Early Bird Brief

Early Bird Brief

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The Early Bird Brief is brought to you each weekday morning by Defense News and Military Times, the most trusted, nonpartisan sources for news about the military and defense worlds.

Defense News


    • Mar 29, 2024 LATEST EPISODE
    • weekdays NEW EPISODES
    • 12m AVG DURATION
    • 195 EPISODES


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    Latest episodes from Early Bird Brief

    Senior military leader calms fears over aid operation off Gaza coast

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 29, 2024 8:14


    Some Republican lawmakers, though, remain skeptical. 

    Russia, Iran military partnership rears its head with drones in Ukraine

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 28, 2024 8:27


    The assessment comes from a U.S. Central Command report.

    Coast Guard conducts search and research mission after Baltimore bridge collapse

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 27, 2024 11:29


    The Associated Press reported that six construction workers are presumed dead from the accident. 

    House China Committee gets new leader as Gallagher exits

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 26, 2024 11:18


    Gallagher's previous efforts included legislation over the social media site TikTok -- and efforts to force the company to become American-owned for national security reasons. 

    Marine wargames offer a look at the future — and fuel dissent

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 25, 2024 11:28


    Marine Corps reporter Irene Loewenson breaks down how wargames are fueling strategic choices in the service. 

    March Madness…of defense spending

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 22, 2024 13:07


    Congress released the nearly six-month late defense budget yesterday. 

    North Korea drone tech may present challenge in Asia

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 21, 2024 8:15


    Adm. John Aquilino testified before the House Armed Services Committee yesterday.

    In effort to deter China, U.S. military wishlist triples in size

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 20, 2024 11:15


    The wishlist comes as China's actions grow more aggressive in the region.

    One key senator eyes troop pay raises, increased funds for military housing

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 19, 2024 10:34


    Sen. Reed leads the Senate Armed Services Committee. 

    Nearly $1 trillion defense budget faces scrutiny both for being too large and falling short

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 18, 2024 17:57


    That figure is drawing criticism both for being too large and for falling short.

    Military was slow to process COVID vaccine waivers, watchdog says

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 15, 2024 9:52


    The Army and the Air Force routinely overran deadlines, the report said.

    House passes TikTok ban in bipartisan vote

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 14, 2024 12:21


    President Joe Biden said he would sign the bill into law if it passes the Senate. 

    Another round of Army ships deploy for humanitarian mission off the coast of Gaza Strip

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 13, 2024 9:56


    Four additional Army vessels shipped out to the Mediterranean, as U.S. airdrops of aid continue. 

    Pentagon releases its fiscal year 2025 budget

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 12, 2024 14:07


    This comes as Congress is approaching six months of continuing resolutions for fiscal year 2024.

    How Military Times discovered high tanker suicide rates

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 11, 2024 28:10


    Army Times reporter Davis Winkie breaks down how Freedom of Information Act requests shed light on the high rates of suicide for tankers. 

    State of the Union: Biden outlines military operation to build port in Gaza for aid

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 8, 2024 8:13


    The biggest national security headlines from Biden's 2024 State of the Union speech.

    Sweden joins NATO, ending the country's post-WWII neutrality

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 8, 2024 10:58


    Sweden formally joined NATO as the 32nd member of the transatlantic military alliance.

    First fatalities confirmed in Red Sea attacks by Iran-backed Houthis

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 7, 2024 8:42


    The Barbados-flagged ship was abandoned, with two crew members dead and six wounded.

    “Alarming” percentage of vets, troops accept conspiracy theories: Military Times survey

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 6, 2024 12:41


    Survey participants were quizzed on their ability to differentiate between reliable and unreliable information.

    US sends aid to Gaza as Harris calls for ceasefire

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 5, 2024 9:21


    The U.S. airdrop over the weekend is expected to be the first of many.

    Navy leaders see power evolution with information warfare

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 4, 2024 8:34


    "We are in the middle of another epochal change,” Adm. Samuel Paparo recently said.

    Lawmakers grill Lloyd Austin over hospitalization

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 1, 2024 10:27


    Austin was hospitalized on Jan. 1 after complications from a surgery for prostate cancer.

    Mitch McConnell, staunch Ukraine advocate, to step down as Senate Republican leader

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 29, 2024 9:29


    McConnell is the longest serving leader in the Senate's history.

    Mental health outreach efforts need more focus on women vets: report

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 28, 2024 8:36


    Female veterans account for nearly 10% of veterans in the VA system. 

    Pentagon releases review on Austin's hushed-up hospitalization

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 27, 2024 10:43


    The review comes days before Austin is set to testify before Congress on the incident.

    Pentagon wants industry to transform to meet demands for wars in Ukraine, Israel

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 26, 2024 13:16


    The Pentagon's new defense-industrial strategy calls for “generational” investment in the industrial base.

    Navy chief charged with spying for foreign government

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 23, 2024 10:33


    Chief Fire Controlman Bryce Steven Pedicini faces eight espionage charge specifications for alleged crimes that occurred between November 2022 and May.

