Author Archive

Patrick Tucker

Science & Technology Editor

Patrick Tucker
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.

Threats

USAID shutoff will hurt US interests around the globe, including Ukraine

The end of USAID is a win for China and Russia.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Business

For Trump and Musk, reforming how the Pentagon works is possible—but not easy

Fixing Pentagon acquisition will take confronting Congress, officials say.

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.

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?

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.

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?

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.

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.

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.