Defense One

Welcome to this Tuesday edition of The D Brief, a newsletter dedicated to developments affecting the future of U.S. national security, brought to you by Ben Watson and Audrey Decker. 

An appeals court removed a stay on Wednesday, echoing a Supreme Court ruling one day earlier.

The Marine Corps is about to start experimenting with handheld counter-unmanned aerial systems to outfit deployed Marines, the deputy commandant for combat development and integration said Tuesday at the Navy League’s Sea-Air-Space conference. Read the story by Meghann Myers: https://lnkd.in/gWk__-27

Two weeks into the Navy’s top job, John Phelan is wrestling with eye-popping program costs and “unacceptable” shipbuilding delays. Read the story by Lauren C. Williams: https://lnkd.in/gsiFCHvc

Space Force leaders aim to increase their collaboration with allies, saying military-to-military relationships remain strong—despite White House policies that have deeply strained relations with U.S. security partners.   The service plans to unveil the "International Space Strategy” in the coming weeks, Chief of Space Operations Gen. Chance Saltzman announced Wednesday at Space Symposium, touting the document as a crucial step to build a multi-national space coalition. Read the story by Audrey Decker, reporting from Colorado Springs: https://lnkd.in/gBc2EnwM

UPDATE: The Trump administration can once again fire all probationary employees after a second court ruling in as many days found those challenging the dismissals did not have standing to sue. https://lnkd.in/gwrB67uB

JUST IN: The White House on Wednesday released three defense-related executive orders: One to overhaul Pentagon acquisition, one to reform arms exports, and one to “restore American maritime dominance.” Read the story: https://lnkd.in/geWrPwui

Welcome to this Monday edition of The D Brief, a newsletter dedicated to developments affecting the future of U.S. national security, brought to you by Bradley Peniston and Ben Watson. On this day in 1978, U.S. President Jimmy Carter cancelled development of a “neutron bomb” purportedly intended to slow or halt a Soviet invasion of Europe. 

A month into a Defense Department hiring freeze meant to shrink the civilian workforce, some employees who had been preparing to move into new positions are still living out of hotel rooms, with their personal belongings long since shipped overseas. Read the story by Meghann Myers: https://lnkd.in/gucknNpw #personnel #dod #federalemployees

COMMENTARY: Russia’s ongoing war in Ukraine and questions about the American commitment to NATO have cast a spotlight on European efforts to safeguard security on the continent. But today, the major hurdles confronting Europe are no longer defense spending and industrial capacity. At both the national and multinational levels, Europeans have clearly stepped up funding, while military industrial output has surged and looks likely to continue. Instead, the major challenge impeding European security independence today is the fragmentation of its defense industry. In fact, this is not a new problem, but overcoming it will require European leaders to boldly exploit the dual security crises posed by Russia’s war and U.S. waivering. Read on: https://lnkd.in/gaN8q59U