The US Pentagon has not made a decision on a potential reorganization of US Africa Command, but a senior official warned that the continent's threats are increasing. The US military is trying to keep an eye on the threats, but has not found a way to fully replace lost capabilities.
President Trump has ordered the federal government to immediately cease using technology developed by Anthropic, an artificial intelligence firm, amid a dispute over internal guardrails on its model. The Pentagon had requested that Anthropic remove these guardrails, which are intended to prevent the use of AI for lethal autonomous operations or mass domestic surveillance.
The president recently announced his desire for a $1.5 trillion defense budget in fiscal year 2027, which would represent a substantial increase of $600 billion over current figures. Congress should work with the White House to develop and pass another budget reconciliation bill with defense spending in 2026.
The Pentagon's Zero Trust strategy is gaining momentum as the DoD works to meet its compliance goals by 2027. This initiative encompasses not only IT but also operational technology and weapon systems, Breaking Defense reports.
The US Space Force is working to rebuild its contracting workforce following significant civilian reductions and Pentagon reforms. This effort may be driven by the need for a more robust acquisition arm to support the Space Force's expansion plans, according to Breaking Defense reports.
The US Senate has reached an agreement to reauthorize the Small Business Innovation Research program, a key tool used by the Pentagon to fund small businesses developing new technologies. The bill, known as the 'Small Business Innovation and Economic Security Act,' includes reforms aimed at safeguarding technology from foreign influence and strengthening program integrity.
RTX has signed a plan with the Pentagon to ramp up production of five munitions, including Tomahawk cruise missiles and AMRAAMs. Under the framework agreements, RTX will increase annual production targets for these items, as well as accelerate production of other munitions.
The US Pentagon has withdrawn its support for the ROTOR Act, a bipartisan aviation safety bill aimed at preventing similar midair collisions. The legislation was passed unanimously by the Senate in December 2025 but faces uncertainty ahead of a scheduled House vote this week.
As the US and allied partners push to develop, produce, and field military technologies, they are leaning on lessons learned from Ukraine and other recent global conflicts. The challenge lies in how these technologies fit into existing military operations and how warfighters can trust them.
The Pentagon has released its new National Defense Strategy, placing a strong focus on homeland defense and security in the Western Hemisphere. The document, which was traditionally considered a foundational guide for the department, emphasizes the importance of defending America's interests throughout the region.
The Pentagon has chosen six officials to lead research into its top technology priorities, including Cameron Stanley as Chief Digital & AI Officer and AAI Senior Official. Gary Vora will oversee biomanufacturing, Robert Mantz Contested Logistics Technologies, Kevin Rudd Quantum & Battlefield Information Dominance (Q-BID), Christopher Vergien Scaled Directed Energy (SCADE), and James Weber Scaled Hypersonics (SHY).
The Pentagon released three policy memos from Secretary Pete Hegseth, aiming to overhaul and accelerate technology efforts. The reorganization includes a new AI strategy with seven high-priority projects, such as GenAI.
The US Pentagon is overhauling its acquisition, production and procurement processes to rebuild the industrial base. This comes after COVID revealed weaknesses in the supply chain and highlighted the need for greater capacity and resilience.
The Department of Defense has announced plans to make roughly 400 carefully picked patents available online for a free two-year trial period, as part of its efforts to boost innovation and collaboration with industry. The initiative is part of the Pentagon's top six Critical Technology Areas, and will be implemented using a longstanding public-private partnership called TechLink and an interagency database called iEdison.
The Pentagon has agreed to invest $1 billion into L3Harris's solid rocket motors business, with plans to spin off the division as a separate company later this year. The department will take a direct ownership stake in the business, which will be publicly traded.
The Pentagon has given Anthropic until Friday evening to decide whether it will loosen its company policy regarding the military's use of its Claude AI model, or be deemed a 'supply chain risk.' This decision comes amid a brewing conflict between the Pentagon and the tech company over the firm's policy against the potential for Claude to be used as a tool of mass surveillance or in autonomous lethal weapon systems. Breaking Defense reports that the public missive is the latest in a days-long dispute, with Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei reportedly meeting with Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth this week in an attempt to iron out the issues.
