China’s Quantum Leap: Zuchongzhi 3.2 and the Quest for Fault-Tolerant Quantum Computing

A breakthrough in quantum error correction signals a decisive moment in the global race to build reliable quantum machines.

In December 2025, researchers at the University of Science and Technology of China announced a milestone that marks a turning point in the global development of quantum computing. Their superconducting quantum processor, known as Zuchongzhi 3.2, successfully crossed a critical fault-tolerant threshold in quantum error correction. This achievement represents the first time such a benchmark has been reached by a research group outside the United States and signals China’s arrival at the frontier of scalable, reliable quantum computation.

Quantum computers promise transformative advances because qubits can exist in superpositions, enabling parallel computation far beyond the reach of classical machines. Yet this same quantum behavior makes qubits extraordinarily sensitive to environmental interference. Even minimal noise from heat, electromagnetic fields, or imperfect control introduces errors that rapidly degrade computation. For decades, the central challenge in quantum engineering has been preventing these errors from overwhelming the system before useful calculations can be completed.

Fault tolerance addresses this problem by allowing quantum systems to detect and correct errors as they occur. Rather than relying on a single fragile qubit, fault-tolerant architectures encode information across many physical qubits to create a more stable logical qubit. The defining threshold occurs when error correction reduces overall error rates faster than new errors accumulate. Below this threshold, adding correction mechanisms worsens performance; above it, stability improves as systems scale.

The Zuchongzhi 3.2 processor crossed this threshold using a superconducting architecture combined with a microwave-based error suppression approach. This strategy contrasts with other leading efforts, particularly those relying heavily on surface-code implementations that require very large qubit overhead. While still experimental, the Chinese team’s results demonstrate that alternative paths toward fault tolerance may be viable, reshaping assumptions about how scalable quantum systems must be built.

This breakthrough follows years of symbolic milestones in quantum computing, most notably Google’s 2019 demonstration of quantum advantage, when its Sycamore processor completed a task impractical for classical supercomputers. While historically important, such demonstrations did not resolve the problem of reliability. Practical applications in cryptography, materials science, logistics optimization, and pharmaceutical research demand sustained accuracy across long computational sequences. Fault tolerance is the dividing line between impressive demonstrations and usable machines.

Beyond science and engineering, the implications of this advance are geopolitical. Quantum computing is widely regarded as a strategic technology with national security and economic consequences. Governments recognize that fault-tolerant quantum systems could disrupt encryption standards, optimize complex military and industrial systems, and accelerate scientific discovery. China’s success reflects sustained national investment in fundamental research and highlights the growing multipolar nature of advanced technological leadership.

At the same time, this achievement does not signal the immediate arrival of general-purpose quantum computers. Scaling from dozens or hundreds of logical qubits to the millions required for broad commercial utility remains a formidable challenge. Engineering complexity, energy requirements, fabrication consistency, and software integration all present obstacles that will require years of refinement.

Nevertheless, crossing the fault-tolerant threshold represents a decisive moment. It confirms that reliable quantum computation is no longer a theoretical aspiration but an emerging engineering reality. As competing architectures race to scale and stabilize, the focus of the field is shifting from whether fault-tolerant quantum computing is possible to who will achieve it first at meaningful scale.

Zuchongzhi 3.2 may ultimately be remembered not as the machine that changed the world, but as the moment the quantum future stopped being speculative and became inevitable.

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References

Interesting Engineering. (2025, December 26). China’s quantum computer with microwaves rivals Google, wins in scale.

Quantum News. (2025, December 26). Zuchongzhi 3.2 demonstrates a quantum error-correction milestone.

South China Morning Post. (2025, December). Chinese scientists cross key fault-tolerance threshold in quantum computing.

He, T. (2025). Experimental quantum error correction below the surface code threshold. Physical Review.

Wikipedia contributors. (2025). Sycamore (processor). Wikipedia.

The War Department to Expand AI Arsenal on GenAI.mil With xAI

Dec. 22, 2025 |

GenAI.mil, recently launched as the War Department's bespoke AI platform, will soon be expanded with the addition of xAI for Government's suite of frontier‑grade capabilities. Today, the War Department officially entered into an agreement with xAI, paving the way for the deployment of its advanced capabilities on GenAI.mil. This move builds on the rapid deployment of cutting‑edge AI across the Department's 3 million military and civilian personnel.

This initiative will soon embed xAI's frontier AI systems, based on the Grok family of models, directly into GenAI.mil. Targeted for initial deployment in early 2026, this integration will allow all military and civilian personnel to use xAI's capabilities at Impact Level 5 (IL5), enabling the secure handling of Controlled Unclassified Information (CUI) in daily workflows. Users will also gain access to real‑time global insights from the X platform, providing War Department personnel with a decisive information advantage.

The War Department will continue scaling an AI ecosystem built for speed, security, and decision superiority. Newly IL5-certified capabilities will empower every aspect of the Department's workforce, turning AI into a daily operational asset. This announcement marks another milestone in America's AI revolution, and the War Department is driving that momentum forward.

