WASHINGTON, D.C. — The Department of War moved aggressively last week to reshape the U.S. military’s technological edge, global alliances, and service member compensation, rolling out frontier artificial intelligence tools across the force, reaffirming key security partnerships, and announcing a significant increase in housing allowances for troops.
On December 9, the Department announced the launch of GenAI.mil, a bespoke artificial intelligence platform designed to embed generative AI directly into daily military operations. The first capability hosted on the platform, Google Cloud’s Gemini for Government, is now available to civilians, contractors, and military personnel worldwide, marking the opening salvo in what officials describe as an “AI-first” transformation of the force.
The rollout follows a mandate issued in July by President Donald Trump calling for unprecedented U.S. technological superiority in artificial intelligence. Department officials said AI capabilities have already been deployed to every desktop in the Pentagon and to installations across the globe, turning policy into operational reality.
“There is no prize for second place in the global race for AI dominance,” Emil Michael, Under Secretary of War for Research and Engineering, said in announcing the program. He described artificial intelligence as “America’s next Manifest Destiny,” framing the initiative as central to long-term military dominance.
Secretary of War Pete Hegseth said the Department is “pushing all of our chips in on artificial intelligence as a fighting force,” calling the integration of generative AI into daily operations a force multiplier that will accelerate decision-making and efficiency across the enterprise.
The GenAI.mil platform was developed by the Department’s AI Rapid Capabilities Cell within the Office of Research and Engineering. Officials emphasized that security standards were a core design requirement, noting that all tools on the platform are certified for Controlled Unclassified Information and Impact Level 5, making them suitable for operational use. Gemini for Government is web-grounded against Google Search and incorporates retrieval-augmented generation to reduce the risk of erroneous outputs.
The following day, December 10, Hegseth hosted senior defense leaders from Australia and the United Kingdom at the Pentagon to reinforce the trilateral AUKUS partnership. Meeting with Australian Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Defence Richard Marles and United Kingdom Secretary of State for Defence John Healey, the principals pledged to move “full steam ahead” on submarine cooperation and advanced capabilities development.
The leaders highlighted ongoing work to expand infrastructure and workforce capacity to support a strengthened submarine industrial base under AUKUS Pillar I, while also pressing to accelerate near-term warfighting projects under Pillar II. All three reiterated that speed and delivery would be critical to the partnership’s long-term credibility and deterrent value.
On December 11, the Department announced that basic allowance for housing rates will rise by an average of 4.2 percent in 2026, delivering an estimated $29.9 billion to roughly one million service members. The new rates take effect January 1 and reflect updated rental market data across 299 military housing areas nationwide, including Alaska and Hawaii.
Officials said the rate-setting process draws on census data, consumer price indexes, commercial rental databases, and input from local installations. While average rates increased, the Department noted that housing market conditions vary by location. Individual rate protection will remain in place, ensuring service members do not see reductions if local housing costs later decline.
Also on December 11, U.S. and South Korean defense officials convened the fifth meeting of the Nuclear Consultative Group in Washington, reaffirming extended deterrence commitments on the Korean Peninsula. Acting Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary of War Dr. Robert Soofer and South Korean Deputy Minister Hong-Cheol Kim led their delegations, reviewing progress on nuclear policy coordination, information sharing, and joint exercises.
Kim emphasized South Korea’s leading role in conventional defense, while Soofer reiterated the U.S. commitment to provide extended deterrence using the full range of American defense capabilities, including nuclear forces. The group approved a workplan for early 2026 and agreed to convene again next year.
Rounding out the week, Hegseth spoke separately with Japanese Defense Minister Shinjirō Koizumi, discussing Japan’s expanding defense investments, regional security concerns tied to China’s military activity, and the importance of realistic training across Japan, including the Southwest Islands. Both leaders reaffirmed the central role of the U.S.–Japan alliance in deterring aggression in the Asia-Pacific.
Taken together, the announcements underscored a rapid, multi-front push by the Department of War to modernize the force, strengthen alliances, and reinforce deterrence—melding cutting-edge technology with traditional military power as Washington signals it intends to stay firmly ahead in an increasingly contested world.
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