Shaun Waterman
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watermanreports.bsky.social
Shaun Waterman
@watermanreports.bsky.social
170 followers 120 following 92 posts
Reporter covering IT, cyber & emerging tech threats for Air&Space Forces Mag, Via Satellite Mag & others. Fmr BBC News, ex-Newsweek, POLITICO escapee, always a Unipresser. English expat in Washington DC. I'm the daddy now. Likes etc ≠ approval. DM 4 Signal
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watermanreports.bsky.social
Fmr officials say @deptofwar.bsky.social plans for US Cyber Command create tension b/w the push to normalize cyber operations, and efforts to give CyberCom unique authorities. My story featuring the @csis.org & CSC 2.0 Commission on Cyber Force Generation.
www.airandspaceforces.com/cybercom-for...
Can the Latest Plan for CYBERCOM Stave Off Calls for a New Service?
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has a new Cyber Force Generation plan, meant to give U.S. Cyber Command (CYBERCOM) more authority.
www.airandspaceforces.com
November 17, 2025 at 12:27 PM
watermanreports.bsky.social
I Work For an Evil Company, but Outside Work, I'm Actually a Really Good Person www.mcsweeneys.net/articles/i-w...
I Work For an Evil Company, but Outside Work, I’m Actually a Really Good Person
I love my job. I make a great salary, there’s a clear path to promotion, and a never-ending supply of cold brew in the office. And even though my j...
www.mcsweeneys.net
November 16, 2025 at 4:13 PM
watermanreports.bsky.social
www.reuters.com/world/asia-p...
If the guy from DeepSeek, speaking at a PRC government conference, says he is "pessimistic" about the impact of AI, how terrified should the rest of us be?
DeepSeek researcher pessimistic over AI's impact in startup's first public appearance since success
Chinese artificial intelligence (AI) developer DeepSeek made its first public appearance in almost a year after it became a global sensation, fielding a senior researcher who told a government-organised internet conference that he was pessimistic about AI's future impact on humanity.
www.reuters.com
November 10, 2025 at 3:22 AM
watermanreports.bsky.social
When Space Force leaders discuss cyber threats against the commercial satellite providers they use, they talk abt attacks from nation state adversaries.
But for cyber defenders in the commercial space sector the daily reality can be rather different.
www.airandspaceforces.com/satellite-op...
Not Just Spies: Satellite Operators Say Cybercrime Is Major Threat
The Space Force and commercial providers are concerned about Chinese and Russian cyberattacks, but low-level cybercrime is a concern too.
www.airandspaceforces.com
October 24, 2025 at 4:09 PM
watermanreports.bsky.social
My 1st story for ISMG, where I'm covering OT cybersecurity takes off from @60minutes.bsky.social report on Chinese hacking of US power and water utilities. I look at @istorg.bsky.social Josh Corman's efforts to help shore up security in the water sector.
www.bankinfosecurity.com/weak-exposed...
Weak and Exposed: US Water Utilities a Chinese Hacker Target
Rural America is a long way from Taiwan. But cyber power is no respecter of geography. Should China make good on its repeated threats to reunify the island by
www.bankinfosecurity.com
October 22, 2025 at 2:57 AM
watermanreports.bsky.social
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth claimed $1.4B savings from cancelling the Air Force's Cloud One contract. But my reporting shows it's not that simple. Cloud services will still be needed, still have to be paid for. In fact, they may cost more.
My story:
www.airandspaceforces.com/dod-canceled...
Did Air Force's Canceled $1.4B Cloud One Contract Save Money?
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth canceled the Air Force's Cloud One contract, declaring $1.4 billion in savings. But the move might cost more.
www.airandspaceforces.com
October 15, 2025 at 7:00 PM
watermanreports.bsky.social
ICYMI: @spaceforcedod.bsky.social Sapce Force Building Tools to Detect #Cyberattacks on Satellites www.airandspaceforces.com/space-force-...
Space Force Building Tools to Detect Cyberattacks on Satellites
U.S. Space Force contractors are building an AI-powered tool to detect cyberattacks on satellites by monitoring their behavior and telemetry.
www.airandspaceforces.com
October 13, 2025 at 2:53 PM
watermanreports.bsky.social
USAF training doesn't test kill chains to failure, sez Jon
Rhone, fmr cmdr of the 505th Test & Eval “If the first time that we fail at [closing long-range kill chains] is when the blood is flowing, I think we’ve prob done the country a disservice."