Joint Interagency Task Force Integrates Skills, Creates Layered Counter-Drone Defense

Dec. 18, 2025 | By Lt. Col. Adam Scher, Joint Interagency Task Force 401 |

Small unmanned aircraft systems, once largely confined to overseas battlefields, are increasingly being exploited by criminal organizations, cartels and terrorist networks inside the homeland.

In response, the War Department is leading a coordinated, whole-of-government effort to strengthen counter-unmanned aircraft systems capabilities in direct support of military forces and state, local, territorial and tribal law enforcement partners.

At the center of this effort is Joint Interagency Task Force 401, a specialized organization established in August to rapidly integrate, test and deliver C-UAS capabilities. The task force's mission and progress in support of local law enforcement were the focus of a law enforcement symposium held at Joint Base Myer–Henderson Hall in Arlington, Virginia, Dec. 11.

The urgency of that partnership is underscored by recent real-world events, during which drones disrupted air travel in Europe.

"Unmanned systems are a defining threat of our time," said Army Brig. Gen. Matt Ross, JIATF-401 director. "They are prolific, they are evolving rapidly, and they are no longer confined to combat zones. Nothing is more important than defending our homeland, our people and the law enforcement professionals who protect them every day." 

The central focus of JIATF 401's mission is supporting state, local, territorial and tribal law enforcement, particularly as the nation prepares to host major international events like the 2026 FIFA World Cup and the 2028 Summer Olympics. This includes enhanced planning, technical integration and assisting with capability delivery to the 11 U.S. cities scheduled to host World Cup matches.

To accelerate this support, the task force is working in close coordination with the Defense Logistics Agency to assist law enforcement agencies and to leverage a Notice of Funding Opportunity from the Federal Emergency Management Agency. The $250 million available is dedicated to counter-UAS and air domain awareness capabilities. Through this partnership, DLA provides contracting expertise, logistics support and scalable procurement pathways to help state, local, territorial and tribal agencies move rapidly to full-fielded capabilities. 

"Our goal is to integrate sensors, effectors and mission command systems into a responsive, interoperable network that protects service members and American citizens alike," Ross said. "By pairing JIATF 401's operational expertise with DLA's logistics and contracting capabilities, we are helping law enforcement turn available grant funding into real, deployable counter-UAS capacity, quickly and responsibly." 

A cornerstone of this effort is the development of a counter-UAS marketplace, a centralized mechanism that allows interagency and law enforcement partners to access DOW test data, operational user feedback and validated procurement options. This approach reduces risk, accelerates fielding timelines and ensures taxpayer resources are applied to proven solutions. 

The symposium also highlighted the need for a shared, integrated air picture across jurisdictions. The Joint Task Force National Capital Region and the Military District of Washington shared their experiences coordinating and executing a counter-drone training exercise, which can serve as a model for municipalities across the country, in Washington, Nov. 17-21.

"We need a common air picture that includes drones," Ross said, citing more than 3,000 drone incursions detected along the southern border in the past year. "That requires integrating data from both classified and unclassified sensors and proliferating active and passive sensing across federal and nonfederal partners. We're not there yet, but we are making measurable progress."

Senior leaders from across the federal and law enforcement enterprises attended the symposium, including Army Secretary Daniel P. Driscoll, and JTF NCR and MDW Commander Army Brig. Gen. Antoinette Gant and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives Deputy Director Robert Cekada.

 

Andrew Giuliani, executive director of the White House FIFA Task Force, also participated to highlight how his team is working with JIATF 401 to assist local law enforcement in cities hosting 2026 World Cup matches — underscoring the depth and breadth of the coalition aligned behind this mission.    

Ross said events like this serve as a clear signal of national resolve. Through sustained partnership with state, local, territorial and tribal law enforcement, deliberate integration with DLA, and disciplined use of FEMA grant funding, DOW is strengthening the nation's ability to secure its airspace and protect the American people today, and in the years ahead.  

"JIATF-401 exists to integrate joint and interagency skills to create the layered counter-drone defense our nation requires," he added. 

Scarlet Dragon Links Military, Industry to Test Artificial Intelligence for Warfighters

Dec. 17, 2025 | By Army Maj. Matthew St. Clair, XVIII Airborne Corps Public Affairs |

On a cold December day, deep in a training area on Fort Bragg, North Carolina, soldiers, airmen, Marines and civilian industry partners came together to test the latest drone and counter-small unmanned aircraft systems technology, while rapidly sharing targeting data through the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency’s Maven Smart System.

Scarlet Dragon is the XVIII Airborne Corps' premier innovation exercise, where new ideas and technologies are tested to solve current issues on the battlefield.  

"We're focused on bringing new technologies and approaches to solve operational capability gaps and requirements that we identify from operational plans around the globe," said Rob Braun, XVIII Airborne Corps chief technical officer. 

The Scarlet Dragon exercise series started in 2020 as a tabletop exercise in the basement of the XVIII Airborne Corps' headquarters and has evolved into a triannual innovation event where joint services, government agencies and industry partners come together to test and integrate the latest technology for the modern warfighter. 

