Jon Harper

Jon Harper is Managing Editor of DefenseScoop, the Scoop News Group’s online publication focused on the Pentagon and its pursuit of new capabilities. He leads an award-winning team of journalists in providing breaking news and in-depth analysis on military technology and the ways in which it is shaping how the Defense Department operates and modernizes. You can also follow him on X (the social media platform formerly known as Twitter) @Jon_Harper_

Articles by Author

NATO flag (Getty Images)

10 vendors move into next phase of NATO tech accelerator program

Emerging Tech

An Autonomous Low-Profile Vessel stands by at the Del Mar Boat Basin as part of Project Convergence Capstone Four, Feb. 23, 2024 at Camp Pendleton, CA. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Kevin Ray J. Salvador)

Marine expeditionary force to get autonomous ‘narco boat’ for experimentation

Weapons

U.S. Air Force Capt. Joe McArdel, 171st Air Refueling Squadron pilot, starts the engines on a KC-135 Startotanker at the start of a mission in support of the Global Information Dominance Experiment 3 and the Architecture Demonstration and Evaluation 5 event at Selfridge National Guard Base, Harrison Township, Michigan, July, 16, 2021. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Sean Carnes)

Pentagon accepting video pitches from vendors looking to gain access to CJADC2 enterprise

AI

U.S. Marine Corps Lance Cpl. Amado Saltosandrade, left, radio operator, and Lance Cpl. Miguel Alfaro, Right, electronics maintenance repairer, with the 3d Littoral Combat Team, 3d Marine Littoral Regiment set up the Marine Corps Wideband Satellite during the establishment of the 3d LCT command and control node at Marine Corps Base Hawaii, Oct. 25, 2022. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Lance Cpl. Cody Purcell)

Marine commandant’s new planning guidance emphasizes C2 investments

Tech

(AeroVironment image)

Army, AeroVironment ink nearly $1B contract for Switchblade killer drones

Weapons

(DIU image)

DIU wants to buy generative AI tech for Thunderforge initiative

AI

U.S. Marine Corps Lance Cpl. Connor Reddy, low altitude air defense (LAAD) gunner, 3rd LAAD Battalion, 3rd Marine Division, scouts the area during Integrated Training Exercise (ITX) 2-19 at Range 220 on Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center, Twentynine Palms, Calif., Jan. 26, 2019. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Lance Cpl. Colton Brownlee)

Marines searching for AI-enabled sensors to detect and track unmanned systems, other targets

AI

A U.S. Air Force Academy cadet wears a Task Force 99 patch at Al Udeid Air Base, Qatar, June 22, 2023. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Jennifer Zima)

Air Force preparing to buy new long-endurance drones for Task Force 99 in Middle East

Tech

A digital map of the earth (Getty Images)

SDA adds new prime vendor for proliferated warfighter architecture

Space