.
Weekly Defense News. Just like old times.
Edition #
46
Published
Oct. 10, 2026
Tiffany Emery/DVIDS
Trump says US will not resume military strikes on Iran before the Nov. 3 midterm elections

Speculation about a resumption of military activity in the region comes as Iran has ramped up attacks on tankers passing through the Strait of Hormuz in recent days.

Iran
AP
Read

Dig Deeper

The administration has discussed possibly resuming large-scale U.S. military operations in the coming weeks. Read more from CNBC. Also, the USS Abraham Lincoln completed its long deployment to the CENTCOM area of responsibility this week, docking in San Diego Thursday, according to the Hill.

Top Headlines

US spy chief tapped as White House AI czar

A new task force led by Jay Clayton, the director of national intelligence, will have 120 days to analyze and report on AI’s risks and opportunities, amid growing global calls for AI safety measures.

Policy
GovExec
Our Thoughts
Beau Downey
Editor

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Pentagon says Fort Hood shooter's December execution will be livestreamed

Former U.S. Army Maj. Nidal Hasan, convicted of killing 13 people and wounding 32 others in the 2009 Fort Hood mass shooting, is set to face execution Dec. 3.

Military
SOFX
Our Thoughts
Beau Downey
Editor

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HASC Dems weigh reviving Pentagon oversight subcommittee

Democrats eyeing control of Congress are considering resurrecting the subcommittee that was previously eliminated during President Trump's first term.

Oversight
Politico
Our Thoughts
Beau Downey
Editor

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Lithuania says it would pay the cost if US establishes military base

On Monday, U.S. President Donald Trump said he would consider Lithuania’s request for a permanent base: "They are friends of mine, they are great people, so we will certainly look at it."

Europe
Defense News
Our Thoughts
Beau Downey
Editor

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Pentagon picks 4 vendors for counter-drone directed energy pilot program

The selected vendors are AeroVironment, with its Palletized HEL system; Epirus, with its Leonidas HPM system; Kord, with its Firefly HEL system; and Boeing, with its Compact Laser Weapon System.

UAS
Breaking Defense
Our Thoughts
Beau Downey
Editor

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America wants to wean itself off Chinese technology. Will the pain pay off?

The intensifying rivalry between the US and China has deepened concerns about the national security risks that come with over-dependence on Chinese systems and supply chains, especially for defense suppliers.

Manufacturing
CNN
Our Thoughts
Beau Downey
Editor

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Iliana Lopez/DVIDS
US Air Force, Army eye industry access on test ranges

The commander of the Air Force Test Center said the Air Force has had discussions with leaders from Army Test and Evaluation Command to "understand where they have gone with their access to ranges … to open up opportunities for contractors."

Industry
Defense News
Our Thoughts
Beau Downey
Editor

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IG warns of contractors performing inherently governmental functions at DoD/DoW

The office is concerned the situation "expos[es] installations to unauthorized financial commitments, carrier disputes, and a high risk of fraud, waste and abuse."

Workforce
FEDweek
Our Thoughts
Beau Downey
Editor

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SBA awards over $7M create 9 new regional innovation clusters

The clusters will serve as regional hubs connecting entrepreneurs with resources and opportunities to help them access funding, pursue procurement opportunities, and strengthen domestic supply chains.

Innovation
SBA.gov
Our Thoughts
Beau Downey
Editor

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Madelyn Keech/DVIDS
Pentagon launches pilot program that will use AI to manage sensitive information

The memo framed the Pentagon's use of AI as a way to shed "dysfunction" caused by outdated classification and declassification procedures, which it describes as "endangering" to the department's mission.

AI
DefenseScoop

Dig Deeper

As the government employs more and more AI and autonomy, CEO of Xage Security Duncan Greatwood argues controls should anchor agencies' approaches to ensuring boundaries for what AI can do. Read more from FedScoop.

Our Thoughts
Beau Downey
Editor

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FeatureD Opinions

The last mile of Pentagon reform runs through the brigade

A soldier argues that Pentagon drone, acquisition, and AI reforms—including the 2025 procurement changes and 2026 AI Strategy—fail to reach the brigade level, where kill chains measured in seconds still depend on bureaucratic processes taking weeks or months.

Innovation
War on the Rocks
Our Thoughts
Beau Downey
Editor

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Has the Pentagon given up on AI polygraph analysis of trustworthiness?

Critics argue that Pentagon efforts to use AI analysis of speech patterns, vocal stress, and facial expressions for polygraph and trustworthiness assessments lack scientific backing and risk compounding errors in security screening processes.

Threats
C4ISRNET
Our Thoughts
Beau Downey
Editor

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Lithuania says it would pay the cost if US establishes military base

The newly established AUTOWARCOM faces the significant challenge of integrating autonomous systems across the military, but can draw on historical lessons from past joint commands and recent advances in unmanned systems to accelerate its mission.

Strategy
Defense One
Our Thoughts
Beau Downey
Editor

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In the weeds

CIOs often underestimated investment risks on IT dashboard, GAO says

The watchdog audited the process agency IT officials use to assess the risk of technology investments — though the IT dashboard where the information is posted is sunsetting.

Modernization
FedScoop
Our Thoughts
Beau Downey
Editor

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Continue Reading

As Air Force goes big on autonomy, are cargo drones next?

The Air Force is fielding 1,000 semi-autonomous fighter and ISR drones under its Collaborative Combat Aircraft and Massed Modular Aircraft programs, while approximately six firms are separately pitching autonomous cargo drones to address persistent logistics challenges for the service.

Autonomous Systems
Air & Space Forces Magazine
Our Thoughts
Beau Downey
Editor

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Five SBA mentor-protégé joint venture pitfalls that can cost you a contract

SBA mentor-protégé program joint ventures carry compliance risks that can jeopardize contract awards, including improper affiliation determinations, failure to meet performance of work requirements, and inadequate joint venture agreements that expose firms to size or eligibility protests.

Contracting
Federal News Network
Our Thoughts
Beau Downey
Editor

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Zachary Jacobson/DVIDS
Emerging tech has new Army leaders warning troops can't 'AI' their way to victory on the battlefield

Acting Army Chief Gen. Christopher LaNeve stressed that autonomous systems can enable destruction and disruption but cannot replace human judgment, leadership, and physical presence required to control terrain and consolidate gains.

Strategy
Fox News
Our Thoughts
Beau Downey
Editor

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Recent Taiwan simulation highlights US cyberdefense gaps against China, experts warn

Organizers of a cyber exercise say Washington needs to prepare for attacks that both disrupt civilian services and pressure Taipei without triggering outright military conflict.

China
Defense One
Our Thoughts
Beau Downey
Editor

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Bonnie Evangelista to lead drone buying on Pentagon's new DRPM-UxS team

Evangelista, a longtime federal contracting professional, previously co-founded the Defense Department's Tradewinds Marketplace for commercial AI and data products.

Acquisition
DefenseScoop
Our Thoughts
Beau Downey
Editor

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