Author Archive
Patrick Tucker
Science & Technology Editor

Patrick Tucker is science and technology editor for Defense One. He’s also the author of The Naked Future: What Happens in a World That Anticipates Your Every Move? (Current, 2014). Previously, Tucker was deputy editor for The Futurist for nine years. Tucker has written about emerging technology in Slate, The Sun, MIT Technology Review, Wilson Quarterly, The American Legion Magazine, BBC News Magazine, Utne Reader, and elsewhere.
Business
What Google’s return to defense AI means
More competition in a hot market—and the plain fact that only the Pentagon will set boundaries.
- Patrick Tucker
Threats
USAID shutoff will hurt US interests around the globe, including Ukraine
The end of USAID is a win for China and Russia.
- Patrick Tucker
Policy
Gabbard and Patel hearings display diverging views of reality, history along partisan lines
Senators focused mostly on the nominees’ past statements, rather than how they may lead in their prospective positions.
- Patrick Tucker
Science & Tech
Trump’s ‘Iron Dome for America’ plan would put weapons in space, at a big cost
It’s a Cold War concept for a mission whose threats and tools have long since changed.
- Patrick Tucker
Science & Tech
How DeepSeek changed the future of AI—and what that means for national security
China’s breakthrough is an opportunity for American companies to build more efficient tools. That will also help the U.S. military.
- Patrick Tucker
Business
To limit Chinese influence on commercial tech partners, Pentagon plans big changes
Working with startups promises big innovation gains—and big security risks—for the Defense Department.
- Patrick Tucker
Threats
The D Brief: SecDef Hegseth’s first day; Trump’s deportation spat with Colombia; Trump’s DOD vs. DEI; Ukraine’s front-line shakeup; China’s new AI ‘breakthrough’?; And a bit more.
- Ben Watson, Patrick Tucker and Bradley Peniston
Policy
NATO spending increase could help Ukraine, and possibly US armsmakers
Biden, Trump teams reportedly discussed an arrangement under which NATO's European members would buy U.S.-made arms for Ukraine.
- Patrick Tucker
Threats
Report: Crypto donations to right-wing extremist groups rising, especially in Europe
The good news: Use of digital currencies makes monitoring those groups easier.
- Patrick Tucker
Business
Industry launches $100B AI-infrastructure effort to keep ahead of China
Oracle, OpenAI focus on data centers as AI race begins to turn on computing power instead of math.
- Patrick Tucker
Policy
Border declaration, terrorist designations unlock new options—and new risks
President Trump declares a national emergency and vows to designate transnational gangs, drug cartels as terrorists.
- Patrick Tucker
Business
For Trump and Musk, reforming how the Pentagon works is possible—but not easy
Fixing Pentagon acquisition will take confronting Congress, officials say.
- Patrick Tucker
Exclusive
Business
Shield AI to train Ukrainians on jam-resistant drones
Deal aims to give a new dimension to the world’s “premier tactical drone operating military,” company president says in interview.
- Patrick Tucker
Science & Tech
Pentagon to test how generative AI would perform in fight with China
Can ChatGPT-like programs help the U.S. win a war in the Pacific?
- Patrick Tucker
Science & Tech
Insider-threat detectors fail too often. A new tool could help plug leaks
Building a live model of dataflows and workflows can help reveal where access controls are inefficient or broken.
- Patrick Tucker
Policy
New AI-export rule aims to ease sales to allies, limit leaks to others
But will the Biden administration’s last-minute regulation survive industry fury and the arrival of Trump?
- Patrick Tucker
Threats
The D Brief: Allies reel over annexation talk; Ukraine donors set production goals; Navy’s plans/funding mismatch; Iran’s painful admission; And a bit more.
- Ben Watson, Patrick Tucker and Bradley Peniston
Policy
Kyiv’s donors set production goals to regularize arms donations to Ukraine
Pledges are “interesting. But you gotta get real,” U.S. acquisition chief says.
- Patrick Tucker
Policy
Ukraine military-aid donors aim to set Kyiv up through 2027, Pentagon says
Thursday’s meeting of the Ukraine Defense Contact Group will be Austin’s last as SecDef.
- Patrick Tucker
Science & Tech
China’s escalating cyber attacks highlight Biden, Trump differences
The incoming administration aims to reduce government’s role in cybersecurity—but also to increase its offensive actions.
- Patrick Tucker