All Security
USS Cowpens: Why China forced a confrontation at sea with US NavyThe USS Cowpens had to veer sharply to avoid colliding with a Chinese military vessel in international waters earlier this month, the US Navy has confirmed. In the USS Cowpens incident, what message was China sending?- Army successfully tests truck-mounted laser to stop mortars, dronesThe Army has spent the past month testing a 10-kilowatt laser weapon in the White Sands Missile Range in New Mexico. The laser beam can cause targets to be destroyed in low-level midair explosions, instead of exploding on the ground.
Budget deal seen as boon to Pentagon. So why wouldn't veterans be happy?Under the deal, the cost-of-living adjustment for working age military retirees would be inflation minus one percent, a big savings for the federal budget, but 'disastrous' for benefits, says veterans group.
Not your average drone: new technology the US military is developingThe military has been working on cutting-edge stealth technology so drones can evade radar systems in a way that current UAVs cannot. Another development: an all-electric, fuel cell-powered UAV launched from a submerged submarine.
Chemical weapons: How Pentagon plans to destroy Syria's stockpile at seaIf the US offer to help destroy Syria's chemical weapons is accepted, a ship being retrofitted with portable decontamination units in Virginia will be sent to do the job. 'Nothing will be dumped at sea,' a Pentagon official said.
US-China spy games in storm-hit Philippines? Pacific power play simmers.As the Pentagon forges ahead with its strategic shift toward Asia, the Philippines is likely to be important for US national security efforts in the region 鈥� particularly in light of China鈥檚 recent declaration of an 'air defense zone.'
Too pretty to fight? Army shakeup over frontline push for womenArmy officials got in trouble for suggesting that "average-looking women" be used in promotional photos, illustrating the social dynamics that continue to play a role as women assume combat jobs.
US military footprint on Philippines could grow after typhoon HaiyanThe aftermath of typhoon Haiyan is showing Filipinos the benefits of a robust US military presence. That could help a US-Philippines military accord currently under discussion.
Philippines: US military's ships, aircraft to aid in typhoon Haiyan reliefThe Pentagon orders an aircraft carrier group to the Philippines to help with search and rescue, deliver supplies of gasoline and water, and back a massive relief effort in the wake of typhoon Haiyan.
More Iraq, Afghanistan vets going from service member to member of CongressSixteen members of Congress have served in Iraq or Afghanistan 鈥� the largest contingent of former service members to come to Capitol Hill since the 1980s. More could be on the way.- Is Pentagon response to sexual assault broken? Clash over new bill.A bipartisan group of senators is proposing legislation mandating that instead of military commanders deciding whether a rape charge has merit and should move forward, an independent judiciary will.
With US set to exit Afghanistan, is legalizing the Taliban the way to end the war?A US combat role is slated to end in Afghanistan by late 2014, and negotiations go on over terms for keeping US troops there for training. But some analysts see a need to do a deal with the Taliban, sooner or later.
Syria meets first chemical weapons deadline, but much harder ones aheadSyria has destroyed its equipment for making chemical weapons, but now it must destroy its stockpile. Similar efforts in the US show that the process is long and complicated.- 'American Blackout': Is National Geographic's take on cyberattack accurate?The National Geographic Channel鈥檚 fictionalized account of a 10-day blackout following a major cyberattack聽draws on previous events and expert opinions to paint a rather bleak picture.
Air Force Academy honor oath: 'God' now optionalSome cadets at the US Air Force Academy have complained of unwanted religious聽proselytizing. Now, the academy has made 'so help me God' an optional phrase in the cadets' honor oath.
Pentagon's top three threats in the 'deep future' What sorts of threats will the US military face in the 'deep future'? Here is a list of the top three picks.
Robot jellyfish? Eel-like craft? Why US Navy wants undersea drones.Unmanned underwater vehicles could transform US military operations in the world's oceans, just as aerial drones have changed the way America conducts land wars. That's why the Navy is funding projects that sound as if they are pulled straight from science fiction.
Medal of Honor recipient: jobless and struggling with horrors of warCapt. William Swenson, an Afghanistan War vet awarded with the Medal of Honor Tuesday, has openly said he struggles with combat stress. President Obama lauded his courage on and off the battlefield.
New Pentagon rules ban tattoos on the neck and below elbows or kneesThe Pentagon's new regulations designating tattoo-free zones for body art come as the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan are winding down and recruitment pressures are easing.聽
How NATO is navigating Syria (and other issues for the evolving Alliance)On the sidelines of the UN General Assembly in New York, the NATO secretary general discusses Syria and how 'smart defense' will contribute to cash-strapped Alliance members鈥� security future.