Congress has unveiled a $839 billion bipartisan defense spending package for fiscal 2026, Breaking Defense reports. The proposal includes funding for Army helicopter training programs and satellite upgrades, as well as other initiatives.
The Pentagon has expanded its counter-drone authorities beyond the 'fence line' of Department of Defense installations, giving service chiefs and base commanders more flexibility to address growing drone threats. The Army-led JIATF 401 announced additional guidance allowing for expanded range in taking down threats, deeming unauthorized surveillance a threat, and designating special protections for facilities.
The Pentagon has completed its initial review of defense contractors, but needs more time to assess before finalizing a list of noncompliant companies that could impact stock buybacks and investor dividends. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth was directed to work with each company to remediate issues and initiate actions through legal and regulatory channels.
The Pentagon is streamlining oversight in modeling, simulation, and training to accelerate capability delivery to warfighters. Undersecretary of Defense Michael Duffey announced at I/ITSEC 2025 that the department will reduce bureaucratic constraints, empower program managers with greater flexibility, and prioritize schedule adherence over rigid requirement fulfillment.
The US Department of Defense is transforming its Permanent Change of Station task force into a permanent agency, with the aim of improving military moves. The Personal Property Activity will oversee household goods and vehicle shipment services, requiring investments in new IT systems.
The Pentagon has created a new role for managing the Air Force's next-gen bomber, fighter, and ICBM programs, with Lt. Gen.
The Pentagon's top acquisition official, Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition and Sustainment Michael Duffey, recently announced plans to create several new Director for Major Weapons Program posts. The initiative aims to streamline the process and reduce bureaucracy, with program czars reporting directly to Deputy Defense Secretary Steven Feinberg.
The Senate Armed Services Committee heard from Marine Corps Lt. Gen.
The U.S. Navy faces a critical capability gap as aging aircraft carrier strike fighters near retirement without an approved successor.
The House has approved a $838.7 billion fiscal 2026 defense spending bill, paving the way for final passage through the Senate next week. The compromise bill includes $8.
Secretary Pete Hegseth's ambitious acquisition reform speech promised Pentagon modernization and innovation to compete with China. However, a comparison between the leaked draft memo and the final released version reveals significant watering-down of key proposals.
The Pentagon is accelerating work on the Golden Dome nationwide missile-defense architecture, with industry bracing for an initiative reminiscent of the Manhattan Project. Honeywell Aerospace has positioned itself as a strategic supplier across all four tiers of the emerging architecture, bringing decades of experience in guidance, navigation, and space-flight controls to support the primes now shaping the program.
The Pentagon's Golden Dome implementation plan is nearing final approval, with a potential briefing to members of Congress this week. The program aims to protect America's strategic advantages, but its secrecy has raised concerns among experts.
The Pentagon plans to launch an AI-powered database of patents by the end of the year, according to Breaking Defense reports. The database will include over 5,400 existing patents and new ones added annually.
Divergent Technologies and Mach Industries unveiled the first flight of their autonomous strike aircraft, Venom, in just 71 days. The prototype features a fully digital design and additive manufacturing process, reducing part count and eliminating traditional tooling.
Senate Democrats have raised concerns over the Pentagon's rare earth mineral equity deal with MP Materials, citing questions about the legal basis and financial terms of the arrangement. The deal, valued at $400 million, aims to shore up the US supply chain for rare earth magnets.
Booz Allen has long been a trusted advisor to the Pentagon, with a history of strengthening government processes and systems. The company is now shifting its focus toward rapid engineering capabilities, which it believes can help address the defense enterprise's time bottleneck.
BAE Systems has announced its Velhawk solution, designed to meet the Pentagon's Zero Trust Architecture (ZTA) mandate by fiscal year 2027. Cynthia Mendoza, chief engineer for IT/Cyber, BAE Systems, discussed the initiative with Breaking Defense.