Thursday, October 8, 2026

Has the Pentagon given up on AI polygraph analysis of trustworthiness?

As of July, the Pentagon had been prepping artificial intelligence tools that analyze text, voices and faces to estimate trustworthiness, according to declassified presentation slides and prior Defense Department statements. Now, Pentagon officials say that some of that AI is not part of the current revamp of the polygraph interview process, after Defense News asked…

Saudis plan assault on Houthis to break Red Sea chokehold

Saudi Arabia is planning an offensive against Iran-backed Houthi militants in Yemen, with options being considered, including a coastal push to secure the Red Sea shipping route or an assault on multiple fronts, regional and Western officials told Reuters.The operation, expected to be launched in the coming weeks, will be led by Yemeni forces on…

French Air Force plans loyal wingman flight in 2028 in sovereign AI push

PARIS — France’s Air Force, together with the country’s Directorate General for Armament and the agency for defense artificial intelligence, plans to fly crewed fighter jets in collaboration with combat drones in 2028, part of a project to experiment with AI in combat aviation dubbed Hypairion.The project seeks to develop open, modular architecture for combat…

US leaders send mixed messages to Indo-Pacific nations

CHRISTCHURCH, New Zealand — Army officials from 25 different Indo-Pacific nations recently met in New Zealand to hammer out cooperative defense strategies. Simultaneously, the top political leaders in the United States were sending conflicting messages about its partnerships in the region.The 50th Indo-Pacific Armies Management Seminar (IPAMS) was held in Auckland in late September, and…

Ukraine war fatigue fuels defense-spending downgrade plan in Italy

ROME — Italian military planners risk losing out on €8 billion ($9 billion) in funding as government and opposition parties seek to cut both defense spending and support for Ukraine.The plans to limit spending emerged this week as Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni continues to be squeezed between NATO spending targets and voter opposition to…