Defense

Factbox: What happens in a U.S. government shutdown?

By Richard Cowan and Susan Cornwell and Amanda Becker and Richard Cowan and Susan Cornwell and Amanda Becker, Reuters

In shutdowns, nonessential government employees are furloughed, or placed on temporary unpaid leave. Workers deemed essential, including those dealing with public safety and national security, keep...
The Mysterious Threat to Pilots That the Pentagon Can’t Solve

By Ciro Scotti

Episodes of oxygen deprivation affecting the pilots of F/A-18 Hornet and Super Hornet — and other military aircraft including the F-35 — are on the rise and remain an unsolved mystery.
What Game Theory Tells Us About Trump’s ‘Madman’ Approach to North Korea

By Rob Garver

Is Donald Trump out of his mind? Maybe he wants North Korea to think so.
Does the Army’s $580 Million Handgun Have a Fatal Flaw?

By Ciro Scotti

Last January, the Army made a $580 million decision: It would replace its longstanding sidearm, the M9 Beretta, with a new modular handgun made by the U.S. arm of the German-controlled gunsmith Sig...
Why the Escalating Threats Between Trump and Kim Won’t End in War

By Patrick Smith

The supercharged threats volleyed between President Trump and Kim Jong Un this week bring us closer to war with the North Korea than at any time since Pyongyang tested its first nuclear device in...

Here’s the Real State of the $1 Trillion U.S. Nuclear Upgrade

By David Francis

The American nuclear arsenal is just about the same as it was when Trump took office.
Here’s Why North Korea Put Guam in Its Crosshairs

By David Francis

Hours after President Donald Trump threatened North Korea with fire and fury like the world has never known, Pyongyang announced it is "examining the operational plan" to attack Guam, a tiny U.S...
Why the Price of the F-35 Keeps Soaring

By Ciro Scotti

The most costly fighter ever built is getting even more expensive. A new General Accounting Office report says the Pentagon will spend an additional $3.9 billion over the next five years on “...
The Media Has to Stop Provoking Trump’s Worst Instincts

By Rob Garver

For a man constantly boasting about his extraordinary negotiating prowess, President Trump made a pretty obvious rookie mistake on Tuesday, with his apocalyptic-sounding promise to deliver “fire and...
Five Things You Need to Know About Plans to Privatize the Afghan War

By David Francis

The White House is actively considering a plan to turn a big chunk of the war in Afghanistan over to private contractors. That’s according to Erik Prince, founder of the Blackwater security firm, who...

Trump’s Nuke Talk Could Break the Budget or Much, Much Worse

By Eric Pianin

President-elect Donald Trump campaigned on a pledge to rebuild the U.S. military into an unparalleled global fighting machine, fueling prospects that the GOP-controlled Congress will go along with...
Why Trump Doesn’t Stand a Chance of Shutting Down the $400 Billion F-35 Project

By Eric Pianin

When the legendary five-star general Henry “Hap” Arnold founded the Air Force as an independent service following World War II, he built a strong constituency among members of Congress and the...
Trump Doubles Down on the Threat of a Nuclear Arms Race

By Rob Garver

President-elect Donald Trump on Friday appeared to signal that he is open to a new nuclear arms race, but his soon-to-be counterpart in Russia, President Vladimir Putin said that if one has begun, it...
The Navy’s $7 Billion Stealth Destroyer Could Be ‘an Unmitigated Disaster’

By Ciro Scotti

The USS Zumwalt, the stealth destroyer that was supposed to position America to reign over the high seas, is fast becoming a $7 billion bust, according to an extensive takedown in the conservative...
From Strip Clubs to Combat Ships, McCain Blasts $13 Billion in Pentagon Waste

By Eric Pianin

In the greater scheme of things, $13 billion of Pentagon waste is a drop in the bucket compared to the trillions of dollars in defense spending and contracting that has been wasted over the years...

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