The Weekly Break Out

Air Force braces for new era of AI-powered hacking, plus unpacking the Mecca pact

In this week's episode of The Break Out, networks reporter Mark Pomerleau explains a new US Air Force effort to develop a defensive cyber "campaign plan" to ward off thre

An Army leadership shakeup, plus lasers on the border

In this week's episode of The Break Out, Army reporter Carly Welch explores the highlights from recent laser-powered counter-drone experiments by the US Army, particularl

How a new Pentagon memo 'resets' industry requirements, plus highlights from TechNet

In this week's episode of The Break Out, a new Defense Department memo reorients data disclosure guidance for Pentagon contractors, but it also raises several key unanswe

Diving into Trump's unusual shipbuilding plans, plus an SMD expo floor tour

In this week's episode of The Break Out, Breaking Defense Deputy Editor Lee Ferran and Air Warfare Reporter Michael Marrow discuss a new, wide-ranging national security m

Farnborough last looks, plus how the Iran war is affecting arms sales

In this week's episode of The Break Out, Breaking Defense's Multimedia Director Daniel Woolfolk tours the grounds around the Farnborough Airshow. Then we turn to Breaking

AIA chief Eric Fanning on the budget and the health of America's defense industry

In this week's episode of The Break Out, Breaking Defense Editor-in-Chief Aaron Mehta brings you an interview from the Farnborough Airshow, located outside of London. A

Pentagon pursues space-based solar power

In this week's episode of The Break Out, Breaking Defense Editor-in-Chief Aaron Mehta and Senior Space Reporter Theresa Hitchens discuss the US military's renewed ambitio

How Trump wants to change American weapon sales abroad

Another week means another executive order — this time with President Donald Trump looking to change how the Foreign Military Sales process works. In the latest edition o

What to watch: Trump vs. Canada, Saudi F-35s, new naval tech

President Donald Trump has again come out swinging in a Truth Social post — this time against the Canadian aerospace industry in retaliation for the country's delayed cer

Trump targets defense giants in Davos as Qatari Air Force One nears takeoff

President Donald Trump used the World Economic Forum in Davos to escalate his pressure campaign on the US defense industry to speed up weapons production. Meanwhile, new

Who's who in Air Force acquisition, and new surface Navy tech

What's in a name? Here's who the Air Force has tapped to be program acquisition executives as the Pentagon rebrands its program executive officers. Then, The Weekly Break

Trump takes aim at major defense firms, demands faster production

It was a Truth Social post that shook the defense industry: President Donald Trump lashed out at big defense contractors over stock buybacks and CEO pay. Get caught up, a

Lessons learned from the US raid on Venezuela

The United States carried out what may become one of the most consequential military raids in modern history. In this episode of The Weekly Break Out, CSIS defense expert

New National Security Strategy drops as Congress floats $901B NDAA

This week on The Weekly Break Out, Aaron Mehta and Lee Ferran break down the Trump administration's new National Security Strategy, what it signals for Europe, Russia and

Navy cancels Constellation-Class Frigate + Reagan Forum Preview

The Navy's decision to cancel its Constellation-class frigate program has shifted from quiet speculation to front-page news. In this episode of The Weekly Break Out, Brea

What's new at the Dubai Airshow + touring the F-35

At the 2025 Dubai Airshow, Breaking Defense breaks down the biggest trends in combat aviation in the Middle East — from a surge in autonomous systems to global competitio

New plans for US Cyber Command and Army helicopter training - The Weekly Break Out

US Cyber Command (CYBERCOM) is rethinking its anticipated "2.0" overhaul — but the final plan looks different from what many expected. On this episode of The Weekly Break

Hegseth to unveil major acquisition reforms in address to defense CEOs - The Weekly Break Out

The defense industry is standing by with bated breath as Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth is set to give a high-profile speech about acquisition on Friday. While no one's s

Zombie planes and other Pentagon ghost stories - The Weekly Break Out

Something wicked this way comes to Breaking Defense... Our special Halloween episode of The Weekly Break Out brings you spooky tales of military technology programs that

US Coast Guard Calls Out Chinese Ships - The Weekly Break Out

This week on The Weekly Break Out, the US Coast Guard hopes publicly shaming Chinese ships for sailing too close to the US will avoid a future dispute. Then we look at th