Jon Harper

Jon Harper is Editor-in-Chief of DefenseScoop. 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: @Jon_Harper_

Articles by Author

An artist’s rendering of the forthcoming B-21 Raider. (Northrop Grumman)

Air Force, Northrop Grumman slated to unveil new B-21 stealth bomber in early December

Weapons

The Variable In-flight Simulator Aircraft (VISTA) flies in the skies over Edwards Air Force Base, California, shortly after receiving its new paint scheme in early 2019. The aircraft was redesignated from NF-16D to the X-62A, June 14, 2021. F-16 AI agents developed under DARPA’s Air Combat Evolution (ACE) program controlled the X-62A during test flights over Edwards AFB, California, in December 2022. (Air Force photo by Christian Turner)

X-62 aircraft is ‘booked solid’ as a flying testbed for autonomy technology

AI

Then Lt. Gen. Ken Wilsbach, smiles in his F-22 Raptor before his final flight as commander of the Alaskan Command, Alaskan North American Aerospace Defense Region and Eleventh Air Force, at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, Alaska, Aug. 20, 2018. (U.S. Air Force photo by Alejandro Peña)

Pacific Air Forces working through operating concepts for robotic wingmen

Weapons

Space Development Agency Director Derek Tournear is interviewed by DefenseScoop Managing Editor Jon Harper at DefenseTalks, Sept. 15, 2022.

SDA’s new on-orbit testbed will experiment with alternative PNT technology, other capabilities

Space

U.S. Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. CQ Brown, Jr., speaks with Air Chief Marshal Sir Mike Wigston, Royal Air Force Chief of the Air Staff, during a trilateral meeting that also included Gen. Stéphane Mille, French Air and Space Force Chief of Staff, at RAF Fairford, England, July 15, 2022. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Eugene Oliver)

Air Force eyeing potential allied contributions of robotic wingmen

Emerging Tech

William LaPlante speaks during a fireside chat at DefenseTalks 2022. (DefenseScoop)

Pentagon aiming to buy hypersonic missiles for $5M-10M per round

Emerging Tech

A Seahawk medium displacement unmanned surface vessel participates in U.S. Pacific Fleet’s Unmanned Systems Integrated Battle Problem (UxS IBP) 21, April 21. (U.S. Navy photo by Chief Mass Communication Specialist Shannon Renfroe)

Navy working to prevent unmanned shipbuilders from monopolizing software integration

AI

OSD moving to corral the military services for JADC2

AI

Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition and Sustainment William LaPlante holds a press brief at the Pentagon, May 6, 2022. (DoD Photo by U.S. Navy Petty Officer 2nd Class James K. Lee)

Pentagon acquisition chief optimistic — but not certain — that hypersonics will transition into production soon

Emerging Tech