Provision to protect DOD civilians’ union rights stripped from NDAA | The House dropped bipartisan language that would have nullified Trump's anti-union orders after the Senate balked at a fight.

Pentagon would have to explain future JAG firings under NDAA provision | The compromise version of the defense policy bill reflects lawmakers’ concern about Hegseth’s February purge of three judge advocates general.

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.

‘Make Europe Great Again’ and more from a longer version of the National Security Strategy | Read the exclusive story by @meghannmyers_

Sinking speedboats with a supercarrier: the lopsided cost of Operation Southern Spear https://t.co/8HUrWEaXab via @DefenseOne

America’s defense industrial base is stuck in the past. Current U.S. policy structures do not incentivize private sector investment in defense — which means while we check outdated compliance boxes, China, Russia, and Iran are building modernized combat capabilities. Read my

The "Awful Arithmetic" of Our Wars https://t.co/KkpofzVspw How AI visualized my @defenseone article on the problem for US defense today and tomorrow

Northrop Grumman spent the last 15 months redesigning and building a new robot wingman aircraft, dubbed Project Talon, after losing to competitors for the Air Force’s CCA program over high costs in its initial bid. Story to come…

NEW: Final report from the Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction says that between ‘02 to mid-‘21, nearly $145 billion was allocated by Congress for rebuilding efforts. More than the post-WWII Marshall Plan in inflation adjusted terms. More soon at @DefenseOne.

Counter-drone warfare at scale? Army demo shows it’s getting closer. Patrick Tucker has more about "Project Flytrap" in: https://t.co/hm5eu0Gwj2.

Can quantum sensing improve magnetic navigation? Patrick Tucker has more about @SandboxAQ's partnership with the @DIU_x : https://t.co/7yhp6XZuWV.

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. by @jhlad

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

How the Army’s most tech-forward divisions are practicing for war | A two-week exercise simulated island battles—and put some 75 new technologies to the test. by @jhlad reporting from Hawaii:

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

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.

TOMORROW: Register now to attend Defense One's acquisition summit in Washington, D.C. Speakers include Rep. Rob Wittman, AEI's Mackenzie Eaglen, and representatives from ScaleAI, OpenAI, Slingshot Aerospace, Shield AI, Anduril, HII, Oracle and more. More:

EXCLUSIVE: Draft list of attendees for Hegseth acquisition-reform speech shows wide industry interest | The guest list for the Pentagon’s new policy roll-out reveals the rapidly changing face of defense tech. by @deftechpat