Jon Harper

Jon Harper is Managing Editor of DefenseScoop, the Scoop News Group’s online publication focused on the Pentagon and its pursuit of new capabilities. He leads an award-winning team of journalists in providing breaking news and in-depth analysis on military technology and the ways in which it is shaping how the Defense Department operates and modernizes. You can also follow him on X (the social media platform formerly known as Twitter) @Jon_Harper_

Articles by Author

Heidi Shyu sits down with key leaders during a visit to Fort Bliss 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Armored Division, during Network Integration Evaluation 15.2 in 2015. (DoD photo)

Fielding timelines for RDER capabilities will be determined ‘case by case,’ Shyu says

Weapons

Two unmanned surface vessels, a Devil Ray T-38 and Saildrone Explorer, operate in the Gulf of Aqaba, Sept. 10, during Eager Lion 2022. (U.S. Navy photo)

Navy to expand unmanned systems campaign to 4th Fleet this summer

Weapons

Wallops Island, Virginia, Oct. 21, 2021. U.S. Navy Strategic Systems Programs and the Army Hypersonic Program Office successfully conducted a High Operational Tempo for Hypersonics flight campaign. This test informed the development of the Navy’s Conventional Prompt Strike and the Army’s Long Range Hypersonic Weapon offensive hypersonic strike capability. (U.S. Navy Photo/Released)

Price tag for Navy’s CPS hypersonic weapon is ‘higher than we want it to be,’ Pentagon acquisition chief says

Weapons

Illustration of a hypersonic missile (Getty Images)

Navy’s future HALO ‘hypersonic’ missile might not actually be hypersonic

Weapons

Screenshot of the Space Development Agency’s Tranche 0 launch, April 2, 2023.

Third time’s a charm: SpaceX launches SDA’s first batch of Tranche 0 satellites

Space

(Getty Images)

US defense officials seeing ‘explosion’ of activity from so-called patriotic hackers

Cyber

A hacker using a laptop computer at the Hacked By Def Con Press Preview during the 2016 Tribeca Film Festival at Spring Studios on April 15, 2016 in New York City. (Photo by Rob Kim/Getty Images for Tribeca Film Festival)

DDS rolls out new website to help Pentagon scale bug bounties, attract cyber talent

Cyber

U.S. Air Force Tech. Sgt. Urich Garcia, 45th Security Forces Squadron supra coder, writes code in an application, April 25, 2022, at Patrick Space Force Base, Fla. (U.S. Space Force photo by Airman 1st Class Samuel Becker)

Space Force looking to expand ‘Supra Coder’ workforce as it pursues reprogrammable software capabilities

IT

An XQ-58A Valkyrie low-cost unmanned aerial vehicle launches at the Yuma Proving Ground, Ariz., Dec. 9, 2020. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Joshua King)

Air Force preparing for ‘tethered’ and ‘untethered’ CCA drone operations

Weapons