During this iteration, known as Scarlet Dragon 26-1, the XVIII Airborne Corps tested several initiatives. The 18th Field Artillery Brigade trained with the Air Force to rapidly load and deploy an M142 high mobility artillery rocket system from a C-17 Globemaster III, all while simultaneously receiving targeting data through NGA's Maven Smart System. The streamlined data sharing allows the HIMARS unit to rapidly deploy anywhere in the world and quickly set up for offensive or defensive engagements. 

"We're doing cold-load training with a C-130, putting the HIMARS on the aircraft, driving it off, executing a rapid-fire mission and getting back on quickly," said Army 2nd Lt. Ryan Mitchell, a HIMARS platoon leader assigned to the 18th Field Artillery Brigade. "Through Scarlet Dragon, we are doing advanced targeting with data received through Maven, rapidly getting that information to the launcher so we can deploy and shoot faster."

Another initiative included real time data sharing and tracking between AH-64 Apache helicopters from the 82nd Airborne Division's Combat Aviation Brigade, drones and small UAS with the XVIII Airborne Corps Air and Missile Defense team, Sentinel radars from the 82nd Airborne Division and newly fielded SGT STOUT short range air defense systems from the 108th Air Defense Artillery Brigade.

The Sentinel radars and SGT STOUTs tracked Apaches and drones, pushing data to the corps headquarters to validate faster early warning systems for troops on the ground. Apache pilots tested their ability to identify and track small drones, while the SGT STOUT teams validated their tracking and targeting capabilities. 

The integration of the SGT STOUT into the maneuver force is a critical step in providing protection against short-range air threats.  

"What I like about Scarlet Dragon is how I push, not just the soldiers, but also the equipment that we have to our limits and to see what we are capable of and how we can improve our system capabilities," said Army Spc. Daniel Rosas, XVIII Airborne Corps Air Defense Battle Management System operator. "With the way the world is currently moving, especially when it comes to UAS or drones, it is a big threat, and it helps for us to push forward on what we can adapt when it comes to gauging and tracking these threats." 

Scarlet Dragon gives service members and industry partners the opportunity to test new ideas and innovations in an open and minimum-risk environment.   

"That's what I really like about Scarlet Dragon," said Army Chief Warrant Officer 4 Sean Benson, XVIII Airborne Corps senior geo-intelligence imagery technician. "It's not an exercise with defined timelines or deliverables. It's whatever we want to try to get to the outcome we need. If you have an idea and it sticks when you throw it on the wall, we'll give it a shot."

The Future of Scarlet Dragon 

With every iteration of Scarlet Dragon, the integration process is refined, and the technology improves. In the future, the Scarlet Dragon exercise series will be tied in with Fort Bragg and XVIII Airborne Corps' new Lt. Gen. James M. Gavin Joint Innovation Outpost, which will officially open Jan. 23, 2026.

"During Scarlet Dragon 26-1, the XVIII Airborne Corps and Fort Bragg held a soft opening for our new Joint Innovation Outpost, or JIOP," said Army Lt. Gen. Greg Anderson, commanding general of the XVIII Airborne Corps. "With the JIOP and our Scarlet Dragon series of exercises, we will be able to develop and test soldier-driven, rapid innovation and technical transformation while providing the Army a model to revolutionize the acquisition process. It is making us more lethal at the tactical and operational levels of war." 

The JIOP will allow soldiers to bring innovative solutions to the facility to work with civilian industry and academic partners to refine and produce new technology that can then be tested in Scarlet Dragon exercises and eventually shared across the joint force. 

In 2026, Scarlet Dragon will shift to the Indo-Pacific theater and U.S. Army Japan for its annual combined Yama Sakura exercise with the Japan Ground Self-Defense Force.

AI That Reads Minds and DNA That Stores It: How Two Breakthroughs Are Rewriting the Future of Human-Computer Interaction and Digital Memory

The continuing surge of innovation at the intersection of artificial intelligence and biotechnology reveals a future in which machines increasingly understand human behavior and biological systems become literal carriers of digital information. Two recent advances—AI models capable of predicting human decisions with high accuracy and novel DNA-based data storage technologies—highlight how science and technology are converging to reshape cognition, computation, and information preservation. These developments not only expand scientific frontiers, but also invite deep reflection on ethical, societal, and practical implications.

One of the most striking breakthroughs in artificial intelligence research of 2025 is the development of a new class of models that can simulate and predict human behavior across a wide range of contexts. Researchers at Helmholtz Munich introduced a foundation model, known as Centaur, that has been trained on millions of decision outcomes drawn from psychological experiments and can accurately anticipate how people will behave even in unfamiliar scenarios expressed in natural language. This work, documented in Nature, represents a significant step toward cognitive simulation, where a computational system begins to resemble a “virtual laboratory” for human psychology (Binz et al., 2025; see also Centaur press summary). The ability to model human behavior in this way could transform psychological research, clinical diagnostics, and the design of responsive AI systems that adapt to human needs and preferences.

