Counting and estimating civilian casualties is an important process in U.S. military operations and in international relations, as these estimates form an important aspect of military planning and can be the basis of major international outrage. Estimates between the U.S., other governments, and various NGOs often differ widely, leading to

The U.S. Army, Navy, and Air Force have signed a memorandum for the establishment of common standards across future weapon information systems. The purpose of such common standards is to improve battlefield coordination through streamlined information flow. “Victory in future conflict will in part be determined by our ability to

In spite of regular statements from the Trump administration regarding “victory” over ISIS, a draft report from the Pentagon indicates that without continued efforts, the terrorist organization could begin to expand its territory within 6-12 months. Coalition forces have retaken nearly 100% of the land previously occupied by ISIS, with

A “go slow” approach and an emphasis on accountability in tech acquisitions and beyond is well-intentioned and important, but it has the unintended consequence, according to some leaders in the private sector, of stifling innovation. According to this thinking, the pentagon’s continued desire to remain with past winners results not

The Pentagon’s Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency is working with universities and research collaborations around the country to combat deep fake technology. Deep fakes pose a unique and near-existential threat to countries like the U.S. where free media and fair elections are an important cornerstone of civic life. Deep fake

Through a “Guaranteeing AI Robustness against Deception” program, the Pentagon’s Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency is working to guard against malicious manipulation of A.I. systems. In its project solicitation, DARPA writes that “the growing sophistication and ubiquity of ML [Machine Learning] components in advanced systems dramatically…increases opportunities for new, potentially

The estimate for total U.S. spending on nuclear arsenal modernization and maintenance has been increased to $494 billion over the next 10 years, increasing 23% over the 2017 estimate. This rise will likely become a point of significant debate in the next year in the relevant congressional committees, and could

The U.S. military is funding research towards small, mobile nuclear power stations for forward operating bases. The military has been conducting research on small nuclear reactors since the 1950s, but funding has come and gone during periods of sequestration. Now, with the immense energy requirements and logistical difficulties in securing

The U.S. military has supported domestic missions with drones several times in the past decades, but 2018 marked a highpoint of military drone usage domestically, surpassing the past seven years combined and suggesting a continued support relationship in 2019 and beyond. Of the 2018 missions, four supported forrest firefighting efforts

“Military superiority is not a birthright granted to us,” the Pentagon’s freshly-released Missile Defense Review reads in the preface. “It is the product of diligence, creativity, and sustained investment.” Most recently, this creativity and sustained investment may mean installing space-based sensors to monitor and help destroy incoming missiles. The U.S.