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

(Image courtesy Sikorsky, a Lockheed Martin company)

Sikorsky lands Army contract to modernize Black Hawk helicopters to carry and launch drones

Emerging Tech

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Space Force stands up third ‘system delta’ acquisition unit, plans to activate five more in 2025

Space

Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. David Allvin delivers a keynote address on the state of the U.S. Air Force during the Air and Space Forces Association 2024 Warfare Symposium in Aurora, Colo., Feb. 13, 2024. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Olivia Stecker)

Gen. Allvin unexpectedly announces retirement as Air Force chief of staff

Tech

An air battle manager participants in the 805th Combat Training Squadron’s second Decision Advantage Sprint for Human-Machine Teaming wargame in July 2025. (U.S. Air Force photo by Debora Henley.)

Air Force experimenting with AI microservices during new battle management wargame series

AI

U.S. Air Force air battle managers participate in the Department of the Air Force’s Advanced Battle Management System Cross-Functional Team first Decision Advantage Sprint for Human-Machine Teaming, or DASH, experiment, recently held at the Howard Hughes Operations, or H2O, Center in Las Vegas, Nev., April 8, 2025. This two-week event brought together operational warfighters and industry and Shadow Operations Center-Nellis software developers to prototype microservices aimed at accelerating and improving decision-making in high-tempo battle management scenarios framed by the Transformational Model. (U.S. Air Force photo)

Air Force putting AI-based model for battle management decisions through its paces

AI

The L3Harris-built Navigation Technology Satellite-3 (NTS-3) satellite launched on a United Launch Alliance Vulcan rocket Aug. 12 from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station. NTS-3 will be used for a variety of experiments to include testing on-orbit, next-generation technologies that assist warfighters in contested environments. (L3Harris photo.)

After delays, Space Force launches testbed satellite for experimental PNT capabilities

Space

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Army CIO reining in AI use cases to prevent excess costs

AI

Global network concept art. (Getty Images)

Space Force, IC prep to launch more sats that could enable future GMTI missions

Space

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Slingshot’s new AI-enabled tool helps Space Force train for satellite ops

AI