All Security
First LookNavy hits major milestone for women in submarinesEight years since the Navy first allowed women to serve in submarines, figures show retention rates for submariners across genders are about even. The numbers suggest that the Navy's effort toward better gender integration may be proving successful.
First LookUS reexamines cybersecurity after Russian hackRussian hackers attacked at least 87 people working on advanced US defense technology including drones and rockets, according to an Associated Press investigation. The hackers, identified by the moniker 'Fancy Bear,' largely targeted personal Gmail accounts.
First LookUS begins gradual drawdown of troops from IraqFollowing Baghdad's declaration of victory over ISIS last year, American troops have begun to filter out of Iraq. The move comes with the release of the Pentagon's National Defense Strategy that cited China and Russia as growing national security priorities.
With submarine program, N. Korea signals surge toward full nuclear deterrenceOne nuclear sub might not be that worrisome to the US and its allies. But by diversifying its nuclear program with surprising speed, North Korea may be moving toward a multi-prong effort to protect the existing regime.
First LookJudge rules to allow transgender people to enlist in the militaryThree federal courts have ruled against President Trump's demand to bar transgender people from the military. Enlistment starts on Jan. 1, 2018.
First LookUS Army teaches cultural competence for Assistance BrigadeAs the US military shifts its focus to supporting local security forces and their efforts to stabilize conflict zones, the Army has started weighing cultural readiness and empathy as valuable traits for the new Security Force Assistance Brigades.
ISIS post caliphate: who's left, and where they areThe rapid territorial losses in Iraq and Syria will likely drive the jihadists underground there, but ISIS 'provinces' and expatriates are scattered broadly, and the resilient organization remains a threat even without its caliphate.
What the US is really doing in NigerThe deaths of the four US troops have awoken Americans to military deployments in Africa. With ISIS ousted from its capital in Syria, Pentagon officials say, US counterterrorism efforts are likely to focus even more on Africa.
First Look'Buy American' expands to include US drone manufacturersPresident Trump is expected to relax regulations on US-built drones to help the industry compete on a global scale. While US drones are the gold standard for quality and technology, strict sales regulations have severely limited their markets.
US giving new consideration to selling arms to Ukraine. Is that wise?The sale of lethal defensive weapons to Ukraine, a perennial policy option that former President Obama long rejected, is enjoying growing support in the Trump administration. But fears of Russian escalation persist.
First LookSecretary Mattis looks to strengthen military partnership with IndiaIn an effort to eradicate terrorism and stabilize Afghanistan, the US and India are working out a deal to expand India's navy to shore up surveillance in the Indian Ocean, among other initiatives.
Do Russia's western war games deliver a threat, or just a message?The week-long war games in Russia and Belarus, dubbed 'Zapad' for 'West,' have nerves on edge in eastern NATO countries that are deeply distrustful of Russian aims. But Moscow knows it is being watched closely.
First LookTransgender troops can temporarily re-enlist in the militaryPentagon continues its debate over how broadly to enforce a ban on transgender troops' service ordered by President Trump.
First LookWhile UN imposes sanctions, Mattis sends his own message to North KoreaDefense Secretary Mattis's trip to Minot Air Force Base, while it reenforced the presence and strength of the US nuclear arsenal, was not intended to trigger a response from North Korea. But his visit still sent a clear message: An attack on the US is a mistake.
First LookPutin: US weapons could exacerbate conflict in UkraineRussian President Vladimir Putin warned US officials not to send defensive weapons to Ukraine, something US Defense Secretary Jim Mattis has openly considered.
Why ‘killer robots’ are becoming a real threat – and an ethics testDozens of CEOs from firms with a hand in artificial intelligence have issued a joint warning that autonomous weapons pose the risk of warfare that is cheaper, and can occur faster, than ever.
First LookNorth Korea's unprecedented missile test draws ire of Trump and AbePresident Trump has said that "all options are on the table" after a North Korean ballistic missile, designed to carry a nuclear payload, was fired over Japan and into the northern Pacific Ocean.
Military space race? Why some say now's the time for an upgraded treaty.As US policymakers call for developing space-based military assets, some observers say the absence of updated agreements between spacefaring nations could lead to further militarization of the realm.
Trouble in the Seventh Fleet: what may be behind Navy collisionsThe unusual spate of collisions, two of them fatal, has called into question the US Navy’s level of preparedness, analysts say, and point to potential problems with training, maintenance, or sailors’ workload.
First LookISIS trapped in Iraq-Syria military vise, Secretary Mattis saysUnited States Secretary of Defense Jim Mattis says ISIS militants, routed from a stronghold in Iraq, are now caught between the Syria-Iraq border where converging forces will be able to target them.
