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

GULF OF ALASKA (June 15, 2009) Operations Specialist 1st Class Lee Tran, from Portland, Oregon, monitors links in the tactical flag command center aboard the aircraft carrier USS John C. Stennis (CVN 74). (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Josue L. Escobosa/ Released)

DIU solicits industry for tactical compute kits that can operate in austere environments

Tech

A B-52H Stratofortress assigned to the 419th Flight Test Squadron is undergoes pre-flight procedures at Edwards Air Force Base, California, Aug. 8, 2020. The aircraft conducted a captive-carry flight test of the AGM-183A Air-launched Rapid Response Weapon Instrumented Measurement Vehicle 2 at the Point Mugu Sea Range off the Southern California coast. (Air Force photo by Giancarlo Casem)

LaPlante hints at plan to continue Air Force’s boost-glide hypersonic missile efforts

Weapons

A Falcon 9 rocket carrying 85 commercial and government spacecraft and 3 Starlink satellites launches from Cape Canaveral on June 30, 2021. (U.S. Space Force photo by Airman 1st Class Dakota Raub)

New SDA, MDA missile-tracking satellites launched into space

Space

The Marine Corps established the Marine Corps Software Factory (MCSWF) pilot program to create a world-class Marine-led software development capability March 10, 2023. The future operating environment will require Marines to scope and implement software-based solutions at the edges of the battlefield without connectivity or assistance from centralized or contracted support. (Photo by Maj. Gregory Carroll)

Marine Corps software factory rolls out 4 new apps for tactical and back-office operations

Cyber

KuRFS and Coyote provide the detect and defeat components of the U.S. Army’s counter-UAS solution, called LIDS: the Low, slow, small, unmanned aircraft Integrated Defeat System. (RTX image)

Army buys 600 additional Coyote counter-drone weapons amid attacks on US troops

Weapons

(Getty Images)

Navy, DIU tap 3 vendors to build large underwater drones

Weapons

The Army’s Uncrewed Aircraft Systems Project Management Office, in collaboration with the U.S. Special Operations Command, executed a flight demonstration involving the first launch of the Air-Launched, Tube-Integrated Unmanned System (Altius) 700 air vehicle on Dec. 3, at Fort Campbell, Kentucky. (Army photo by Daniel Henke.)

SOCOM gearing up to assess air-launched kamikaze drones

Weapons

JOINT BASE LEWIS-MCCHORD, Wash. – Green Berets with 2nd Battalion, 1st Special Forces Group (Airborne), and an augmentee with Bravo Company, 2nd Battalion, 75th Ranger Regiment, clear a corridor of threats during the Special Forces Advanced Urban Combat course, Jan. 24 to Feb. 3, 2022. (U.S. Army courtesy photo)

SOCOM taking innovation foundry to London to focus on special ops in ‘smart cities’

Emerging Tech

Doug Bush, assistant secretary of the Army for acquisition, logistics and technology, is guided by Col. J. Frederick Dente, V Corps chief of staff, during a visit to Camp Kościuszko, Poland, Sep. 8, 2022. (Photo by Spc. Dean Johnson)

Army acquisition chief hopeful that Congress will grant reprogramming request for Replicator

Weapons