Defense
The Pentagon will move to protect major weapon programs, including those locked into fixed-price procurement deals, should mandatory U.S. government spending cuts go into effect under sequestration in January. – Defense News
The U.S. Coast Guard is on the front lines of national security, but it struggles to complete its missions with one of the world’s oldest maritime fleets and a multibillion dollar replacement program years behind schedule. – Reuters
Robbin Laird writes: At the center of the U.S. contribution to Pacific defense is the ability to provide strategic depth for our allies. Much of this depends on the contribution of Alaska. – AOL Defense
Cybersecurity
Cyberattacks have breached the Pentagon and sent businesses into bankruptcy. Still, it might take a cyberdisaster that causes damage on the scale of Hurricane Katrina in 2005 to get lawmakers to pass legislation aimed at shoring up the U.S.’s infrastructure. – Aviation Week
Editorial: While an executive order cannot be as effective as legislation, we nevertheless agree with the senator that such a start would be better than taking no action at all. – Washington Post
NATO
NATO defense ministers will pave the way this week for the alliance’s training mission in Afghanistan once it ends combat operations in 2014, as a surge in insider attacks raises questions about its timetable and strategy. – Reuters
Nuclear Weapons
The cost of American’s nuclear arsenal is projected to reach as much as $661 billion over the next decade, a new report claims. – The E-Ring