    Inside the Navy's quest to fix the recruiting crisis

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 22, 2024 10:58


    Navy leaders hope to reverse a troubling trend that culminated in the service falling well short of its annual recruiting goal for the first time

    Pentagon confirms Iran-backed Houthi rebels shot down a US drone

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 21, 2024 8:11


    The drone-downing is only the latest in a string of attacks on the shipping lanes in the Red Sea vital to the global economy. 

    From Red Sea to Ukraine, use of missile defense batteries increases

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 20, 2024 14:37


    Reporter Jen Judson and analyst Tom Karako discuss growing worldwide air and missile defense activity from Patriot batteries in Ukraine to persistent Red Sea attacks to what might be needed to prevent another Tower 22-like attack.

    Air Force unveils sweeping changes, Navy secretary vows to hold contractors accountable

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 20, 2024 12:37


    An update on the major announcements from the Air and Space Forces Association's Air Warfare Symposium and the Navy's West 2024 conference.

    Biden admin urges calm over Russian space weapon threat

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 16, 2024 9:40


    The weapon has yet to be launched into space, an administration official said. 

    Lawmakers say VA leader ignored sexual harassment charges

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 15, 2024 9:33


    The agency has already given 50,000 documents to lawmakers that pertain to the allegations and their handling.

    Senate passes Ukraine, Taiwan military aid, House vote uncertain

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 14, 2024 11:53


    House Speaker Mike Johnson called the previous version of the supplemental "dead on arrival" after it was released. 

    Biden criticizes Trump over encouraging Russian invasion of NATO

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 13, 2024 8:18


    The former president also attacked his sole primary challenger about her husband's tour of duty in Africa.

    Lessons and mistakes on a B-52 bomber training flight

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 12, 2024 15:26


    Defense News air warfare reporter Stephen Losey joins a B-52 crew to experience a training run aboard the aircraft with decades-old hardware.

    How the Air Force is prepping to fly century-old bombers

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 12, 2024 13:28


    It comes amid the most sweeping revamp of the U.S. bomber fleet in more than a generation.

    Five Marines declared dead in helicopter crash

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 9, 2024 10:45


    The crash occurred east of San Diego in California.

    Senior militia leader killed in U.S. airstrike

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 8, 2024 8:29


    The strike comes after three U.S. service members were killed by a drone in Jordan last month. 

    Rep. Gonzales wants more Ukraine aid, sees bigger role for military intelligence at southern border

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 7, 2024 25:13


    In an Early Bird Brief special episode, Rep. Tony Gonzales joins the podcast to talk about Ukraine military aid, the Israel-Hamas War, military pay issues and border security. 

    After fatal Jordan attack, Pentagon weighs base safety

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 7, 2024 11:01


    The Pentagon said that no plans are underway to pull troops out of the Middle East. 

    Ukraine military aid, border security bill in limbo

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 6, 2024 11:55


    Today, a Senate agreement on Ukraine military aid and immigration reform at the U.S.-Mexico border is released. 

    The Pentagon says it's trying not to open a wider Middle East war

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 5, 2024 9:42


    A discussion with Military Times Pentagon Bureau Chief Meghann Myers for an update on the rise of attacks against American forces in the Middle East.

    Biden administration approves drone sale to India as China military threat grows

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 2, 2024 10:03


    Today, Capitol Hill reporter Bryant Harris joins the episode to discuss a recent drone sale to India. 

    Tensions over the migrant crisis swell at the border and on Capitol Hill

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 1, 2024 15:34


    Today, Military Veterans in Journalism Fellow Nikki Wentling breaks down tensions at the southern border between the Texas National Guard and federal government. 

    Pentagon not taking Iran-backed militia pause declaration seriously

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 31, 2024 10:16


    The attack in Jordan took the lives of three soldiers. 

    Drone that killed three US troops reportedly mistaken as friendly

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 30, 2024 6:49


    Today, more information is revealed about the drone that killed three U.S. service members in Jordan, near the Syrian border. 

    Amid Red Sea clashes, Navy leaders ask: Where are our ship lasers?

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 29, 2024 13:36


    Today, Naval warfare reporter Megan Eckstein and C4ISRNET reporter Colin Demarest discuss the Navy's operations in the Red Sea -- and the service's desire for ship lasers. 

    Border crisis pits National Guard against feds in Supreme Court ruling

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 26, 2024 13:00


    Texas National Guard soldiers are still erecting border wire — and some Republicans are calling on Texas Gov. Greg Abbott to defy the Supreme Court.

    Houthi rebels and US airstrikes: How do war powers work?

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 25, 2024 11:32


    Today, Capitol Hill reporter Bryant Harris dives into the world of presidential war powers -- and how sometimes Congress tries to reign them in. 

    The Pentagon is out of money for Ukraine

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 24, 2024 7:58


    The U.S. is looking to allies to keep bridging the gap.

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