Mikayla Easley

Mikayla Easley reports on the Pentagon’s acquisition and use of emerging technologies. Prior to joining DefenseScoop, she covered national security and the defense industry for National Defense Magazine. She received a BA in Russian language and literature from the University of Michigan and a MA in journalism from the University of Missouri. You can follow her on Twitter @MikaylaEasley

Articles by Author

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Eucom, Indopacom getting ‘Battle Labs’ to develop AI, data analytics capabilities

AI

Firefly Aerospace Successfully Launches U.S. Space Force VICTUS NOX Responsive Space Mission with 24-Hour Notice (Firefly Aerospace photo)

Space Force gearing up for new challenges after record-setting rapid launch

Space

Spc. Gunner Livingston, an unmanned aircraft repairer, 1-2 Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 7th Infantry, inspects the Aerosonde Hybrid Quad before a vertical take off at a training site at Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Wash., June 21-22. The Aerosonde HQ was developed by Textron Systems, one of four companies that are part of a demonstration of commercial drones conducting various operations and training exercises over the span of the next six months to refine and replace requirements for the RQ-7 Shadow. (U.S. Army photo by Spc. Andrew Wash)

Army picks Griffon, Textron to build tactical unmanned VTOL aircraft prototypes

Emerging Tech

U.S. Army Maj. Mitchell Daugherty, mission director for the National Space Defense Center, points to a screen in front of U.S. Space Force 1st Lt. Tia Scoggan, weapons and tactics section chief for the 18th Space Defense Squadron Det. 1, at Schriever Space Force Base, Colorado, Oct. 5, 2022. 18 SDS Det. 1 provides timely and actionable Space Domain Awareness (SDA) for emergent and existing threats that are identified by the Joint Task Force-Space Defense’s NSDC as on-orbit threats. (U.S. Space Force photo by Tiana Williams)

Space Force opens second collaboration hub, looks to advance space domain awareness

Space

A XQ-58 Valkyrie launches for a test mission Aug. 22 at Eglin Air Force Base, Fla. The mission successfully tested components that greatly reduce the risk of large scale crewed and uncrewed autonomous systems. (U.S. Air Force photo/2nd Lt. Rebecca Abordo)

Latest Valkyrie drone flight test focused on AI-enabled air combat

Emerging Tech

Under the direction of the North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD), two F-15s assigned to the Massachusetts Air National Guard and two CF-18 assigned to the Royal Canadian Air Force fly in formation behind a KC-135 assigned to the Pennsylvania Air National Guard during air-defense Operation NOBLE DEFENDER, Oct. 27, 2022. (U.S. Air National Guard Photos by Tech. Sgt. Bryan Hoover)

Air Force primed to deliver initial cloud-based C2 capability to Northcom, NORAD

Emerging Tech

(Getty Images)

Space Force awards $25M contract to deliver in-orbit satellite refueling prototype

Space

Edward Ramey, space domain characterization common operating picture segment (SDCCS) lead integration and training support for the Joint Task Force-Space Defense, looks at a computer screen at Schriever Space Force Base, Colorado, Dec. 19, 2022. Through the partnering of the Department of Defense, Intelligence Community and National Reconnaissance Office in the National Space Defense Center, JTF-SD brings to bear the full force of the U.S. Government and synchronizes space superiority planning and operations. (U.S. Space Force photo by Tiana Williams)

Unclassified space strategy outlines how DOD will defend satellites in orbit

Space

CCA concept art (Boeing photo)

Air Force, Navy collaborating on 4 ‘fundamentals’ of CCA drones

Weapons