The accuracy and generality of Centaur, capable of predicting reaction times and choice patterns, reflects both engineering prowess and a deeper conceptual shift in AI. Instead of narrowly optimized systems, researchers now pursue models with flexible, human-like decision frameworks (Binz et al., 2025). Such systems promise valuable insights into cognitive processes, but they also raise questions about privacy, autonomy, and manipulation. The idea that an AI could “read the room” or anticipate individual choices feeds public fascination and apprehension about surveillance and influence in domains ranging from marketing to criminal justice.

Parallel to advances in simulating human cognition, progress in data storage technologies confronts one of digital civilization’s most pressing challenges: the exponential growth of information. Traditional storage media—magnetic disks, solid-state drives, optical discs—are nearing practical limits in terms of density and long-term reliability. DNA, the molecule carrying the blueprint of life, is emerging as an alternative storage medium that could dwarf the capacity of current systems. Recent scientific reports describe DNA encoding schemes capable of holding extraordinary amounts of data, such as a “DNA cassette tape” demonstrated by researchers in China that can store hundreds of thousands of terabytes of information and could preserve it for millennia under appropriate conditions (DNA cassette tape report, 2025).

The potential of DNA for data storage derives from its inherent information density: DNA’s four-base code can compactly represent vast sequences of bits in a minuscule physical footprint. Moreover, DNA synthesis and sequencing technologies continue to improve, making DNA storage increasingly feasible for archival purposes (DNA data storage could arrive within 3–5 years). Projects like Microsoft’s DNA Storage initiative further illustrate how biotechnological engineering can embed binary information into molecular structures and retrieve it reliably, potentially enabling data preservation on scales previously unimaginable (Microsoft Research on DNA Storage).

The convergence of AI and DNA storage elucidates a broader trend in science and technology: the blending of computational and biological paradigms. AI’s sophisticated pattern recognition and predictive capabilities enhance our understanding of complex systems—including the human brain—while biological molecules like DNA offer new substrates for computation and memory. Both domains challenge conventional boundaries: AI that mirrors cognitive processes, and storage media that leverage life’s fundamental chemistry to encode human culture.

However, these advances also necessitate careful ethical, social, and policy frameworks. As AI systems approach human-like predictive capacities, concerns about consent, bias, and accountability intensify. Similarly, the adoption of DNA as a digital storage medium will require rigorous standards for data integrity, error correction, and environmental impacts of synthesis and sequencing. The nascent technologies of AI cognition modeling and DNA storage, while promising, should be guided by interdisciplinary collaboration that includes not just engineers and scientists, but ethicists, regulators, and the public.

In conclusion, the remarkable progress in AI models that simulate human decisions and in DNA-based data storage underscores a moment of transformation in how humans interact with information and machines. These innovations herald powerful new tools for understanding and preserving both human behavior and digital memory, but they also demand thoughtful stewardship to ensure that their deployment enhances human flourishing rather than undermines it.

References

Binz, M., Schulz, E., et al. (2025). A foundation model to predict and capture human cognition. Nature. DocType: Article.

Centaur press summary. (2025, July). AI that thinks like us—and could help explain how we think. Helmholtz Munich Press Release.

DNA cassette tape can store massive data. (2025, December). Live Science.

DNA data storage could arrive within 3–5 years. (2025, September). Future Timeline report.

Microsoft Research. (n.d.). DNA Storage project overview. Microsoft Research.

Innovation Lab Turns Ideas Into Warfighter Solutions in Days, Not Months

Dec. 15, 2025 | By Ryan Figueroa, Naval Air Warfare Center Weapons Division |

Contractors quoted Naval Air Warfare Center Weapons Division mechanical engineer Vincent Malpaya $2,500 per unit to manufacture a switch matrix for rocket testing, and he needed 10 of them.

Instead of waiting months and paying tens of thousands of dollars, he built the part himself in the warfare center's Innovation Lab at Naval Air Weapons Station China Lake, California, for 20 cents per unit. The savings helped keep the project on track and supported the fleet's test schedule.

For Malpaya and many others, solving problems fast is part of the job. The lab gives them the tools and space to do it. 

"I'm working on this gimbal," Malpaya said during a recent visit, shaping his design on a computer screen. 

Stories like his highlight how the lab strengthens readiness across the command. Employees can design, build and test ideas sooner, which helps deliver capability to the warfighter faster. 

The warfare center operates two innovation labs, one at China Lake, and one at Naval Air Station Point Mugu, California. Both sites offer the same equipment and training, and employees can use either location. Shared access reduces wait times and helps teams working across both installations keep projects moving without delay. 

Fast Solutions for Real Problems 

For some projects, speed is the only way to meet the mission. 

In an approach called rapid prototyping, the Innovation Lab uses 3D printers, laser cutters and computer numerical control machines to help teams build prototypes in days instead of months. 

"We're just trying to cut down a lot of lead time," said Kevin Hughes, the Innovation Lab manager at Point Mugu.

