Defense Budget

How drone warfare fares in the 2026 budget

The president’s proposal leans heavily on one-time reconciliation dollars.

  • Lauren C. Williams

The D Brief: Will Israel attack Iran?; CJCS sees no “invasion”; Budget testimony; AUKUS under review; And a bit more.

  • Ben Watson and Bradley Peniston

Lawmakers rip into defense secretary over flat Pentagon budget

The Pentagon is counting on one-time funds from a reconciliation bill to fund investments in shipbuilding and missile defense.

  • Meghann Myers

USAF slashes F-35 buy, boosts next-gen fighter in unconventional 2026 budget proposal

The Pentagon’s spending request includes not just the usual appropriations, but also the still-under-debate reconciliation bill.

  • Audrey Decker

The D Brief: ARRW is back; Amphib budgets; Putin’s AI plan; Europe’s aid to Ukraine; And a bit more.

  • Ben Watson and Bradley Peniston

The D Brief: Hegseth’s no-show; Ukraine’s lesson to the world; Space Force budget cut?; Border-mission mystery; And a bit more.

  • Ben Watson and Bradley Peniston

Despite Golden Dome, Space Force budget would shrink again under 2026 spending plan

The White House appears to be pinning its hopes on the one-time reconciliation bill.

  • Audrey Decker

The D Brief: DOD civilians, on the move; Ukraine-strike details; Trump’s nuke offer to Iran; Syria’s jihadis, in uniform?; And a bit more.

  • Ben Watson and Bradley Peniston

Today’s D Brief: Dramatic strikes hit Russian airbases; WH’s 2026 budget; Army’s drone training; INDOPACOM’s AI; And a bit more.

  • Bradley Peniston and Jennifer Hlad

The D Brief: Cuts to DOT&E; Uncrewed F-35?; Qatari jet’s a mess; Border gets barracks funding; And a bit more.

  • Ben Watson and Bradley Peniston

The D Brief: Why Yemen strikes ended; Gitmo flights, tallied; Spectrum battle; Turkey’s PKK disbands; And a bit more.

  • Ben Watson and Bradley Peniston

The D Brief: Budget ‘gimmicks’; Drones down fighter jets; China’s counter-drone efforts; Army’s network experiment; And a bit more.

  • Bradley Peniston and Ben Watson
Insights & Reports
Human or Not?
Presented By Human
Download Now
The DOD’s digital lifeline: Why observability is key to secure and efficient defense
Presented By Splunk
Download Now

‘Gimmicks’: GOP lawmakers slam Trump’s ‘trillion-dollar’ defense-spending proposal

White House claims of a 13% increase rest on unusual budgetary maneuvers, not a higher DOD topline.

  • Lauren C. Williams

The D Brief: Budget-proposal reveal; Yemen-strike stats; Army’s to-do list; Marines’ top goal; And a bit more.

  • Ben Watson

The D Brief: Jet falls off carrier; Yemen-bombing stats; Global defense-spending spike; Amazon’s first satellites; And a bit more.

  • Ben Watson and Bradley Peniston

State of the Air Force 2025

The unveiling of a new, sixth-gen fighter jet bodes well for more airpower investment, but readiness problems and funding questions persist.

  • Audrey Decker

State of the Army 2025

The entire service is trying to transform “in contact.”

  • Meghann Myers

State of the Navy 2025

Could a new, more productive era in shipbuilding be on the horizon?

  • Bradley Peniston
Featured eBooks
Future of Cybersecurity
Information Warfare
Future of Naval Warfare

State of the Marine Corps 2025

“Everything is in danger of slipping,” commandant says of Marine modernization.

  • Meghann Myers

The D Brief: Hegseth softens Panama talk; Trump’s budget flip-flop; Arms in space; EUCOM’s plea; And a bit more.

  • Bradley Peniston and Ben Watson

The D Brief: $1T defense budget?; Another female admiral fired; Industrial-base reports; Sea-Air-Space news; And a bit more.

  • Bradley Peniston, Ben Watson and Lauren C. Williams