Brian Everstine is the Pentagon Editor for Aviation Week, based in Washington, D.C. Before joining Aviation Week in August 2021, Brian covered the Pentagon for Air Force Magazine. Brian began covering defense aviation in 2011 as a reporter for Military Times. Over a decade as a defense journalist, he has reported from dozens of bases at home and abroad, including austere airstrips in Afghanistan, the cockpit of a B-52 over the South Pacific and the boom operator station of a KC-46. Before the military beat, Brian covered the Washington state legislature for the Associated Press.
The U.S. Army recently wrapped up more than two weeks of testing high-powered microwave systems to down small drones, with one of three entrants fully meeting the test’s goals and another showing promise.
Despite increased interest in hypersonic systems on Capitol Hill—with some lawmakers looking to increase funding for individual efforts—the U.S. Navy is not looking to accelerate its Conventional Prompt Strike weapon because of continued delays in upgrades for its new attack submarines.
The U.S. Navy already appears to be wavering on its plan to divest five squadrons of Boeing EA-18G electronic attack jets over the next three years, with the squadrons remaining in demand and a lack of capacity in carrier-based units to pick up the slack.
