Defense One

LONDON — Ukraine is making a hundred thousand times more drones now than when Russia invaded four years ago —and NATO must learn how, the alliance’s deputy military commander said Thursday. My latest @DefenseOne story from the Global Air & Space Chiefs’ Confrence below ⬇️

Doug Schiess’ hearing to be next CSO ends after 40 mins. @SenAngusKing says the low turnout represents “committee’s confidence in you.” @SenBlumenthal says being non-controversial isn’t a bad thing and adds “you’re competing with the Todd Blanche attorney general hearing. So.”

The Global Air and Space Chief’s Confrence starts today here in London. Here’s a quick look at the national security topics I’m following @DefenseOne. ⬇️

Does Space Force have enough lawyers for tomorrow’s wars? Senators want to know | As service extends its capabilities and reach, SASC orders up a look at its prospective legal needs. buff.ly/Tasl6ES

These light-weight power cells run on nuclear waste and could power next-gen drones | DARPA program aims to create a 30-year battery minimally viable prototype by early 2027. by @lalaurenista buff.ly/rWPxmnc

Iran War supplemental deepens FY27 budget uncertainty | Congress has a lot to sort out. buff.ly/gwesKot

NATO snubs Boeing, picks Saab to build alliance’s next radar plane | One analyst said the Pentagon’s waffling on the E-7 contributed to an “own goal.” by @tomnovelly buff.ly/oLw8Nn3

A clip from "How Ukraine is winning the first Great Robot War," A short documentary about how Ukraine defied expectations and changed the future direction of military technology—and of war itself. My latest for @DefenseOne

SCOOP: @GenAtomics_ASI is working to enable older MQ-9 ground stations to control the latest version of the drone, allowing longtime operators moving to newer models to buy the upgrade package instead of a whole new terminal. It comes as the Air Force eyes a Reaper replacement ⬇️

If Iran accepts new inspections, can the US even make them work? | Hidden centrifuges, “technical incompetence,” and other obstacles make nuclear inspectors’ job harder than ever. by @deftechpat buff.ly/0Tgj7Ew

AI is taking background checks from 'months to hours,' clearance agency says | 'We're trying to use AI...to make these little tiny decisions, and then bring that up to a human," says Defense Counterintelligence and Security Agency official. buff.ly/9FQq9ie

Marines in the Pacific used 3D printers and other tools to field-produce shaped charges with local materials: plastic water bottles, crushed volcanic rock, coconut husks, and coffee grounds. A @Navybook dispatch from the @DefenseOne #Techsummit26

NATO has 'changed a lot' in four years, transformation leader says | The alliance has pivoted on standards, experimentation, doctrine, and more, Maj. Gen. Dominique Luzeaux said. buff.ly/HM0DGDt

From today's Tech Summit: Shaped charges from coffee grounds? Pentagon science chief describes future of war buff.ly/xDtJ08i

How is @NATO evolving to meet the changing realities of conflict? During a recent discussion with @DefTechPat, NATO's Major General Dominique Luzeaux spoke about how the conflict in Ukraine is informing the organization's approach to procurement and standards development, starting with a focus on innovating faster than before, and faster than our adversaries.

We’re live from the Defense One Tech Summit! In our second summit for the day, Mark Nehmer, chief, analytics & innovation, research & innovation for the security enterprise (RISE) for the @DCSAgov; Todd Borkey, chief technology officer for @PeratonCorp; Kathryn Harris, head of defense at @scale_AI; Mohammed Husain, strategic delivery lead, cyber at @OpenAI and @Frank_Konkel, spoke about the importance of keeping a “human-in-the-loop” during the research, testing, development and evaluation phase.

Don’t Call it Golden Dome: Space, Missile Defense, and the Nuclear Threat. How are commercial satellite integrations shaping the future of strategic deterrence? Join us TODAY at the Defense One Tech Summit to learn about missile defense and space architectures. buff.ly/GUCutQR

Backers of the Battlefield: Who’s Funding Defense Innovation. Who are the key players driving the next generation of defense technology investment? Join us TODAY in Arlington at the Defense One Tech Summit to learn about venture capital and defense innovation. buff.ly/GUCutQR