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Theresa Hitchens

@thitch.bsky.social
358 followers 114 following 83 posts

Currently Senior Space Reporter at Breaking Defense. Space geek; former peace & security think-tanker; voracious reader of fiction esp. sci-fi/fantasy/alt-history; interested in cooking, archaeology/anthropology, poetry and scientific discovery.

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Theresa Hitchens @thitch.bsky.social · 29/05/2026
Future US weapons in cislunar space? At a minimum, words you would not have heard out loud even a year ago. 😮 breakingdefense.com/2026/05/spac...
breakingdefense.com
SPACECOM exploring tech for future offensive cislunar ops: Chief Scientist - Breaking Defense
An analyst called the new commitment to pursue cislunar operations a "massive policy change" for the Pentagon.
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Theresa Hitchens @thitch.bsky.social · 26/05/2026
Whooosh, that's a lot of moola! breakingdefense.com/2026/05/spac...
breakingdefense.com
SpaceX wins $2.29B to speed Space Force's LEO communications 'backbone' - Breaking Defense
The SpaceX "backbone" constellation will support the broader Space Data Network, which will include the Space Development Agency's Transport layer satellites.
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Theresa Hitchens @thitch.bsky.social · 26/05/2026
A look at the defense market -- or rather the lack thereof -- for the much-hyped AI data center concept. breakingdefense.com/2026/05/desp...
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Theresa Hitchens @thitch.bsky.social · 21/05/2026
Boots on the Moon. Baby! If for no other reason than to counter sister-service dismissal as "joy stick jockeys" rather than warfighters, noone should be surprised that there is a not insubstantial contingency of support within the Space Force for this. breakingdefense.com/2026/05/boot...
breakingdefense.com
Boots on the moon needed to beat 'belligerent' China: Mitchell Institute - Breaking Defense
"[F]uture American space security is at risk. China's military-led human space flight progression is positioning the People's Liberation Army to achieve strategic advantage in lunar access, infrastruc...
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Theresa Hitchens @thitch.bsky.social · 06/05/2026
www.ms.now/news/fbi-inv...
ms.now
FBI investigating leaks to journalist who wrote explosive article on Kash Patel: Sources
MS NOW has learned that that FBI agents are probing the reporter who wrote a detailed story of Patel’s alleged heavy drinking and erratic behavior.
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Theresa Hitchens @thitch.bsky.social · 11/04/2026
Parsing the Space Force budget request has always been more of an art than a science. This year, with reconciliation funding and Golden Dome secrecy, is proving even more of a slog. My first crack; hopefully some clarity will appear once the J-books are released: breakingdefense.com/2026/04/gold...
breakingdefense.com
Space Force programs supporting Golden Dome see big FY27 budget boost - Breaking Defense
Missile warning and tracking programs, and the emerging Space Data Network being developed to ferry space sensor data to shooters on the ground, in the air and at sea are among the programs seeing huge increases.
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Theresa Hitchens @thitch.bsky.social · 20/03/2026
Not great optics for ULA: breakingdefense.com/2026/03/spac...
breakingdefense.com
Space Force shifts GPS III launch from ULA to SpaceX - Breaking Defense
The shift follows Vulcan's February grounding under the National Security Space Launch program to resolve persistent problems with its solid rocket boosters.
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Theresa Hitchens @thitch.bsky.social · 20/03/2026
My attempt to explain the Space Force's Space Data Network, which will be both a linchpin and a long pole in the tent of the Trump admin's Golden Dome initiative: breakingdefense.com/2026/03/what...
breakingdefense.com
What is the Pentagon’s ‘Space Data Network,’ and why does it matter for Golden Dome? - Breaking Defense
The SDN will provide the communications pathways for integrating and moving data from missile warning/tracking sensors to interceptors in near-real time under the Golden Dome construct.
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Theresa Hitchens @thitch.bsky.social · 13/03/2026
Space operations in OEF: breakingdefense.com/2026/03/how-...
breakingdefense.com
How US military space operators are likely aiding the fight in Iran - Breaking Defense
While senior officials have offered praise with few details, experts told Breaking Defense space ops likely include jamming or spoofing satellite communications.
