Lee Ferran is the Managing Editor of Breaking Defense, responsible for editing coverage, organizing, scheduling and optimizing editorial operations, and developing our content platforms. Lee brings significant journalistic experience to the role, working at ABC News for over nine years as a national security reporter, investigative reporter and editor of their enterprise investigations unit. Over his career Lee has covered US military budgets and spending, cybersecurity vulnerabilities and controversial counter-terrorism programs. He's the recipient of two News Emmy Awards. Lee's an avid traveler, movie addict and amateur coder, with particular interest in media technology. A native of Georgia, Lee is a graduate of Wake Forest University.
The news came hours after a Pentagon official said an American delegation would attend a Chinese security conference, amid strained military-to-military relations between Washington and Beijing.
In an Oval Office address, the president said the money, reportedly over $100 billion, is “going to pay dividends for American security for generations.”
The Defense Intelligence Agency’s CIO says “comply-to-connect” protocols can mean “things just stop working,” pulling troublesome “shadow IT” into the light.
Though being “cagey” about details, Deputy Secretary of Defense Kath Hicks said the new Replicator program is meant to get “multiple thousands” of autonomous systems in the hands of servicemembers with two years.
The Red Skies exercise will focus on “mission planning and execution using orbital warfare modeling and simulation techniques” rather than actual live training — for now.
“I think one of the things we’ve seen with the Chinese in particular is that they are not eager to be viewed in the world as so joined at the hip with Russia in this war in Ukraine… ” said CIA Deputy Director David Cohen.
Beyond the fighters themselves, the potential deal includes a host of missiles, bombs, electronic warfare and radio capabilities, as well as “classified software” and software development.
![The sights of Modern Day Marine 2023 [PHOTOS]](https://sites.breakingmedia.com/uploads/sites/3/2023/06/IMG-4374-scaled-e1688145522546.jpg)
![The sights of Modern Day Marine 2023 [PHOTOS]](https://sites.breakingmedia.com/uploads/sites/3/2023/06/IMG-4374-scaled-e1688145522546-225x150.jpg)
