Latest U.S. Department of Defense News
Lawyer picked to prosecute Army sexual assault is fired over an old email doubting victims' claims
WASHINGTON (AP) — The lawyer selected to be the Army's first top prosecutor of sexual assaults under an overhaul of the military justice system has been fired because of an email he sent 10 years ago appearing to belittle victims’ assault allegations. Brig. Gen. Warren Wells was...
Senate approves hundreds of military promotions after Republican senator ends blockade of nominees
WASHINGTON (AP) — The Senate in a single stroke Tuesday approved about 425 military promotions after Sen. Tommy Tuberville of Alabama ended a monthslong blockade of nominations over his opposition to a Pentagon abortion policy. Tuberville had been under pressure from members of...
Defense head calls out those who advocate isolationism and 'an American retreat from responsibility'
SIMI VALLEY, Calif. (AP) — Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin on Saturday denounced those who advocate “an American retreat from responsibility” and said sustained U.S. leadership is needed to help keep the world as safe, free and prosperous as possible. He also urged Congress to end the partisan...
Somali maritime police intensify patrols as fears grow of resurgence of piracy in the Gulf of Aden
BOSASO, Puntland (AP) — Somalia’s maritime police force on Thursday intensified patrols in the Gulf of Aden following a failed pirate hijacking of a ship earlier this week. The commander of the maritime force in the semiautonomous region of Puntland, Abdullahi Mohamed Ahmed, told...
Assailants in latest ship attack near Yemen were likely Somali, not Houthi rebels, Pentagon says
WASHINGTON (AP) — The five armed assailants captured by U.S. forces after seizing a commercial ship near Yemen over the weekend were likely Somali and not Iranian-backed Houthi rebels, the Pentagon said Monday. Recent attacks on commercial vessels have been conducted by Houthis,...
Pentagon's AI initiatives accelerate hard decisions on lethal autonomous weapons.
NATIONAL HARBOR, Md. (AP) — Artificial intelligence employed by the U.S. military has piloted pint-sized surveillance drones in special operations forces’ missions and helped Ukraine in its war against Russia. It tracks soldiers’ fitness, predicts when Air Force planes need maintenance and...
Insider Q&A: Pentagon AI chief on network-centric warfare, generative AI challenges
The Pentagon's chief digital and artificial intelligence offer, Craig Martell, is alarmed by the potential for generative artificial intelligence systems like ChatGPT to deceive and sow disinformation. His talk on the technology at the DefCon hacker convention in August was a huge hit. But he's...
Biden and Xi agree to restore some military-to-military communications between the US and China
WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden and Chinese President Xi Jinping agreed Wednesday to restore some military-to-military communications between their armed forces as the two leaders met for hours on the sidelines of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit in San Francisco. ...
Fireworks workshop explosion leaves at least 4 dead in Mexico's central state of Puebla
MEXICO CITY (AP) — The explosion of a fireworks workshop near Mexico's Gulf coast left at least four men killed, authorities in the central state of Puebla said Wednesday. The blast occurred Tuesday in the township of Xiutetelco, Puebla, near the border with the neighboring state...
Senate panel takes a step toward ending Sen. Tuberville's blockade of military nominations
WASHINGTON (AP) — Senate Democrats pushed ahead Tuesday with a resolution that would allow for the quick confirmation of hundreds of military nominees, an attempt to maneuver around a blockade from Sen. Tommy Tuberville over a Pentagon abortion policy. Almost 400 military...