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Reposted by Theresa Hitchens
Ars Technica @arstechnica.com · 25/11/2025
Because DOGE operated largely in secrecy, it may be months or even years before the public can assess the true cost of its impact.
arstechnica.com
DOGE “cut muscle, not fat”; 26K experts rehired after brutal cuts
Government brain drain will haunt US after DOGE abruptly terminated.
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Theresa Hitchens @thitch.bsky.social · 25/11/2025
breakingdefense.com/2025/11/gold...
breakingdefense.com
Golden Dome: Space Force awards first space-based interceptor prototype contracts - Breaking Defense
The Space Force did not identify the winners, saying their names are "protected by enhanced security measures."
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Theresa Hitchens @thitch.bsky.social · 21/11/2025
So another SBI shoe drops. breakingdefense.com/2025/11/spac...
breakingdefense.com
Space Force to solicit prototype proposals for midcourse space-based missile interceptors - Breaking Defense
Other than stating that the call is for hit-to-kill rather than directed-energy systems for shooting down adversary missiles during their orbital flight trajectory, the notice is lacking technical det...
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Theresa Hitchens @thitch.bsky.social · 20/11/2025
🤯 www.washingtonpost.com/national-sec...
washingtonpost.com
U.S. Coast Guard will no longer classify swastikas, nooses as hate symbols
The military service, which falls under the Department of Homeland Security, has drafted a new policy that classifies such items “potentially divisive.”
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Theresa Hitchens @thitch.bsky.social · 18/11/2025
www.press.org/newsroom/nat...
press.org
National Press Club Statement on President Trump’s Remarks on the Murder of Jamal Khashoggi
WASHINGTON, Nov. 18 – The following statement on the President’s remarks about the murder of Jamal Khashoggi is by National Press Club President Mike Balsamo. “The National Press Club is deeply troubl...
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Theresa Hitchens @thitch.bsky.social · 12/11/2025
SBIs will require defensive capabilities to help protect them from adversary ASATS -- and that is a cost factor/tech challenge that is not often included in ongoing discussions about investment requirements. breakingdefense.com/2025/11/gold...
breakingdefense.com
Golden Dome SBIs will need to be defended from adversary attack: Experts - Breaking Defense
The satellites will need to be defended "not only from adversary kinetic or local orbital issues, but also from cyber attacks, electronic jamming and laser attacks," said Patrick Binning, a professor ...
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Theresa Hitchens @thitch.bsky.social · 30/10/2025
breakingdefense.com/2025/10/us-n...
breakingdefense.com
US nuclear arsenal currently safe, reliable: STRATCOM nominee - Breaking Defense
Vice Adm. Richard Correll said that Trump's announcement does not necessary mean detonating a test weapon — noting that neither China nor Russia has conducted a nuclear explosive test in recent memory...
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Theresa Hitchens @thitch.bsky.social · 21/10/2025
Given the recent press crackdown, this is not surprising. They are limiting public information conduits in as many ways as possible. Watch for similar moves at other government agencies. breakingdefense.com/2025/10/pent...
breakingdefense.com
EXCLUSIVE: Pentagon clamps down on military interactions with Congress - Breaking Defense
A Pentagon memo, obtained by Breaking Defense, now mandates that all communication with Congress be routed through its main legislative affairs office.
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Theresa Hitchens @thitch.bsky.social · 08/10/2025
www.washingtonpost.com/business/202...
washingtonpost.com
The Pentagon’s revised press rules are unacceptable, journalists’ group says
The Pentagon Press Association said the government’s policy still appears “designed to stifle a free press and potentially expose us to prosecution.”
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Theresa Hitchens @thitch.bsky.social · 01/10/2025
link.defensenews.com/click/417986...
link.defensenews.com
Trump suggests using US cities as ‘training grounds’ for military
Trump told a gathering of military leaders they should use American cities as “training grounds” to fight against what he called a “war from within.”
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Theresa Hitchens @thitch.bsky.social · 25/09/2025
This is a big deal for Germany. I remember when no German politician would be willing to mention the words space and military in the same paragraph, much less the same sentence. breakingdefense.com/2025/09/germ...
breakingdefense.com
German military to invest $41B in space capabilities - Breaking Defense
"Satellite networks today are an Achilles' heel of modern societies. Whoever attacks them paralyzes entire nations,” German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius said.