#asc2025 www.airandspaceforces.com/industry-exp...
Industry Execs: Test Long Range Kill Chains to the Point of Failure
The Air Force should place more emphasis on exercising and training for long range kill chains right now, a panel of industry experts said.
www.airandspaceforces.com
September 26, 2025 at 4:44 PM
watermanreports.bsky.social
Space Systems Command’s Front Door - the one-stop shop for vendors, is getting a rebrand and a leg-up. It will now be called Space Force Front Door and will be a single touchpoint for the whole Space Force. My story for @airandspaceforces.com.web.brid.gy
www.airandspaceforces.com/space-system...
Space Force’s Front Door For Industry Is Opening a Little Wider
Space Systems Command’s Front Door, the contact point for private industry to introduce themselves to the Space Force, is expanding.
www.airandspaceforces.com
September 25, 2025 at 2:31 AM
watermanreports.bsky.social
U.S. Cyber Command should be replaced by a U.S. Digital Command, which would have CyberCom's cyber role and lead infowar and electromagnetic war ops as well. DoD should also stand up a new military service, the U.S. Digital Corps, argues @scsp.bsky.social
www.airandspaceforces.com/pentagon-nee...
Pentagon Needs Digital Command for New Approach to Key Tech
The Pentagon needs a Digital Command, a Digital Warfare Corps, and other changes to take advantage of new technologies like AI and autonomy.
www.airandspaceforces.com
September 18, 2025 at 11:25 PM
watermanreports.bsky.social
Silicon Valley firms like Microsoft have built an electronic carceral for the CCP, using cutting edge data collection and management to enable a totalitarian state. Fuck them.
apnews.com/article/chin...
Silicon Valley enabled brutal mass detention and surveillance in China, internal documents show
Silicon Valley enabled brutal mass detention and surveillance in China, internal documents show
U.S. technology firms such as IBM, Dell and Cisco largely designed and built China’s surveillance state, an AP investigation finds. The tech companies deny wrongdoing.
apnews.com
September 9, 2025 at 8:25 PM
watermanreports.bsky.social
New #AI tools from data giant Palantir could help reduce risks to civilians in war, but only if the military using them has a prof culture that values the laws of war and reducing harm to civilians. My latest story in @airandspaceforces.com.web.brid.gy
www.airandspaceforces.com/can-ai-help-...
Can AI Help Targeteers Curb Civilian Casualties?
Some see AI as a way to minimize civilian casualties, even as others argue technology is no substitute for warfighters’ judgment.
www.airandspaceforces.com
August 12, 2025 at 8:13 PM
watermanreports.bsky.social
Air Force’s Big IT Programs Need ‘Course Correction,’ General Says www.airandspaceforces.com/air-forces-b...
Air Force's Big IT Programs Need 'Course Correction,' 2-Star Says
The Air Force is reorganizing the office that runs some of its most complex combat connectivity programs to repair trust with troops.
www.airandspaceforces.com
August 10, 2025 at 5:39 PM
watermanreports.bsky.social
Outsourcing the ground segment — the antennas, modems & switches needed to keep contact with a satellite in orbit — is attractive to operators, especially start-ups looking to keep down headcount and capital expenditures.
My latest for Via Satellite Mag
interactive.satellitetoday.com/via/august-2...
Ground Station Operators Look to Software for Simplicity in Smallsat Operations | August 2025
Outsourcing the ground segment may be cheaper and easier for smallsat operators than building their own network of ground stations, but it is still a complicated and difficult process. A new generatio...
interactive.satellitetoday.com
August 7, 2025 at 4:07 PM
watermanreports.bsky.social
Orbital Watch, the threat sharing service run by @spaceforcedod.bsky.social's Front Door aims to share classified info w cleared companies and execs, and to distribute anonymized threat data from industry. My story for @airandspaceforces.com.web.brid.gy
www.airandspaceforces.com/space-force-...
Space Force Aims to Share Classified Threat Info with Industry
The Space Force initiative to share info with the private sector about threats in orbit will eventually include classified intelligence.
www.airandspaceforces.com
August 3, 2025 at 8:05 PM
watermanreports.bsky.social
The House & Senate versions of the 2026 NDAA both contain provisions aimed at expanding or speeding the processes to get new tech to warfighters, including two new authorities or mandates for the Defense Innovation Unit. My story for Air & Space Forces Mag:
www.airandspaceforces.com/defense-poli...
