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The Cipher Brief: National Security news, analysis and expert commentary.

The Coming Age of Robotic Warfare

The opportunity – and danger – of AI-powered robotic armies

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A battalion of armed robots moves against a unit of soldiers, aiming to seize territory. In the ensuing battle, the robots open fire, communicate [...] More

Tech/Cyber

Expert Insights

Cipher Brief Experts bring context to today’s global events

Opinion

What Russia, China, Iran and North Korea Saw in America's Elections

Ambassador Joseph DeTrani

Democracy was on display during the 2026 midterm elections in the U.S. Over 124 million ballots were cast across the country, with considerable foreign interest.This was democracy in action. A testament to the power of [...] More

Ambassador Joseph DeTrani
Opinion

Reinventing Intelligence To Operate At Machine Speed

Chip Usher

For almost a decade, the U.S. Intelligence Community (IC) has lived with a quiet anxiety: that the proliferation of open-source information, machine learning, and artificial intelligence would one day reshape its analytic [...] More

Chip Usher
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News & Analysis

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How Far Should the U.S. Go to Defend Saudi Arabia?

Recent deadly attacks by Yemen's Iranian-backed Houthis inside of Saudi Arabia have raised questions about just how far the U.S. should go in helping [...] More

Middle East Expert View

Opinion

Startups Are Now on the Front Lines

Andrew Badger

Startups Are Now on the Front Lines

A recent Air Force contract to help screen small businesses applying for federal research funding reflects a growing national security concern: [...] More

Alternative Perspectives

What’s on The Cipher Brief’s Digital Channel

Book Reviews

Stavridis Sails Into Wouk Territory
Stavridis Sails Into Wouk Territory

Aristotle’s Answer: Rethinking The Thucydides Trap
Aristotle’s Answer: Rethinking The Thucydides Trap

A Case Officer’s Elegy For Sarajevo
A Case Officer’s Elegy For Sarajevo

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The Best National Security Gossip

EUROPE'S AIRSPACE UNDER SIEGE: Europe's airlines are discovering that you don't need a missile to disrupt air travel. A wave of bomb hoaxes threatening passenger aircraft has forced diversions, emergency landings and fighter-jet escorts across the continent. The threats have also extended to broadcasters, including Ireland's RTÉ, Britain's Sky News and Bulgaria's NOVA. European investigators are examining possible Russian involvement, including the use of coordinated false threats to create disruption and public anxiety. Attribution remains unconfirmed. For those of us who are national security minded and like to just [...] More

Get The Drop

Events

Live Events

2026 Threat Conference

2026 Threat Conference

The Cipher Brief Threat Conference is the nation’s premier forum for non-partisan discussion of global threats and solutions as well as high-level [...] More

Previous Event: 25 October, 2026

The Cipher Brief 2027 HONORS Awards

The Cipher Brief 2027 HONORS Awards

Join us for the third annual Cipher Brief Honors Dinner, the evening of April 9, 2027. This Black-Tie event is invite-only. Please apply here for a [...] More

Upcoming: 09 April, 2027

Podcasts

State Secrets

Russia’s war against Ukraine is being fought on the battlefield, but another confrontation is unfolding across Europe. From drone incursions and sabotage operations to cyberattacks and threats against critical infrastructure, Moscow’s expanding gray zone campaign is raising urgent questions about NATO’s ability to respond.

In this episode of State Secrets, host Suzanne Kelly is joined by Dr. Jacek Siewiera, former head of Poland’s National Security Bureau and former senior national security advisor to the Polish president, and Dave Pitts, former senior CIA executive and co-founder of The Cipher Brief’s Gray Zone Group.

Together, they examine how Russia is using hybrid warfare to test NATO’s defenses, spread fear and uncertainty, and undermine European support for Ukraine. They also explore the growing risks posed by drone technology, the potential use of chemical and radiological weapons, and why traditional deterrence strategies may no longer be enough.

As Russia’s shadow war expands beyond Ukraine, what will it take for Europe and the United States to effectively deter Moscow before these threats escalate further?