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Theresa Hitchens @thitch.bsky.social · 12/09/2025
Breaking Defense now has an encrypted in box for tips and shy sources: breakingdefense@proton.me
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Theresa Hitchens @thitch.bsky.social · 29/08/2025
Second and third order consequences are real. Sigh. breakingdefense.com/2025/08/stor...
breakingdefense.com
Stormy weather: DoD faces dearth of data from planned NOAA cuts - Breaking Defense
The Space Force repurposes NOAA's older GOES weather imaging satellites to monitor weather over the Indian Ocean for Indo-Pacific Command.
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Theresa Hitchens @thitch.bsky.social · 22/08/2025
RIPS JCIDS, the US military's long-hated process for setting weapon system requirements. It remains to be seen if the proposed new plan will do any better, or slide off the deep end of pursuing speed at the expense of rigorous analysis about commanders' needs. breakingdefense.com/2025/08/pent...
breakingdefense.com
Pentagon terminating JCIDS process as part of larger acquisition reform: Memo   - Breaking Defense
“So, the way I read the memo is great, we can go a lot faster now but the big question that remains is, ‘Are we moving faster in the right direction?’” a service official said.
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Theresa Hitchens @thitch.bsky.social · 01/08/2025
Sad Day: abcnews.go.com/Politics/cor...
abcnews.go.com
Corporation for Public Broadcasting to begin shutting down its operations
CPB said it would cut a majority of its jobs by the end of September.
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Theresa Hitchens @thitch.bsky.social · 29/07/2025
If you haven't heard this NPR interview with Pete Buttigieg, take a listen. He's soooo good in this. www.npr.org/2025/07/28/n...
npr.org
Pete Buttigieg warns Democrats can't go back to status quo after President Trump
Steve Inskeep speaks with former Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg about distrust in government and the status of the Democratic Party.
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Theresa Hitchens @thitch.bsky.social · 19/06/2025
Catching up with Chineses shenanigans on orbit. breakingdefense.com/2025/06/chin...
breakingdefense.com
Chinese sats appear to be attempting first-ever on-orbit refueling, sat tracking firms say - Breaking Defense
"While this type of close approach activity does not automatically signify a military mission, it obviously could provide a co-orbital counterspace capability," expert Victoria Samson told Breaking De...
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Theresa Hitchens @thitch.bsky.social · 18/06/2025
Space Force's MILNET revealed. breakingdefense.com/2025/06/spac...
breakingdefense.com
Space Force is contracting with SpaceX for new, secretive MILNET SATCOM network - Breaking Defense
The MILNET contract with SpaceX is being paid for by the Space Force but managed by the National Reconnaissance Office, sources said.
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Theresa Hitchens @thitch.bsky.social · 13/06/2025
The latest skirmish in the long-running DoD war with the telecoms industry over spectrum access. breakingdefense.com/2025/06/sena...
breakingdefense.com
Senate Republicans 'very close' to deal to protect key DoD spectrum in reconciliation language - Breaking Defense
Democrat Sen. Maria Cantwell of Washington, where Boeing is headquartered, continues to raise concerns about potential interference with civil and military aviation.
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Theresa Hitchens @thitch.bsky.social · 10/06/2025
Breaking Defense got the scoop on the admin's DoD RTD&E budget, both FY26 base and reconciliation. Surprise (not): Space Force is a big winner in the reconciliation stakes for Golden Dome related programs. breakingdefense.com/2025/06/excl...
breakingdefense.com
EXCLUSIVE: Pentagon's RDT&E budget revealed - Which next-gen systems get a cash influx in FY26? - Breaking Defense
Breaking Defense obtained a copy of the Defense Department's FY26 budget request for RDT&E Programs. Here's what you should know.
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Theresa Hitchens @thitch.bsky.social · 05/06/2025
While the Trump-Musk social media trashfire may be great theater (🍿) if SpaceX contracts with DoD actually were canceled, it would be super problematic. breakingdefense.com/2025/06/amid...
breakingdefense.com
Amid Trump, Musk blowup, canceling SpaceX contracts could cripple DoD launch program - Breaking Defense
Elon Musk's SpaceX is already expected to conduct more than two dozen national security-related space launches over the next few years.
