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

Secretary of the Air Force Frank Kendall testifies before the Senate Appropriations Committee on the fiscal year 2025 budget requests for the Department of the Air Force and Space Force, Dirksen Senate Office Building, Washington, D.C., April 9, 2024. (U.S. Air Force photo by Andy Morataya)

Air Force using ‘Quick Start’ authorities for resilient GPS, moving target indication programs

Emerging Tech

Illustration of a the DRACO spacecraft being developed by Lockheed Martin for DARPA that will demonstrate thermal nuclear engine technology. (Credit: Lockheed Martin)

Lockheed Martin pitching nuclear propulsion portfolio for defense space mobility, logistics

Space

Northrop Grumman will supply 36 satellites for SDA’s Tranche 2 Transport Layer-Beta Data Transport Layer. (Northrop Grumman image)

SDA exploring new waveforms for future tranches of data transport satellites

Space

Chief of Space Operations Gen. Chance Saltzman delivers a keynote speech “Guardians in the Fight” during the Air and Space Forces Association 2023 Warfare Symposium in Aurora, Colo., March 7, 2023. (U.S. Air Force photo by Eric Dietrich)

Space Force unveils highly anticipated commercial strategy, seeking to employ ‘hybrid’ architectures

Space

(Graphics by Amber Whittington)

Space Command stands up new simulated environment for wargaming

Space

(Getty Images)

NRO expects to launch first spy satellites for proliferated constellation in May

Space

Assistant Secretary of Defense John Plumb testifies before the House Armed Services Committee in Washington, D.C. March 30, 2023. (DoD photo by EJ Hersom)

Space policy chief urges DOD to solve over-classification issues for commercial integration

Space

Dep. CIO Dave McKeown speaks at the Zero Trust Summit on Feb. 15, 2024. (Source: Scoop News Group)

With 2027 deadline looming, DOD moves into implementation phase of zero trust transformation

IT

Notional graphic of Resilient MW/MT MEO Epoch 1 Space Vehicles (Millennium graphic)

New DOD strategy looks to remove barriers for using commercial space capabilities in military ops

Space