Drew Hines, an engineer working with range support aircraft, faced that challenge firsthand. 

His team needed to mount new equipment on a KC-130 Hercules refueling aircraft to support a scheduled test event in Australia, but the technical documentation was incomplete. Some dimensions were missing. Others were wrong. 

Sending a flawed design to an outside machine shop would have cost thousands of dollars and weeks of time. Instead, Hines and his coworker, Sam Newcomer, used the lab to 3D scan the equipment, design a mounting plate and cut a prototype from plywood. When the patterns did not line up, they made corrections for pennies. 

"The flexibility to make something new, adjust it, test it, find a mistake, fix it and still support the mission is what justifies having this place," Hines said. 

Building Skills That Support the Mission 

From saving thousands of dollars on test equipment to solving problems on tight schedules, the Innovation Lab helps the warfare center deliver capabilities at the speed of relevance. 

For Malpaya, the lab has already made a measurable impact. He can now print a gimbal mount for a weapons system he is supporting. 

Hughes said the lab represents what he values most about working in defense. 

"I'm doing something for the service, for the warfighter," Hughes said, adding that faster solutions mean test events stay on track and capability reaches the fleet sooner. 

Romance Didn’t Ghost You. The Algorithm Just Optimized You Out

Romance did not disappear overnight. It was not betrayed by technology, nor replaced by cynicism. It was quietly deprioritized. Somewhere between your profile photo and your last unanswered message, an algorithm ran a calculation and decided your presence no longer improved engagement metrics. You weren’t rejected. You were optimized out.

Artificial intelligence now sits at the center of modern dating, not as a tool, but as an invisible arbiter of human connection. It decides who is seen, who is suggested, who is delayed, and who quietly fades from view. What feels like personal failure is often systemic design. What feels like rejection is frequently automation.

To understand what AI has done to romance, we must look beyond convenience and confront consequence.

Ubiquity Without Awareness

AI is not an optional feature of online dating; it is the architecture. Every swipe, match, pause, and message trains the system. Machine learning models rank desirability, predict response likelihood, and curate visibility in real time. Yet users are never shown the rules. They experience outcomes without explanations, patterns without transparency.

This asymmetry matters. When people don’t understand the system judging them, they internalize its verdicts. A lack of matches becomes self-doubt. Silence becomes unworthiness. The algorithm’s silence feels personal—even when it is not.

A National Experiment in Pairing

At scale, AI-driven dating is no longer private. It influences marriage rates, birthrates, class mobility, and social cohesion. When algorithms reward similarity and familiarity, they reinforce existing divisions—racial, economic, ideological. When they reward engagement over fulfillment, they extend searching instead of resolving it.

This is not neutral matchmaking. It is a quiet national experiment in how intimacy is distributed, delayed, or denied. Over time, those patterns harden into norms, and norms reshape culture.

Emotional Costs Hidden in Code

Dating has always involved vulnerability, but AI compresses emotional highs and lows into rapid cycles. A match arrives instantly. Disappears instantly. Reappears never. The nervous system never catches up.

Ghosting, once a personal failing, becomes a structural feature. The system rewards novelty, abundance, and optionality. Closure has no economic value. Lingering dissatisfaction does. Emotional exhaustion is not a bug—it is a byproduct.

People leave these platforms not heartbroken, but hollow. Not rejected, but replaceable.

Romance as an Optimization Problem

AI reframes love as a solvable equation. Preferences become filters. Compatibility becomes probability. Desire becomes data. The mystery that once defined romance is flattened into metrics that can be tested, tweaked, and monetized.

Users learn quickly. They adjust photos, bios, tone, even personality to please the machine. Authenticity gives way to performance. Dating becomes less about being known and more about being selected.

In the process, people stop asking whether they like someone—and start asking whether the algorithm will.

Cultural Virality and Quiet Damage

The cultural conversation is already here. Memes joke about being “algorithmically unattractive.” Podcasts chronicle dating burnout. Articles lament the death of romance while ignoring the machinery behind it.

AI dating thrives in this contradiction: publicly mocked, privately relied upon. It has become the dominant gateway to intimacy while simultaneously eroding faith in it.

The Long Horizon

AI is not done with dating. Voice analysis, behavioral prediction, emotional modeling, and synthetic companionship are already emerging. The future will not ask whether AI belongs in romance—it will assume it does.

The real question is whether humans will retain agency, discernment, and patience in a system designed to remove friction, even when friction is where meaning lives.

The Moral Reckoning

Romance cannot survive on optimization alone. Love requires inefficiency. Misjudgment. Waiting. Risk. AI has no incentive to protect these qualities unless humans demand it.

The danger is not that machines will choose our partners. The danger is that we will accept their choices without reflection—mistaking convenience for wisdom and visibility for value.

Romance did not ghost us. We allowed it to be quietly deprioritized.

And if love is to remain human, then humans must once again insist on choosing—even when the algorithm suggests otherwise.

