Lee Ferran

“It’s a magical world, Hobbes, ol’ buddy. Let’s go exploring.” managing ed @BreakingDefense, fmr @abc. lferran(at)breakingmedia(dot)com

[Elisabeth Gosselin-Malo @elisabethmalom1]

Latest: #US soldiers are learning to recognize different types of drones by their distinct, buzz-like noises to better identify them during patrols, drawing lessons from the #Ukrainian battlefield. 🧵
https://t.co/aUPWqJI7JH

[Natasha Bertrand @NatashaBertrand]

Prior to publication of this story, CNN presented the CIA with extensive details of its reporting. The CIA declined to comment. After publication, CIA spokesperson Liz Lyons released a statement to CNN saying, “This is false and salacious reporting that serves as nothing more than a PR campaign for the cartels and puts American lives at risk,” without specifying what aspect of the reporting is false.
https://t.co/TLvK5cTEFr

[Breaking Defense @BreakingDefense]

Buoyed by European rearmament boost, global military spending jumps to $2.89 trillion https://t.co/00T7ieURm2

[Breaking Defense @BreakingDefense]

Navy’s MQ-25 Stingray carrier drone completes first test flight https://t.co/A1ki48IgrA

[Breaking Defense @BreakingDefense]

Buoyed by European rearmament boost, global military spending jumps to $2.89 trillion https://t.co/CUlESp4pWJ

[Kristin Brown @kristincbrown]

This badass went from running the dinner to leading the questions from the briefing room. @weijia you are just the best.

[Lee Ferran @leeferran]

RT @alaynatreene: POTUS says his view currently is that the shooter was acting as “a lone wolf”

He so far has avoided discussing the shoot…

[Idrees Ali @idreesali114]

The job of the Pentagon press corps, like all reporters, is to report accurately (which is exactly what is happening) and not cheerlead U.S. military operations.

[Aaron Mehta @AaronMehta]

Tonight a judge ruled that the Pentagon's policy on press access "contravenes both the First and Fifth Amendments."

Our statement:

[Josh Gerstein @joshgerstein]

BREAKING: Judge voids Pentagon's new press policy that led most outlets to surrender their credentials. In suit brought by NYT, Judge Paul Friedman (Clinton/DC) says policy violates 1st Amendment because it's designed to "weed out disfavored journalists." https://t.co/p2pAVxQTvB

[Stacie Pettyjohn @StaciePettyjohn]

Had a great time with the @BreakingDefense team talking about the air war against Iran. A few conversations worth your time. 🧵

[U.S. Central Command @CENTCOM]

CENTCOM Update

TAMPA, Fla. – As of 9:30 am ET, March 1, three U.S. service members have been killed in action and five are seriously wounded as part of Operation Epic Fury.

Several others sustained minor shrapnel injuries and concussions — and are in the process of being returned to duty. Major combat operations continue and our response effort is ongoing.

The situation is fluid, so out of respect for the families, we will withhold additional information, including the identities of our fallen warriors, until 24 hours after next of kin have been notified.

[Lee Ferran @leeferran]

I appreciate the pronunciation tutorial, I gotta keep studying Arabic

[Agnes Helou @agneshelou27]

For the first time since I started contributing to Breaking Defense, my managing editor @leeferran gets my name right! in this interesting episode from #WDS2026 #SaudiArabia and stay tuned to my show #MiddleEast #Defense Digest with exclusive interviews
https://t.co/fyZLqgpxnk

[Larry Pfeiffer @LarryPfeifferDC]

Why?

CIA retires The World Factbook.

https://t.co/lmuzgAxu9j

[Valerie Insinna @ValerieInsinna]

SCOOP: House Armed Services Chair @RepMikeRogersAL says defense industrial base expansion will be the focus of the FY27 NDAA and that he and SASC head @SenatorWicker are seeking about $450B for defense in the second reconciliation bill:

https://t.co/2bINfLUUpf

[Samantha Schmidt @schmidtsam7]

As international correspondents and reporters for the @washingtonpost, we risk our safety to investigate authoritarian governments, report from gang-controlled towns and document evidence of stolen elections. This on-the-ground reporting is more critical than ever. #SaveThePost

[Nick Schifrin @nickschifrin]

NEW: @potus letter to @jonasgahrstore links @NobelPrize to Greenland, reiterates threats, and is forwarded by the NSC staff to multiple European ambassadors in Washington. I obtained the text from multiple officials:

Dear Ambassador:

President Trump has asked that the following message, shared with Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre, be forwarded to your [named head of government/state]

“Dear Jonas: Considering your Country decided not to give me the Nobel Peace Prize for having stopped 8 Wars PLUS, I no longer feel an obligation to think purely of Peace, although it will always be predominant, but can now think about what is good and proper for the United States of America. Denmark cannot protect that land from Russia or China, and why do they have a “right of ownership” anyway? There are no written documents, it’s only that a boat landed there hundreds of years ago, but we had boats landing there, also. I have done more for NATO than any other person since its founding, and now, NATO should do something for the United States. The World is not secure unless we have Complete and Total Control of Greenland. Thank you! President DJT”

[Haley Britzky @halbritz]

"The statement appears to challenge the editorial independence of Stars and Stripes, which while a part of the Pentagon’s Defense Media Activity has long retained independence from editorial oversight from the Pentagon under a congressional mandate that it be governed by First Amendment principles."
https://t.co/a400gVUvdp

[Valerie Insinna @ValerieInsinna]

Not to toot my own horn, but with so much solid rocket motor news today, I think my deep dive on the state of the industrial base is well worth a read:

[Lee Ferran @leeferran]

“The success of this raid is not solely a reflection of the quality, or lack thereof, of the equipment. Quantity has a quality all its own," - missile defense specialist Ralph Savelsberg

[Breaking Defense @BreakingDefense]

After US raid on Venezuela, analysts weigh lessons about Russian air defenses https://t.co/6a29Zyxr4S