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Theresa Hitchens @thitch.bsky.social · 05/06/2025
Long-running DoD 'Spectrum Wars' with telecoms creeps into reconciliation debate, now with Golden Dome concerns added. breakingdefense.com/2025/06/dod-...
breakingdefense.com
DoD S-band needed for Golden Dome, border defense threatened by spectrum auction plans: CSIS - Breaking Defense
Selling off the low S-band "is a terrible, horrible, no good, very bad idea," Tom Karako, director of the CSIS Missile Defense Project, told Breaking Defense today.
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Theresa Hitchens @thitch.bsky.social · 30/05/2025
New Russian Cosmos shadowing a US spy sat -- third time is a pattern. breakingdefense.com/2025/05/russ...
breakingdefense.com
Russia's new Cosmos satellite orbiting near US sat; piques ASAT fears - Breaking Defense
Based on its orbital pattern, independent astronomer Marco Langbroek said he suspected the new satellite is joining other Russian "sleeping interceptors."
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Theresa Hitchens @thitch.bsky.social · 15/05/2025
The Space Force is testing AMTI sats. breakingdefense.com/2025/05/spac...
breakingdefense.com
Space Force testing space-based sensors to track airborne targets - Breaking Defense
Space-based capabilities could put current aerial tracking platforms in question, but top military brass have argued for options "from whatever domain or platform or system that comes [in]."
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Theresa Hitchens @thitch.bsky.social · 12/05/2025
Gradual changes largely made in secret have made it easier for the US military to wage war in space. breakingdefense.com/2025/05/excl...
breakingdefense.com
EXCLUSIVE: US loosens some rules for offensive counterspace ops, wargaming - Breaking Defense
Some decision-making authorities, previously closely held by the president or secretary of defense, have been delegated to US SPACECOM, according to sources, but military space leaders want more freed...
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Theresa Hitchens @thitch.bsky.social · 10/05/2025
Hmm. This could be an interesting challenge given tariffs and all. breakingdefense.com/2025/05/spac...
breakingdefense.com
Space Force eyeing international launch sites to increase 'resilience' - Breaking Defense
While not necessarily a near-term possibility, Brig. Gen. Kristin Panzenhagen said the Space Force is "looking at increasing the resiliency, increasing the ways that we have to get assured access to s...
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Theresa Hitchens @thitch.bsky.social · 10/05/2025
Another subtle, but clear, indication that the Space Force and Space Command are moving out on satellite attack weapons and plans. breakingdefense.com/2025/05/spac...
breakingdefense.com
Space RCO head sees potential 'product line' for orbital warfare satellites - Breaking Defense
Space RCO Director Kelly Hammett envisions that his shop will feed tech into the Space Force's new effort to contract commercial firms to replace the Geosynchronous Space Situational Awareness Program...
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Theresa Hitchens @thitch.bsky.social · 16/04/2025
The Never Ending Story of SPACECOM HQ basing. breakingdefense.com/2025/04/late...
breakingdefense.com
Latest DoD IG report clears a hurdle for SPACECOM move to Alabama - Breaking Defense
Following the release of the report today, Alabama politicians began touting the new OIG report as justifying a Trump move to reverse Biden's basing decision.
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Theresa Hitchens @thitch.bsky.social · 16/04/2025
All the Way To Go Ohio. (I'm from close to Newark, pronounced Nerk, Ohio.) www.bbc.com/travel/artic...
bbc.com
The US's 2,000-year-old mystery mounds
Constructed by a mysterious civilisation that left no written records, the massive site is now open to the public for the first time in more than a century.
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Theresa Hitchens @thitch.bsky.social · 18/03/2025
Dogfightin in space? breakingdefense.com/2025/03/5-ch...
breakingdefense.com
5 Chinese satellites practiced 'dogfighting' in space, Space Force says - Breaking Defense
Space Force leaders are sharpening their rhetorical swords regarding the service's need to build space warfighting chops.
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Theresa Hitchens @thitch.bsky.social · 07/03/2025
I'm pretty sure the US would have to withdraw from the NATO treaty to do this, but I'm not a lawyer. www.nbcnews.com/politics/nat...
nbcnews.com
Trump considering major NATO policy shift
The president has discussed possibly favoring members of the alliance that spend a set percentage of their GDP on defense, sources told NBC News.
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Theresa Hitchens @thitch.bsky.social · 07/03/2025
5 Things homework now a weekly task for DoD civvies, Defense One was first to report. www.defenseone.com/policy/2025/...
defenseone.com
‘5 bullet points’ email now a weekly task for Pentagon civilians
A short explanation of recent achievements is due every Tuesday, SecDef says in additional guidance.