How ’26 Defense Policy Bill Takes Aim at Speed, Ease of Tech Innovation
The different versions of the 2026 defense policy bill contain provisions to speed up efforts to get new software and tech to warfighters.
www.airandspaceforces.com
July 21, 2025 at 6:48 PM
watermanreports.bsky.social
In an essay out this week, but written last year, Mark Berkowitz, who has since been tapped by the Trump White House as asst secdef for space policy, says that merging the spy agency NRO into Space Force could turbocharge national security space acquisition.
www.airandspaceforces.com/defense-poli...
Defense Policy Nominee Has Advocated Merging NRO and SSC
Combining the NRO with the Space Force's Space Systems Command could be useful, argues a Trump administration Pentagon nominee.
www.airandspaceforces.com
July 17, 2025 at 3:58 PM
watermanreports.bsky.social
Rather touching story from @theregister.com
www.theregister.com/2025/07/07/w...
Yes, I wrote a very bad bug. In my defense I was just seven
Who, Me?: Years later, deep into a great tech career, your fellow reader remains inspired by the forgiveness received after the error
www.theregister.com
July 8, 2025 at 5:49 AM
watermanreports.bsky.social
A half-dozen new space start-ups, two w research contracts from Space Force or Air Force #technology incubators, are currently planning low-Earth orbit (LEO) constellations of small satellites offering more accurate, harder to jam alternatives to GPS. Story
www.airandspaceforces.com/space-force-...
Space Force Boosts Ecosystem of GPS Alternatives in LEO
The Space Force is fostering a new ecosystem of commercial satellite constellations providing alternatives to GPS from much closer to Earth.
www.airandspaceforces.com
July 6, 2025 at 9:02 PM
watermanreports.bsky.social
The threat of Iranian cyber retaliation for US bombing highlights the reliance of USAF & other military services on civilian infrastructure vulnerable to hackers, like airports. My story 4 ‪‪@airandspaceforces.com.web.brid.gy last week frm #DefendTheAirport
www.airandspaceforces.com/dual-use-mil...
Dual-Use Military and Civil Airports Face Cyber Threats
Dual-use airports host civilian and military flights, and that mingling can create technical vulnerabilities enemy hackers could exploit.
www.airandspaceforces.com
June 24, 2025 at 2:33 AM
watermanreports.bsky.social
For #autonomous vehicles, war fighting and motor racing have more in common than you might think. Both involve pushing limits & require no-fail outcomes even in extreme conditions, BoozAllen CTO Bill Vass and NVIDIA's @ericbreckenfeld.bsky.social told me:
www.airandspaceforces.com/what-defense...
What Defense Tech Firms Can Learn From Formula One
Government contractor Booz Allen is looking to Formula One car racing to gain a combat edge for autonomous military vehicles.
www.airandspaceforces.com
June 9, 2025 at 4:04 AM
watermanreports.bsky.social
Aaron Mannes' fascinating short essay reminds us that the origin of Memorial Day, like everything else in America, is actually about race.
open.substack.com/pub/aaronman...
Memorial Day and the almost Vice President
Remembering General Logan
open.substack.com
May 27, 2025 at 3:55 PM
Reposted by Shaun Waterman
stagewrite.bsky.social
Back in April, my friend @watermanreports.bsky.social wrote a piece remembering Marla Ruzicka.

When Marla called, no one in my circle of friends was ever too busy to pick up.

She was brave and beautiful on pursuing peace and healing wounds. I treasure her memory.

www.upi.com/Defense-News...
Marla Ruzicka.
May 12, 2025 at 12:41 PM
watermanreports.bsky.social
ICYMI: My recent reporting on Orbital Watch -- the US Space Force's initiative to share with the private sector information about threats and hazards to satellites in orbit.
It's a small start. The "initial operating capacity" will be quarterly briefings, more a gesture than a service. 1/? 🧵
May 8, 2025 at 3:59 AM
watermanreports.bsky.social
I wrote a 3-part deep dive for @airandspaceforces.com.web.brid.gy into @secdef.govpeeps.us Hegseth's recent memo tearing up rulebook on how the military buys software.
In Pt 1, USAF Gen Cropsey tells me the service is already embracing new acquisition tools
www.airandspaceforces.com/software-acq...
How the Air Force Is Embracing New Software Acquisition Rules
The Pentagon has offered new directions for software acquisition, and Air Force Lt. Gen. Luke C.G. Cropsey is already implementing them.
www.airandspaceforces.com
May 7, 2025 at 5:09 AM