Last September, President Trump issued an executive order declaring a national emergency “to deal with the threat of foreign interference in United States elections.” Executive Order 13848 authorized sanctions against foreign individuals and entities determined to have engaged in election interference. Six months later, no such individuals or entities have been identified. “No entities or individuals have been designated […]
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Active Duty Military Deaths, and More from CRS
“Since 2006 — five years after the start of major combat operations in Afghanistan and three years after the U.S.-led invasion of Iraq — a total of 16,652 active duty personnel and mobilized reservists have died while serving in the U.S. armed forces,” the Congressional Research Service said, based on data obtained from the Department […]
Read MoreDefense Contracting Fraud: A Persistent Problem
During the five year period from 2013-2017, there were 1,059 criminal cases of defense contracting fraud resulting in the conviction of 1,087 defendants, including 409 businesses, according to a newly released Department of Defense report to Congress. There were another 443 fraud-related civil cases resulting in judgments against 546 defendants. During that same period, the […]
Read MoreNuclear Waste Storage Sites, and More from CRS
Noteworthy new publications from the Congressional Research Service include the following. Nuclear Waste Storage Sites in the United States, CRS In Focus, May 3, 2019 Proposed Civilian Personnel System Supporting “Space Force”, CRS In Focus, May 7, 2019 Base Closure and Realignment (BRAC): Background and Issues for Congress, April 25, 2019 Congressional Access to the […]
Read MoreCosts of War Add Up
“Since September 11, 2001, the Department of Defense (DoD) has obligated $1,534.8 billion for war-related costs,” according to a new Pentagon quarterly report. See Cost of War Through December 31, 2018, FY 2019, 1st quarter. The DoD report summarizes and categorizes spending patterns over the past two decades by operation (Iraq, Syria, Afghanistan), by year, […]
Read MoreCongress Members Speak Up for JASONs
The Department of Defense decision not to renew the underlying contract for the independent JASON scientific advisory panel drew criticism from a bipartisan, bicameral group of congressmen and senators. “We believe that cancelling the JASON contract could damage our national security by depriving not only the Pentagon, but also other national security agencies, of sober […]
Read MoreDoD Network Operations Face a Contested Environment
All US military operations depend on the Department of Defense information network (DODIN). But the network is under increasing stress both internally and from external threats. “DODIN operations are arguably the most important and most complex type of operation the Army performs on a daily basis,” according to a new Army doctrinal publication. “The network is […]
Read MoreRising China Sells More Weapons
“In 2018, China’s arms sales increased, continuing a trend that enabled China to become the world’s fastest-growing arms supplier during the past 15 years,” according to the 2019 China Military Power report published by the Department of Defense. “From 2013 through 2017, China was the world’s fourth-largest arms supplier, completing more than $25 billion worth of arms […]
Read MoreUSAF Seeks “Resilient” Nuclear Command and Control
The US Air Force last week updated its guidance on the command and control of nuclear weapons to include protection against electromagnetic pulse and cyber attack, among other changes. See Air Force Nuclear Command, Control, and Communications (NC3), Air Force Instruction 13-550, April 16, 2019. “This is a complete revision to the previous version of this […]
Read MoreElectronic Warfare, and More from CRS
Noteworthy new publications from the Congressional Research Service include the following. Defense Primer: Electronic Warfare, CRS In Focus, updated April 12, 2019 U.S. Military Electronic Warfare Research and Development: Recent Funding Projections, CRS Insight, April 15, 2019 Assessing Commercial Disclosure Requirements under the First Amendment, April 23, 2019 The National Institutes of Health (NIH): Background and Congressional […]
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