John Garamendi
Coverage of John Garamendi in the Nexus archive.
- The Pentagon wants to build data centers. Congress would like a word.
The Pentagon is building data centers for AI-driven military technologies, prompting bipartisan congressional scrutiny over energy, water consumption, and community impacts. Lawmakers seek studies and evaluations to address concerns, while defense officials argue restrictions could hinder innovation. Private companies like Carlyle Group and CyrusOne are leasing military land to construct facilities.
- Air Force dubs MQ-9 the ‘MVP’ of Epic Fury as lawmakers press manned-unmanned future
Air Force leaders testified to Congress that the MQ-9 Reaper unmanned aircraft was the MVP in Operation Epic Fury against Iran, while the service's fiscal 2027 budget request allocates significantly more funding to crewed fighters like the F-35 and F-47. Lawmakers challenged the disconnect between the Air Force's praise for unmanned systems and actual budget allocation, with the MQ-9 fleet shrinking to 135 aircraft after 24 losses exposed vulnerabilities to modern air defenses.