“We’re expediting the process, but there are no shortcuts,” says SASC Ranking Member Jack Reed regarding Mark Esper’s SecDef confirmation hearing.

The Trump Administration argues the HASC’s cuts to the defense policy bill would hamper missile detection and defense priorities.

Musical chairs will ensue in the Navy’s top ranks following the surprise resignation of the CNO nominee. Who’s on deck?

The Department of Defense can make smarter and faster acquisition decisions if it uses people more thoughtfully. Instead of involving top-level leaders at every decision point in the acquisition process, senior leaders should determine the organization’s enterprise-level goals, then communicate them to empowered and capable leaders who can decide how best to meet those goals.… Keep reading →

Peter Levine, former top staffer at the Senate Armed Services Committee and now with the Institute for Defense Analyses, penned a piece for us critiquing the GAO’s annual report on major weapons systems. The GAO begs to differ with Levine’s conclusions and assertions. Below is their reply, penned by Shelby Oakley, director at GAO. Read… Keep reading →

Is the European Defence Fund a long-overdue move by US allies to take more responsibility for their own security? Or a bid to exclude US companies from European arms markets?

Despite Democratic chairman Adam Smith’s best efforts, the defense budget is likely to creep back up to the full $750 billion the administration asked for.

The House Armed Services Committee starts a marathon wrangle on the Pentagon budget, complete with dueling Dickens & Shakespeare quotes, with a detour to debate paint schemes for Air Force One and renaming a key intelligence position.

The top HASC Republican outlines some of the amendments he plans to add to the HASC 2020 defense policy bill, previewing coming debates with the Senate.

Katie Wheelbarger, the acting assistant Defense secretary for international security affairs, said Thursday that “Russia’s great power status still remains largely aspirational.”