Space Force Focused on the Ground for Anti-Satellite Weapons
As it develops new weapons to attack satellites, the U.S. Space Force is focused more on ground-based efforts where the technology is more mature, the service’s top general said April 3.
Air Force Changes Rules for Pregnant Aircrew—Again
The Air Force is changing its policy for pregnant aircrew, generally reverting to rules set in 2019 that barred female aviators from flying during the first trimester—or from flying in aircraft with ejection seats at all—due to potential risks to the pilot and her unborn fetus.
Let’s Put the ‘Tech’ into Military Technology Policy
“Power projection is more than projecting military might—a nation’s economic power is the foundation of its capacity to project national power. And technological development is an important component of that power,” write former Chief Scientist of the Air Force Victoria Coleman and Prof. H.S. Philip Wong.
First Mission-Ready Skyraider II Arrives at Air Force Special Operations Command
Air Force Special Operations Command marked a new chapter on April 3 when the first Skyraider II fully modified for military use arrived at Hurlburt Field, Fla.
Radar Sweep
Israel Hits Syria with New Strikes and Ground Raid as Tensions Soar
The New York Times
Syria accused Israel on April 3 of trying to destabilize the country after intense airstrikes on military bases and a deadly raid in southern Syria, part of a deepening incursion that is sharply raising tensions in the region.
Pentagon Watchdog to Review Hegseth’s Use of Signal App to Convey Plans for Houthi Strike
The Associated Press
The Pentagon’s acting inspector general announced April 3 that he would review Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth’s use of the Signal messaging app to convey plans for a military strike against Houthi militants in Yemen. The review will also look at other defense officials’ use of the publicly available encrypted app, which is not able to handle classified material and is not part of the Defense Department’s secure communications network.
Japan Develops New Missiles Designed to Repel an Invasion
Defense News
Japan’s Mitsubishi Heavy Industries has clinched a deal to develop new long-range, precision-guided missiles in a 32 billion yen ($216 million) contract for the Japan Self-Defense Force. The Ministry of Defense indicated in a news release April 1 that the contract is part of plans to boost standoff missile capabilities as the Asian nation faces multiple regional threats.
White House Fires Several Members of Trump’s National Security Council
The Wall Street Journal
Several National Security Council staffers were fired this week, people familiar with the matter said, as right-wing conspiracy theorist Laura Loomer alleged to President Trump that some members of his administration weren’t aligned with his priorities.
A Non-American as Supreme Allied Commander of NATO? That’d Be ‘Problematic,’ Cavoli Says
Breaking Defense
It would be “problematic” for the U.S. to abandon its tradition of insisting an American serve as NATO’s commanding general, the officer currently in the position of Supreme Allied Commander (SACEUR) warned lawmakers April 3.
China Expands Counter-Space Capabilities, New Report Finds
SpaceNews
China is rapidly advancing a broad spectrum of counter-space capabilities as part of a sustained push to secure military power in orbit, according to a new report. The Secure World Foundation’s Global Counterspace Capabilities report 2025, released April 3, offers an updated and comprehensive analysis of various nations’ counterspace developments, focusing on technologies and strategies that could threaten space assets.
Defense Officials Considering Cuts to Military Treatment Facilities
Military Times
Defense Health Agency officials are examining military treatment facilities across the military medical system, facility by facility, to determine their fate—which could include closing some facilities or downgrading some hospitals to clinics.
What Will Quantum Computing Actually Look Like?
Defense One
The field of quantum computing, like qubits themselves, exists in a state of indeterminacy, with multiple companies making big claims about wildly different approaches. On April 3, DARPA—the Defense Advanced Projects Research Agency—launched its latest effort to sort practical approaches from chimeras, handing contracts to 15 companies that will attempt to benchmark their work.
Congress’ New Foreign Arms Sales Task Force Eyes Disruptive Reforms
DefenseScoop
The House Foreign Affairs Committee’s new Foreign Arms Sales Task Force hosted its first closed-door meeting on April 2, where lawmakers, aides, and industry officials from legacy vendors and startups discussed bureaucratic challenges that are hampering international partners’ speedy access to U.S.-made defense systems—including drones.
This Is Where Fighter Pilots Train for War
Sam Eckholm
Red Flag is the world’s most intense aerial combat exercise, pushing pilots, crews, and aircraft to their limits. With 3 nations, over 120 aircraft, and 2,000 warfighters, this is as close as it gets to real combat. Get ready to go behind the scenes for an exclusive look at how the best fighter pilots in the world prepare for war.