How have new alliances and rapid advancements in technology contributed to the largest array of security challenges since the cold war?

From the bloodstained battlefields of Lexington and Concord to the harrowing aftermath of 9/11, Americans have been relentlessly targeted by adversaries wielding extreme ideologies. They have been sprayed with automatic gunfire, shelled with deck guns from Japanese submarines, blown up with high explosives at sporting events, and more recently blasted with microwave energy beams. Thousands have lost their lives due to acts of terror prosecuted by both state and non-state actors in places like New York City, Oklahoma City, and at embassies … Continue reading →

The Currency of Power In the vast arena of dirty handed capitalism, there exists a game unlike any other, where the stakes are high, and the players are relentless. Welcome to the world of “other people’s money” – a realm where the pursuit of wealth transcends mere happiness and becomes a testament to the age-old adage of survival of the fittest. Here, individuals and entities engage in a perpetual contest, where the rules are ever-shifting, and the only … Continue reading →

In a rapidly evolving and ever accelerating world, where technology seems to advance at the speed of light, one field has seen remarkable progress – the development of targeting technologies and surveillance sensors using artificial intelligence and the release of numerous large language models and generative AI tools. New systems equipped with artificial intelligence are transforming the way military and law enforcement agencies operate, providing them with unprecedented capabilities for intelligence gathering, threat detection, and more. The Rise of … Continue reading →

Introduction  Foreign Military Sales (FMS) have undergone a remarkable evolution in recent years, driven by a complex interplay of geopolitical dynamics, technological advancements, and shifting alliances. As nation states seek to bolster their defense capabilities amidst a backdrop of global uncertainty, the FMS market has emerged as a critical avenue for the exchange of cutting-edge military technology and equipment, and ensuring the interoperability of allied forces. Over the past year, we have witnessed a huge surge in FMS … Continue reading →

How does cyber deception out-smart the spy-craft of malicious actors through misdirection?  Navigating the ever-changing terrain of cybersecurity requires organizations to embrace innovative defense strategies that transcend conventional approaches. Enter “Cyber Deception Ops” – an advanced trade craft that disrupts the status quo by actively misleading attackers through sophisticated countermeasures. In this exploration, we delve into the fundamentals, strategic implementation, technological enablers, and ethical dimensions of cyber deception. The journey culminates in a comprehensive understanding of how Cyber … Continue reading →

Introduction:  At the nexus of the business of government and private enterprises, a curious trend has emerged over the years—the Department of Defense’s penchant for partnering with eccentric billionaires to advance their strategic agendas. From the enigmatic Howard Hughes and the CIA’s Project Azorian to contemporary collaborations with figures like Elon Musk and Palmer Luckey, the intersection of wealth, innovation, and military might has woven a fascinating story and changed the course of history. Privateers and Visionaries during the American … Continue reading →

Introduction  In the ever-evolving landscape of modern warfare, the Department of Defense has embarked on a groundbreaking initiative that promises to reshape the face of conflict: Project Replicator. This ambitious undertaking, fueled by a substantial budget allocation, seeks to propel autonomous systems to the forefront of defense strategies in order to counter the military mass of peer adversaries like China & Russia. As we delve into the depths of Replicator, a critical lens on its financial foundations unveils … Continue reading →

Introduction:  At the nexus of strategy and simulation, the Pentagon is intensifying its commitment to harness the predictive power of advanced wargaming. Following our previous exploration of gaming skills as a secret weapon in military forces, we dive deeper into the world of virtual conflict scenarios and their potential to forecast the unpredictable landscape of future conflicts. The Rise of Wargaming Analysts:  The surge in job listings for wargaming analysts on platforms like USA Jobs signals a pivotal moment in … Continue reading →

In May 2022, the House Intelligence Committee held a public hearing on unidentified aerial phenomena (UAPs), also known as UFOs, for the first time in over 50 years. The hearing was the culmination of years of growing interest in UAPs due to flight safety and other impacts, both from the public and from the government.  In June 2022, the Senate Intelligence Committee also held a hearing on UAPs. This hearing was more focused on the Department of Defense’s … Continue reading →

In the ever-evolving landscape of artificial intelligence (AI), ensuring fairness, transparency, accountability, and robustness has become paramount. To achieve these goals, organizations are increasingly establishing in-house centers of excellence dedicated to trustworthy AI practices. These centers serve as hubs of knowledge and collaboration, where individuals from diverse backgrounds come together to champion ethical AI. In this article, we will outline ten crucial steps for creating an effective and impactful AI Center of Excellence within your organization. What’s the … Continue reading →