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Theresa Hitchens @thitch.bsky.social · 07/03/2025
Not a surprise: breakingdefense.com/2025/03/nga-...
breakingdefense.com
NGA suspends Ukraine's access to commercial satellite imagery - Breaking Defense
However, several industry sources said that their companies have not been blocked by NRO from taking pictures over Ukraine.
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Theresa Hitchens @thitch.bsky.social · 26/02/2025
x.com/JeffBezos/st...
x.com
Jeff Bezos on X: "I shared this note with the Washington Post team this morning: I’m writing to let you know about a change coming to our opinion pages. We are going to be writing every day in support and defense of two pillars: personal liberties and free markets. We’ll cover other topics too" / X
I shared this note with the Washington Post team this morning: I’m writing to let you know about a change coming to our opinion pages. We are going to be writing every day in support and defense of two pillars: personal liberties and free markets. We’ll cover other topics too
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Theresa Hitchens @thitch.bsky.social · 22/02/2025
Let the beheadings begin. (Someone needs to create a guillotine emoji). breakingdefense.com/2025/02/trum...
breakingdefense.com
Trump fires CQ Brown, nominates retired Air Force 3 star as replacement - Breaking Defense
Trump announced he would nominate retired three-star Air Force general John Caine as his chairman of the joint chiefs.
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Theresa Hitchens @thitch.bsky.social · 21/02/2025
Well that escalated quickly. @space.bsky.social @breakingdefense.com breakingdefense.com/2025/02/salt...
breakingdefense.com
Saltzman bars Space Force staff from Mitchell Institute events - Breaking Defense
The order follows a Mitchell report criticizing Saltzman's overarching theory of space power, dubbed "Competitive Endurance," as too focused on defensive operations rather than offensive actions.
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Theresa Hitchens @thitch.bsky.social · 07/02/2025
Bureaucratic shenanigans at DoD: OSD acquisition shop has guns out for the Space Development Agency and its semi-independent status within the Space Force. @space.bsky.social breakingdefense.com/2025/02/excl...
breakingdefense.com
EXCLUSIVE: DoD memo seeks review of Space Development Agency’s independent status, plans
The memo calls into question whether the Space Development Agency's approach to its Proliferated Warfighter Space Architecture is meeting warfighter needs.
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Theresa Hitchens @thitch.bsky.social · 06/02/2025
Hegseth has drafted a plan to craft a plan for Trump's "Iron Dome" missile shield. breakingdefense.com/2025/02/excl...
breakingdefense.com
Exclusive: Here’s who Hegseth is tasking to put together Trump’s Iron Dome plan
Under the draft, by Feb. 28 the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, DoD components, military departments, combatant commands and the Missile Defense Agency (MDA) are to put together three "scalable...
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Theresa Hitchens @thitch.bsky.social · 04/02/2025
@space.bsky.social It took us a while, but we got there in the end. A little analysis piece on Iron Dome for America plan. breakingdefense.com/2025/02/how-...
breakingdefense.com
How Trump’s ‘Iron Dome for America’ upends four decades of nuclear doctrine
The inclusion of space-based interceptors is a particularly hard nut for Moscow to swallow, given long-standing Russian belief that such weapons are aimed at undercutting the country’s nuclear retalia...
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Theresa Hitchens @thitch.bsky.social · 28/01/2025
Wow. breakingdefense.com/2025/01/what...
breakingdefense.com
‘What the f— is going on?’ Confusion, uncertainty in industry as Army contracts seemingly halted
The fear among industry now is that this move is just the first in what would amount to a Pentagon-wide halt on new awards, for an indefinite period of time.
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Theresa Hitchens @thitch.bsky.social · 23/01/2025
@space.bsky.social Catching up on RAND study commissioned by Lt. Gen. Bratton on space deterrence wRussia finding it's getting harder and harder, creating a truly nasty security dilemma that may make conflict avoidance and de-escalation reaaaaaallllly hard. breakingdefense.com/2025/01/fear...
breakingdefense.com
Fearing US ‘hostility,’ Russia could ‘escalate early’ in a space conflict: RAND
"In a conflict between NATO and Russia, the United States should be prepared to face an adversary that not only possesses advanced space and counterspace capabilities but has also learned lessons duri...
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