Army Experts Team With European Partners on Arctic Nutrition Research

Dec. 11, 2025 | By Katie Lange, Pentagon News |

As the U.S. military and its adversaries shift focus to the Arctic, working with partner nations in cold-weather regions to make sure our warfighters can survive those extremes has never been more important.

Over the past decade, the U.S. Army Research Institute of Environmental Medicine's Military Nutrition Division has collaborated with the Norwegian Defense Research Establishment, known as FFI, to conduct research on nutrition that service members need to be productive in extreme cold.

One of the division's primary roles is to go into the field with warfighters during operations and training activities to better understand their physiological requirements. Since Norwegian military personnel often train in the Arctic, USARIEM researchers have, on several occasions, joined FFI on those missions to collect data.

"We've been there to study energy demands and warfighter eating behavior," said Dr. James McClung, the Military Nutrition Division chief. "[In extreme cold], there's a significant reduction in the physiological cue to eat, even though adequate nutrition is required."

Over the course of more than a decade, an MND team conducted four studies in the Arctic on warfighter nutritional health "to better understand individual differences, whether those be sex, body composition or other factors on energy metabolism in the cold," McClung said.

In 2013, MND and FFI researchers evaluated the physical and biological functions of various volunteer warfighters. They followed that in 2015, 2022 and 2025 with studies that required soldiers to test various prototypes of supplemental snack bars; a few of the studies were conducted within the Arctic Circle.

"During these training exercises, they move very far on skis carrying a lot of weight," said Dr. Emily Howard, an MND nutrition physiologist who took part in the Norway studies. "The best part … is seeing the things we study here being implemented in person. You can actually see what they're consuming in that environment, how they're consuming it and gaining some additional insight."

If researchers observed various effects on the soldiers, such as negative energy balance — when a person can't eat enough to maintain their performance — they worked to adjust the nutrition in the rations they were receiving to overcome those problems.

The research, which has been years in the making, helped to inform a more energy-dense ration known as the close combat assault ration, which recently replaced the first strike ration for U.S. combat troops.

FFI researchers have also joined MND experts in studies at the labs in Natick, Massachusetts.

"It's been a very productive collaboration, one that allows us to answer really important questions for the warfighter," Howard said.

Dietary Supplements

The division has also worked with partner nations on dietary supplement research after NATO formed a research task group in 2021 to study their use in military personnel across the U.S., France, the United Kingdom and Slovenia.

"One of the primary findings [in a recent study] is that dietary supplement use is greater in military personnel as compared to civilians," McClung said. "In fact, across the nations, on average, more than 60% of warfighters utilize dietary supplements."

According to the study, service members' reasons for using dietary supplements were also different than civilians, with military personnel mostly using them for recovery and to maintain physical and cognitive performance and body composition standards.

"Items like protein and amino acids are very popular [among military personnel], whereas in civilian communities, the use of multivitamin-type supplements for health and well-being are more common," McClung said.

In the U.S., dietary supplements aren't regulated in the same way as pharmaceuticals, so there's no system for determining whether the ingredients on a product label are actually in the product. To better protect warfighters from harmful substances, the War Department has a dietary supplement and substance program called Operation Supplement Safety. The program recommends third-party certification, which verifies the contents of dietary supplements to ensure the labels match what's in the product and that it's free of contaminants.

McClung said USARIEM also developed a survey tool that the NATO community has agreed to use once it's translated across nations. It will help share data as they work to better understand dietary supplement use.

Standardizing Physiological Requirements

USARIEM is also part of a NATO agreement to standardize warfighter physiological requirements across its nations. The agreement is akin to a cross-nation version of the departmentwide Army Regulation 40-25, which outlines nutrition requirements for combat rations and garrison feeding. It allows U.S. meals, ready-to-eat rations and other rations to be used by partner nations during NATO activities, and vice versa.

McClung noted that there's been discussion with NATO partners about using a product like the performance readiness bar to limit stress fractures in new recruits.

"Stress fractures are very common injuries in basic combat training and can result in injury to 7[%] to 20% of our recruits," he said. "NATO partner nations also experience elevated rates of stress fracture during basic combat training."

A standardization agreement is also under development for garrison feeding, which, during NATO operations, is often provided by the host nation. However, cultural differences can mean that warfighters may not always like the food they're being provided, which can lead them to consume less energy than what's required to perform appropriately.

"These types of standardization agreements are really critical in that we're assuring we can provide … the nutritional requirements of our American and partner warfighters," McClung said. "We continue to meet on a regular basis to incorporate new research findings into the requirements."

The War Department Unleashes AI on New GenAI.mil Platform

Dec. 9, 2025     

The War Department today announced the launch of Google Cloud's Gemini for Government as the first of several frontier AI capabilities to be housed on GenAI.mil, the Department's new bespoke AI platform. This initiative cultivates an "AI-first" workforce, leveraging generative AI capabilities to create a more efficient and battle-ready enterprise. Additional world-class AI models will be available to all civilians, contractors, and military personnel, delivering on the White House's AI Action Plan announced earlier this year.

