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

Northrop Grumman’s first completed satellite for SDA’s Tranche 1 tracking layer. (Credit: Northrop Grumman)

Space industrial base racing to meet growing demand for military satellites

Space

U.S. Marine Corps Sgt. Logan Schell, a joint tactical air controller assigned to 2nd Air Naval Gunfire Liaison Company, II Marine Expeditionary Force Information Group, monitors aircraft camera footage during a digitally aided close air support event as part of Bold Quest ‘24 at Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune, North Carolina, Oct. 31, 2024. Bold Quest ‘24 is a joint staff sponsored, multinational venue designed to enhance and develop interoperability. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Cpl. Maurion Moore)

DOD to demonstrate zero trust, data-centric security capabilities with allies during live exercise

IT

Dave McKeown delivers a keynote at DefenseScoop’s DefenseTalks conference. (DefenseScoop)

DOD taps McKeown to serve as new special assistant for cybersecurity innovation

IT

Members of the 18th Space Defense Combat Squadron, a unit assigned to U.S. Space Forces – Space under the USSF Force Generation model, observe orbital data at Vandenberg Space Force Base, Calif., Oct. 4, 2024. (Photo by David Dozoretz)

Kendall: Space Force must move faster to field counterspace capabilities

Space

Chinese Chengdu Aircraft Industry Group (CAIG) Wing Loong II military UAV drone showcased at the Paris Air Show 2017. (Getty Images)

China’s drone modernization efforts close to ‘matching US standards,’ Pentagon report says

AI

One of the Long Range Hypersonic Weapon Transporter Erector Launchers assigned to Bravo Battery, 5th Battalion, 3rd Field Artillery, Long Range Fires Battalion, 1st Multi-Domain Task Force, participates in exercise Bamboo Eagle 24-3 on Nellis Air Force Base, Nev., Aug. 5, 2024. (U.S. Army photo by 1st Lt. David Kim)

Army, Navy complete highly anticipated hypersonic missile test

Weapons

Secretary of the Air Force Frank Kendall flies in the X-62 VISTA in the skies above Edwards Air Force Base, California, May 2, 2024. (Air Force photo by Richard Gonzales)

Air Force leveraging AI flight experiments to inform future testing efforts

AI

Lockheed Martin rendering of a Next-Generation Air Dominance platform

Air Force, Navy should work more closely to develop 6th-gen fighter, senator says

Emerging Tech

Undersecretary of Defense for Research and Engineering Heidi Shyu meets with Maj. Grover Smith of the Indiana National Guard during Technology Readiness Experimentation (T-REX) 2023 at Camp Atterbury, Indiana. (Defense Department photo).

DOD to award $50M to accelerate development of emerging tech projects

Emerging Tech