#defense policy

The U.S. House passed a bipartisan Ukraine Support Act authorizing $8 billion in military finance loans and extending assistance through 2027.

A House amendment would require the Air Force to sustain A-10 training, maintenance support, and operational know-how through the aircraft’s planned 2030 retirement date.

The head of U.S. special operations says battlefield AI needs a reality check, arguing that lethal force decisions must remain under human control even as the Pentagon pushes faster adoption.

A new Congressional Budget Office estimate places the cost of the Golden Dome missile defense program at about $1.2 trillion over two decades, far above the figure previously promoted by Donald Trump.

A paper by German defense experts and industry figures says Europe could close major military capability gaps and achieve a far higher degree of autonomy within years if spending is prioritized.

A senior NATO intelligence official says the alliance needs new policy, contract, and classification frameworks to move commercial and AI-processed intelligence quickly across all 32 member states.

A senior NATO intelligence official says the alliance has only a short window to agree on standards for AI-enhanced geospatial intelligence before national systems begin producing conflicting outputs for commanders.

The Defense Department has formally asked Congress to change its name to the Department of War, a move the Pentagon says would reinforce its core mission and one that could cost tens of millions of dollars to implement.

The Pentagon says Navy Secretary John Phelan is out effective immediately, with Undersecretary Hung Cao stepping in as acting secretary during a period of naval strain and broader senior leadership turnover.

New Pentagon budget documents would lift the U.S. Space Force to a proposed $71.2 billion in fiscal 2027, with much of the increase aimed at launches, procurement, and new military space systems.

Japan has loosened long-standing restrictions on weapons exports, allowing lethal defense equipment sales to 17 partner countries while still barring transfers to states in active conflicts except under exceptional terms

Canberra’s updated 2026 defense documents pair a major spending increase with an expanded concept of national defense, emphasizing long-range strike, autonomous systems, air defense, and civil preparedness.

A sponsored Breaking Defense piece argues that democratic institutions need auditable, standardized methods for cognitive operations that can keep pace with modern information conflict.

As U.S. commitment to European security comes under fresh scrutiny, Turkey is arguing that excluding Ankara from EU defense initiatives would weaken Europe more than a reduction in American forces.

Pål Jonson says northern Europe is entering an era of more serious regional defense planning, arguing that allies can no longer remain “addicted” to American military capabilities.

Italy refused a request for US military aircraft bound for the Middle East to stop at Sigonella, underscoring the legal and political constraints shaping allied support for the Iran war.

US Space Command says it is already operating a small office at Redstone Arsenal as it prepares a phased headquarters relocation that could move roughly 1,400 positions from Colorado Springs to Alabama.

Finland's government has proposed scrapping a Cold War-era ban on nuclear weapons to fully integrate into NATO's deterrence framework, marking a historic policy departure.

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth is set to meet with Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei as the Pentagon pushes to integrate AI systems into military operations. The meeting highlights growing tensions between AI safety advocates and defense officials who want fewer restrictions on deploying AI in warfare.