This past July, President Donald Trump instituted a mandate to achieve an unprecedented level of AI technological superiority. The War Department is delivering on this mandate, ensuring it is not just ink on paper. In response to this directive, AI capabilities have now reached all desktops in the Pentagon and in American military installations around the world.

The first instance on GenAI.mil, Gemini for Government, empowers intelligent agentic workflows, unleashes experimentation, and ushers in an AI-driven culture change that will dominate the digital battlefield for years to come. Gemini for Government is the embodiment of American AI excellence, placing unmatched analytical and creative power directly into the hands of the world's most dominant fighting force.

"There is no prize for second place in the global race for AI dominance," said Emil Michael, Under Secretary of War for Research and Engineering. "We are moving rapidly to deploy powerful AI capabilities like Gemini for Government directly to our workforce. AI is America's next Manifest Destiny, and we're ensuring that we dominate this new frontier."

The launch of GenAI.mil stands as a testament to American ingenuity, driven by the AI Rapid Capabilities Cell within the War Department's Office of Research & Engineering. Their achievement directly embodies the Department's core tenets of reviving the warrior ethos, rebuilding American military capabilities, and re-establishing deterrence through technological dominance and uncompromising grit.

"We are pushing all of our chips in on artificial intelligence as a fighting force. The Department is tapping into America's commercial genius, and we're embedding generative AI into our daily battle rhythm." Secretary of War Pete Hegseth remarked, "AI tools present boundless opportunities to increase efficiency, and we are thrilled to witness AI's future positive impact across the War Department."

The Department is providing no-cost training for GenAI.mil to all DoW employees. Training sessions are designed to build confidence in using AI and give personnel the education needed to realize its full potential. Security is paramount, and all tools on GenAI.mil are certified for Controlled Unclassified Information (CUI) and Impact Level 5 (IL5), making them secure for operational use. Gemini for Government provides an edge through natural language conversation, retrieval-augmented generation (RAG), and is web-grounded against Google Search to ensure outputs are reliable and dramatically reduces the risk of AI hallucinations.

GenAI.mil is another building block in America's AI revolution. The War Department is unleashing a new era of operational dominance, where every warfighter wields frontier AI as a force multiplier. The release of GenAI.mil is an indispensable strategic imperative for our fighting force, further establishing the United States as the global leader in AI.

Navy Successfully Removes USS Arizona Platform Concrete

Dec. 4, 2025 

The Navy, in coordination with the Pearl Harbor National Memorial, successfully completed the removal of significant portions of two World War II-era mooring platforms from the USS Arizona at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, Oct. 3. 

The Navy Mobile Diving and Salvage Unit 1, advised by the Navy's Supervisor of Salvage and Diving and supported by local contractors, removed the majority of the 80-year-old concrete platforms in a month's time.

At the completion of the project, the team effectively reduced the weight bearing on the Arizona's deck with only minimal portions remaining on both platforms to avoid disturbance or damage to the structure of the ship, including features of the ship that are believed to be embedded in the concrete.

The Navy began these salvage operations Sept. 3, after two years of thorough planning, analysis and preparation with stakeholders to ensure compliance with relevant laws, regulations and policies. Navy staff prioritized operational safety and adherence to environmental best management practices while fully respecting the ship's sacred status as a war grave. 

"I'm very proud of the combined team," said Navy Capt. Lee Shannon, commander of Task Force Arizona. "A great deal of effort from dozens of subject matter experts, both on and off the water, resulted in a successful salvage operation, which included [crews] working 12 to 14 hours every day to complete the [mission]."

The two platforms, estimated to have a combined weight of more than 150 tons, were originally erected to aid in the salvage of guns and munitions from the Pennsylvania-class battleship after the Dec. 7, 1941, attack on Pearl Harbor that marked the beginning of the United States' involvement in World War II.

With the aid of a crane barge and a diamond wire saw, the sailors, War Department civilians and contractors safely removed the concrete portions. Salvage unit sailors methodically made cuts in the concrete, and contractors used the crane to lift the concrete segments from Pearl Harbor onto the barge. 

"Our No. 1 priority was to protect the USS Arizona for the future," said Navy Cmdr. Matthew Englehart, U.S. Pacific Fleet diving and salvage officer. "As the ship's historic structure continues to age, the sheer weight of these concrete platforms posed a significant threat of collapsing through the decks. This proactive operation successfully removed over 100 tons of that burden, relieving the stress on the memorial and preserving its integrity while honoring the sanctity of the site. It was a privilege to lead this effort and safeguard this vital piece of American history."

Bill Manley, Navy Region Hawaii environmental director, said preserving and protecting the USS Arizona, while also preventing harm to the environment, were the Navy's top priorities throughout the platform removal process.

"Navy experts in marine resources, water quality, historic preservation and environmental review worked closely to provide proactive, comprehensive support to ensure the operation's success," he said.

