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

Artist rendering of the Deep Space Advanced Radar Capability (Northrop Grumman image)

Space Force’s next-gen deep-space radar passes critical design review

Space

Crews of the National Space Defense Center at provide threat-focused space domain awareness across the nation security space enterprise. The NSDC was originally established in 2015 as the Joint Interagency Combined Space Operations Center and was renamed in 2017 to more accurately reflect its mission. (U.S. Space Force photo by Kathryn Damon)

A look at Space Operations Command’s ‘needs list’ for AI, machine learning

AI

U.S. President Joe Biden announces his intent to nominate Gen. Charles Q. Brown, Jr. to serve as the next Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff during an event in the Rose Garden of the White House May 25, 2023 in Washington, DC. Brown is currently serving as the U.S. Air Force Chief of Staff. If confirmed by the Senate, Brown would be the second African-American man, after Colin Powell, to hold the position of Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, the most senior military adviser to the president. (Photo by Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images)

Gen. Brown, evangelist for a more digital military, officially tapped to be next chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff

Tech

Members of the 56th Air and Space Communications Squadron at Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam operate cyber systems using a Enhanced communications flyaway kit during the Global Information Dominance Experiment 3 and Architect Demonstration Evaluation 5 at Alpena Combat Readiness Training Center, Alpena, Michigan, July, 12, 2021. (U.S. Air Force photo by Tech. Sgt. Amy Picard)

Space Force to shift all cyber guardians to defending mission systems and performing ‘core’ tasks

Space

Pentagon CISO Dave McKeown delivers a keynote at the UiPath Together Public Sector summit. (DefenseScoop_

Pentagon’s CISO warns that zero trust will ‘fail’ without automation

AI

Lockheed Martin rendering of a Next-Generation Air Dominance platform

Air Force plans to award sixth-gen fighter contract in 2024

Weapons

U.S. Army Gen. James Dickinson, U.S. Space Command commander, speaks to members of the Joint Task Force-Space Defense during a town hall at Schriever Space Force Base, Colorado, Jan. 17, 2023. (U.S. Space Force photo by Tiana Williams)

Spacecom commander urges the services to ‘keep up’ with new space-based technologies

Space

(Getty Images)

US moves to open more spectrum for 5G while safeguarding military assets

Tech

DOD’s Dr. Tom Rondeau speaks on a panel about 5G at DefenseTalks 2023. (DefenseScoop)

Pentagon to transfer 5G efforts to CIO, establish O-RAN pilots

Emerging Tech