Jon Harper

Jon Harper is Editor-in-Chief of DefenseScoop. 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: @Jon_Harper_

Articles by Author

Service members assigned to U.S. Marine Corps Expeditionary Warfare School, Marine Corps University, run during Leadership Decision Making Exercise I at Marine Corps Base Quantico, Virginia, Aug. 22, 2025. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Capt. Colton Martin)

Marine Corps to host genAI workshop at Quantico

AI

Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth tests a Dronebuster while touring static displays led by the 3rd Battalion, 10th Mountain Division (3/10 MTN) Warriors and Foreign Legion Force Poland Battle Group in Powidz, Poland, Feb. 15, 2025. (DoD photo by U.S. Navy Petty Officer 1st Class Alexander C. Kubitza)

Hegseth orders Army secretary to create new joint interagency counter-drone task force

Weapons

Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth and Under Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering Emil Michael tour multi-domain autonomous displays in the courtyard of the Pentagon, Washington, D.C., July 16, 2025. (DoD photo by U.S. Navy Petty Officer 1st Class Alexander Kubitza)

Pentagon to trim list of critical technology areas

Emerging Tech

Emil Michael appears before the Senate Armed Services Committee for his nomination to become undersecretary of defense for research and engineering in Washington, D.C. March 27, 2025. (DoD photo by EJ Hersom)

Pentagon CTO Emil Michael becomes acting director of DIU

Tech

Defense Innovation Unit Director Doug Beck speaks to Master Sgt. Joshua Shelly, Staff Non-Commissioned Officer in Charge of the Marine Corps Attack Drone Team, about the Neros Archer drone during the AI+ Expo in Washington D.C., June 2, 2025. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Sgt. Matthew Romonoyske-Bean)

Doug Beck resigns as DIU director

Tech

Adm. Daryl Caudle salutes the sideboys during a U.S. Fleet Forces Command (USFFC) Relinquishment of Command ceremony aboard Naval Station Norfolk, August 6, 2025. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Dustin Knight/Released)

Adm. Caudle sworn in as chief of naval operations

Emerging Tech

Jane Rathbun at DoDIIS 2023. (Photo by Petty Officer 2nd Class Wade Costin)

Navy CIO Jane Rathbun announces exit

Tech

DISA Hosting and Compute Center Director Sharon Woods at a press briefing on the Department of Defense’s award of the Joint Warfighting Cloud Capability (JWCC) contract at the Pentagon, Washington, D.C., Dec. 8, 2022. (DoD photo by U.S. Navy Petty Officer 2nd Class Alexander Kubitza)

Longtime DOD IT executive and legal counselor Sharon Woods announces her departure

IT

(iStock / Getty Images Plus)

Air Force eyeing AI-powered platform for wargaming

AI