Introduction: All governments have the responsibility to procure goods and services to benefit the public they serve. However, when acquisitions fail, that same public pays the price. In this article we will examine several specific examples of failed acquisition strategies that ended up being costly for the government and delivered only schedule slip and cost overruns to the war fighter. These examples include flawed acquisitions by the US Airforce, the European Union, Saudi Arabia and others. The US … Continue reading →

In the rapidly evolving landscape of complex development projects and programs, a paradigm shift is underway. The systems procurement and development ecosystem is being transformed with new ways for systems to be conceived, designed, contracted, managed, staffed and supported. The result is nothing short of a revolution in how defense end-users are supported, from initial concepting to system fielding, with a focus on mission assurance through tailored acquisition strategies. This transformative approach is being championed through a partnership … Continue reading →

Quantum computing is poised to revolutionize military operations and national security in new and exciting ways. This cutting-edge technology has the ability to process vast amounts of data in a fraction of the time compared to classical computers, making it ideal for complex and resource-intensive tasks. In this article, we will illustrate nine (9) ways quantum technology will change national security in the near future. (1) On-Orbit Data Centers Quantum computers in low earth orbit (LEO) have the potential to … Continue reading →

Militainment is a term used to describe the phenomenon where the military and entertainment industries intersect, resulting in the portrayal of war and military life in a glamorous and heroic light. The purpose of this article is to explore the concept of militainment and its impact on public perception of war and the military. We will examine how Hollywood studios have partnered with the military to sanitize the reality of war, and what this means for our understanding of … Continue reading →

With an $816 billion annual budget, the Pentagon has been in a perpetual love affair with the art of the possible concerning national security priorities for a long time. This includes past efforts undertaken in cooperation with eccentric billionaires like Howard Hughes to steal a sunken soviet submarine [Project Azorian], conducting over-the-horizon drone strikes on high value targets like Iran’s Qassim Suleimani, commander of the Quds, and using stealth aircraft with precision guided munitions to destroy an adversary’s entire command and control … Continue reading →

War games have existed since ancient times, with earliest examples played by advanced civilizations including the Egyptians and the Assyrians. They have often been used for military training and strategy planning, helping to prepare soldiers for battle and allowing them to practice tactics in a safe environment conducive for theory testing and to develop optimal courses of action (COA) through experimentation. While war games have been present in some form or another since the dawn of civilization, their use in military contexts … Continue reading →

Resilient Kill Chains Through Cyber Mission Thread Analysis During my time with the Air Force Lifecycle Management Center, I provided systems engineering support to the Air Force Cyber Engineering Directorate at the Cyber Resiliency Office for Weapon Systems. (AFLCMC EN-EZ CROWS).  CROWS is an Air Force unit that was stood up in late 2016 in an effort to analyze the cyber vulnerabilities of fielded and future major weapons systems and report findings back to Congress. Established under the Assistant Secretary of the … Continue reading →

Eye In The Sky Modernization Programs Face Tough Questions From Congressional Committees During my time with Air Force Lifecycle Management Center, I provided systems engineering support to the 551st Wing and the airborne radar international programs division. With more than 3,500 Airmen, government civilians and support contractors and an acquisition execution of $19 billion, PEO Digital leads the wing which was originally comprised of three groups; the 551st focused on AWACS, the 751st focused on Joint Stars, and the 951st focused on Mission Planning. The … Continue reading →

During my time with the Air Force Life Cycle Management Center I provided engineering and acquisition support to the 653rd Electronic Systems Wing as a Mission Systems Engineer. With six squadrons and 720 personnel, the 653 ELSG acquires, delivers and sustains Air Force and Joint systems for airspace management, communications and intelligence, surveillance & reconnaissance, providing support to Air Force operations globally. The wing provides systems engineering and integration to deliver “net centric capabilities to warfighters for effects based combat … Continue reading →

Own The Night The December 1989 American invasion of Panama ushered in a new set of war fighting guidelines brought about by the prolific use of night operations systems and doctrine. About 26,000 U.S. soldiers, Marines, and airmen simultaneously seized some twenty objectives while overhead, more than 100 U.S. aircraft sortied in and out of a tight, twenty-mile-radius area of operations. The whole complex undertaking was staged in the dead of night without lights. Operation Just Cause flagged … Continue reading →

Afghan Mineral Wealth Undermines Regional Security It’s been said that at the end of the seventh day when God had finished creating the world, he placed all the leftover rocks in Afghanistan. According to the US Geological survey, the value of the minerals in those rocks is worth an estimated USD $908 Billion, a figure announced following a recent study. The presence of vast reserves of copper, cobalt, gold, iron, barite, lithium, sulfur, lead, silver and zinc spells much trouble … Continue reading →