Thursday, December 4, 2025
Key Issues Stryker downsizing CAML Cape Cod GBR
Jason Sherman is a reporter for Inside Defense. For more than three decades -- including stints with Defense News and Armed Forces Journal -- he has covered the Pentagon, defense industry, the military budget, weapon system acquisition and defense policy formulation as well as reporting on technology, business, and global arms trade. Jason has traveled to more than 40 countries, studied medieval history at the State University of New York at Buffalo, and lives in Brooklyn.
The Army is reportedly weighing the most significant troop reduction in years, even as military commanders in Europe warn that Russia is reconstituting its land forces at a speed and scale which could challenge NATO deterrence before the alliance fully rebuilds its own.
The Army is prepared to commit as much as $4.2 billion over the next decade to modernize its tethered surveillance capabilities, awarding a multivendor contract to 10 firms to develop and deliver upgraded versions of its Persistent Surveillance Systems-Tethered (PSS-T).
A Louisiana lawmaker challenged the Air Force's plan to deploy next-generation F-15EX fighter jets to Japan, arguing the most advanced variant of the twin-engine aircraft should instead be stationed on U.S. soil -- specifically at the 159th Fighter Wing based at Naval Air Station Joint Reserve Base New Orleans.
The Pentagon is moving forward with a formal plan to define requirements for "Golden Dome for America," a Trump administration initiative to build a next-generation missile and air defense system to protect the U.S. homeland.
The Pentagon's marquee effort to build an interceptor capable of defeating hypersonic missiles during their glide phase is at risk of slipping further behind adversary threat advances unless Congress and defense leadership move quickly to inject new funding, a senior Missile Defense Agency official said this week. (UPDATED)
A senior Missile Defense Agency official today pushed back against recent criticism that the organization lacks the agility and structure to lead the Trump administration's ambitious "Golden Dome" missile defense initiative, casting MDA as uniquely equipped to integrate and deliver a homeland shield against modern missile threats.
The Pentagon’s No. 2 space officer says advances in technology may have made space-based, boost-phase missile interception technically feasible, a shift from decades of skepticism -- though he cautioned that the real hurdle may lie in cost and organizational complexity.
The Missile Defense Agency has unveiled a comprehensive new framework to streamline its acquisition of next-generation missile defense technologies, consolidating a broad range of contracting authorities under a single umbrella -- a move that comes as the Pentagon seeks assistance from non-traditional suppliers for its Golden Dome project.
The Pentagon is opening the door to a broader swath of U.S. industry to accelerate the development of a next-generation missile defense architecture -- an initiative that could dramatically reshape the nation’s approach to countering strategic missile threats from Russia, China and other adversaries.
The U.S. military executed a dry run for a planned missile defense upgrade to protect aircraft carriers from advanced threats -- including Chinese and Russian hypersonic weapons -- in a significant first-time event combining a medium-range launch vehicle with a hypersonic re-entry vehicle, according to the government.
As the Pentagon readies to present a proposal next week to President Trump for a new national missile defense system, two former top defense officials are warning against handing the job to the Missile Defense Agency, arguing the effort requires a fresh, integrated approach that transcends existing bureaucracies.
Top Pentagon weapons technology development officials from the first Trump administration are pouring cold water on renewed calls for a space-based, boost-phase intercept capability as part of the second Trump administration's Golden Dome missile defense vision.
The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency has launched an initiative to harden artificial intelligence systems eyed for use in combat by developing red-teaming frameworks to identify and counter vulnerabilities to secure AI-driven warfare as emerging threats highlight the risks of deploying autonomous systems in combat.
The Army estimates the Lower Tier Air and Missile Defense Sensor program, designed to replace the aging Patriot radar, is on track to become one of the service's largest air defense modernization efforts with a total estimated cost of $13 billion, a sum not previously reported.
The Defense Department's inspector general has identified significant gaps in oversight for some weapon system acquisition programs, warning these shortfalls could lead to cost overruns and delays beyond the purview of Congress and Pentagon leaders with oversight responsibilities.
The Missile Defense Agency is revising its acquisition strategy for the Standard Missile-3 program, replacing a planned seven-year, sole-source procurement deal with a new approach that introduces competitive elements and shifts program priorities.
The State Department has approved a potential $200 million foreign military sale to Japan for support services related to the country's Hyper Velocity Gliding Projectile (HVGP) program, a move that strengthens U.S.-Japan defense ties as Tokyo pushes forward with its next-generation, precision-strike capability.
The U.S. military is taking a key step forward in its pursuit of affordable, high-tech weaponry by advancing a new class of precision-guided munitions that can operate collaboratively in real-time, leveraging advanced autonomy and artificial intelligence.
The Pentagon's Golden Dome for America missile defense initiative is encountering sharp criticism from former military officials and defense experts who argue the project is at risk of repeating past mistakes.
The Missile Defense Agency is planning significant upgrades to the Long-Range Discrimination Radar system with a focus on enhanced electronic protection and improved homeland missile defense capabilities in the early 2030s.