Sydney J. Freedberg Jr. has written for Breaking Defense since 2011 and served as deputy editor for the site's first decade, covering technology, strategy, and policy with a particular focus on the US Army. He’s now a contributing editor focused on cyber, robotics, AI, and other critical technologies and policies that will shape the future of warfare. Sydney began covering defense at National Journal magazine in 1997 and holds degrees from Harvard, Cambridge, and Georgetown.
With the Robotic Combat Vehicle Light set to enter service in 2028, young soldiers are providing vital feedback on prototypes, tactics and user-friendly interfaces.
“If you sweat, you die,” said Maj. Gen. Brian Eifler, commander of the Alaska-based 11th Airborne Division. “That’s the environment we’re talking about… the harshest environment on the planet.”
The two ATHENA aircraft are part of the Army’s long-term move from prop-driven intelligence, surveillance, & reconnaissance to higher-performance jets.
KARGO builds on Kaman’s Afghanistan experience with its KMAX cargo UAV while adding new Near Earth Autonomy software to adapt to changing battlefields.
New “quantum resistant” encryption standards won’t be finalized until next year, but officials and experts say agencies and industry should start hunting vulnerabilities hidden in their software and hardware, including embedded chips critical to US weapons.
“I’ve had up close and personal experience where [US] leaders responsible for certain areas of technology have given direction that [Australia] is to be brought in because we have something to offer,” said Tanya Monro, “and yet, it still gets strangled.”
Training artificial intelligence on military-specific doctrine and intelligence to come up with operational plans is an “active area of experimentation right now,” according to a Special Competitive Studies Project analyst.
“Our mindset has to be that we use the spectrum to kill faster, not to protect things,” said Col. Joshua Koslov. “The more things we kill, the less things that can hurt us.”
Within five to 10 years, clocks “a million times” more precise than GPS could improve accuracy, communications, and electronic warfare – without relying on an easily jammed satellite signal.
Intelligence analysts need to be especially cautious about artificial intelligence “hallucinations” or other false outputs, said the CIA’s Chief Technology Officer — but AI can also generate genuinely useful insights out of left field.
“The war in Ukraine has cast a very dark shadow,” ambassador-at-large Nate Fick said – but the “silver lining” is a new seriousness about public-private cooperation against global cyber threats.
Combat is too complicated and chaotic for existing AI to analyze, and DARPA is trying to figure out the best way to combine algorithms with human expertise.
Drone-guided artillery strikes have made Ukraine “the graveyard of command posts,” two Army generals have warned. But, Lt. Gen. Milford Beagle and Brig. Gen. Jason Slider told Breaking Defense, better tactics and affordable tech can save lives.
DoD uses FAR Part 12 acquisitions to save hundreds of millions of dollars in “of a type” systems like civil landing systems with applicability to military aircraft.
DoD uses FAR Part 12 acquisitions to save hundreds of millions of dollars in “of a type” systems like civil landing systems with applicability to military aircraft.