The USS Arizona Memorial is located in Pearl Harbor and marks the resting place of more than 900 sailors and Marines killed aboard the ship during the attack, as well as survivors of the attack who were later laid to rest there. The memorial, built in 1962, is accessible only by boat and rests above the sunken remains of the battleship. Since 1980, the National Park Service has managed the memorial.

War Department Asks Industry to Make More Than 300K Drones, Quickly, Cheaply

Dec. 2, 2025 | By C. Todd Lopez, Pentagon News |

The War Department requested information earlier this week to gauge industry's willingness and ability to make some 300,000 drones quickly and inexpensively — a concrete effort by Secretary of War Pete Hegseth to directly meet the "drone dominance" goals laid out by the president. 

On June 6, President Donald J. Trump signed the "Unleashing American Drone Dominance" executive order outlining how the United States would up its drone game in both the commercial and military sectors, including how it would deliver massive amounts of inexpensive, American-made, lethal drones to U.S. military units to amplify their combat capabilities. 

Hegseth followed up in July with the "Unleashing U.S. Military Drone Dominance" memorandum, in which he laid out his plan for how the department would meet the president's intent. 

Part of the secretary's plan included participating with other parts of government in building up the nascent U.S. drone manufacturing base by approving hundreds of American products for purchase by the department, powering a "technological leapfrog" by arming combat units with the very best of low-cost American-made drones, and finally, training as the department expects to fight. 

"Next year I expect to see [drone] capability integrated into all relevant combat training, including force-on-force drone wars," the secretary said. 

At that time, Hegseth said, he had already advanced American drone dominance by stripping away regulations that hindered the military's adoption of small drones and shifting the necessary authorities away from the department's bureaucracy and into the hands of unit commanders. 

"This was the first step in the urgent effort to boost lethality across the force," Hegseth said in a video posted today to social media. 

Now the War Department is moving out in a new way on the drone dominance initiative, Hegseth said. 

"The second step is to kickstart U.S. industrial capacity and reduce prices, so our military can adequately budget for unmanned weapons," the secretary said. 

He noted that, with help from Congress, the department will initially focus on small attack drones. 

"Drone dominance is a billion-dollar program funded by President Trump's Big Beautiful Bill," Hegseth said. "It is purpose-built on the pillars of the War Department's new acquisition philosophy: a stable demand signal to expand the U.S. drone industrial base by leveraging private capital, paired with flexible contracting built for commercial companies, founded by our best engineers and entrepreneurs." 

A stable demand signal means the War Department will make concrete plans to buy lots of drones, on a regular schedule, over a long period of time. When that happens, American industry will step up to the plate to satisfy the department's needs, including by investing in and building out its own capacity to produce in the long term. 

The request for information released to industry this week spells out a plan that'll begin early next year, when the department will, over the course of two years, and within four phases, offer $1 billion to industry to build a large number of small unmanned aerial systems capable of conducting one-way attack missions. 

The first of those four phases, called "gauntlets," runs from February to July 2026. During that time, 12 vendors will be asked to collectively produce 30,000 drones at a cost of $5,000 per unit, for a total of $150 million in department outlays. 

Over the course of the next three gauntlets, the number of vendors will go down from 12 to five, the number of drones ordered will increase from 30,000 to 150,000, and the price per drone will drop from $5,000 to $2,300. 

"Drone dominance will do two things: drive costs down and capabilities up," Hegseth said. "We will deliver tens of thousands of small drones to our force in 2026, and hundreds of thousands of them by 2027." 

Through the drone dominance program, $1 billion from the Big Beautiful Bill will fund the manufacture of approximately 340,000 small UASs for combat units over the course of two years. 

After that, it's expected that American industry's interest in building drones as a result of the program will have strengthened supply chains and manufacturing capacity to the point that the military will be able to afford to buy the drones it wants, in the quantity it wants, at a price it wants, through regular budgeting. 

Equipment is only part of the game, the secretary said. Doctrine — how the warfighter fights — is also critical. 

"I will soon be meeting with the military services to discuss transformational changes in warfighting doctrine," Hegseth said. "We need to outfit our combat units with unmanned systems at scale. We cannot wait. The funding provided by the Big Beautiful Bill is ready to be used to mount an effective sprint to build combat power. At the Department of War, we are adopting new technologies with a 'fight tonight' philosophy — so that our warfighters have the cutting-edge tools they need to prevail." 

Following the end of the Cold War, Hegseth said, U.S. defense spending dropped precipitously, and as a result, there was also a consolidation of defense contractors from hundreds to just dozens. The department, he said, budgeted for quality rather than quantity — and for 30 years got what it needed. 

"However, we now find ourselves in a new era," he said. "An era of cheap, disposable battlefield drones. We cannot be left behind — we must invest in inexpensive, unmanned platforms that have proved so effective." 

Drone dominance, he said, is how the U.S. will meet the drone challenge posed by other nations. 

"One of my priorities is rebuilding our military," Hegseth said. "We can't do that by doing business the same way we have in the past. We cannot afford to shoot down cheap drones with $2 million missiles. And we ourselves must be able to field large quantities of capable attack drones."