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

Firefly Aerospace successfully launches U.S. Space Force VICTUS NOX Responsive Space Mission with 24-hours notice. (Firefly Aerospace photo)

Space Force selects Firefly Aerospace for next tactically responsive space mission

Space

(Image credit: Northrop Grumman)

SDA solicits industry studies on potential capabilities for Trump’s Iron Dome for America

Space

Under the direction of the North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD), two CF-18s assigned to the Royal Canadian Air Force flies 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)

Hegseth directs pause on Dept. of the Air Force’s reorganization efforts

Emerging Tech

Sgt. Victor Sanchez, a fire direction coordinator assigned to Alpha Battery, 1st Battalion, 258th Artillery Regiment, 27th Infantry Brigade Combat Team of the New York Army National Guard, operates an advanced field artillery tactical data system to calculate aiming data to relay to the howitzer teams during an air assault artillery raid on Fort Drum, N.Y. on June 9, 2017. (U.S. Army National Guard photo by Sgt. Alexander Rector)

Army finalizing contracting approach for scaled-up version of enterprise data platform

AI

A woman walks under a sign of big data analytics US software company Palantir at their stand ahead of the World Economic Forum (WEF) annual meeting in Davos on May 22, 2022. (Photo by FABRICE COFFRINI/AFP via Getty Images)

Palantir partners with data-labeling startup to improve accuracy of AI models

AI

A Space X Falcon 9 rocket launches from Space Launch Complex 40 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, Florida, Feb. 14, 2024. The rocket was launched as part of classified mission USSF-124, sending six satellites to orbit – two for the Missile Defense Agency and four for the Space Development Agency. (U.S. Space Force photo by Airman 1st Class Spencer Contreras)

SDA gets new acting director amid investigation of Derek Tournear

Space

The 1st Battalion, 12th Cavalry Regiment, 3rd Armored Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division, conducts a Table VI qualification during a combined arms live fire exercise at the Jack Mountain range on Fort Cavazos, Texas, Jan. 16, 2025. (U.S. Army photo by Spc. Josefina Garcia)

Army developing plans to improve cATO pipelines for weapon systems

IT

ARLINGTON, VIRGINIA – JANUARY 30: Emergency response units search the crash site of the American Airlines plane on the Potomac River after the plane crashed on approach to Reagan National Airport on January 30, 2025 in Arlington, Virginia. The American Airlines flight from Wichita, Kansas collided with a military helicopter while approaching Ronald Reagan National Airport. (Photo by Kayla Bartkowski/Getty Images)

Army helicopter involved in fatal crash over the Potomac was not using AI, sources say

AI

President Donald Trump speaks to members of the press as he and First Lady Melania Trump prepare to depart the White House aboard Marine One on January 24, 2025 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Kent Nishimura/Getty Images)

Trump revives push for space-based interceptors in ‘Iron Dome for America’ edict

Space