Recent reporting described tension between the U.S. Department of Defense and AI developer Anthropic over how advanced artificial intelligence systems could be used within defense environments. The episode did not result in litigation, but it highlights a broader issue: federal procurement frameworks are still catching up to the realities of modern AI technology. The Disagreement That Sparked the Discussion According to reports, the disagreement emerged during discussions abo

For years, defense contractors have been told that the Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification (CMMC)  is coming. Then it stalled. Then it returned in revised form. After enough false starts, it became easy to tune it out—just another compliance initiative perpetually on the horizon. That instinct is understandable. It is also increasingly risky. What actually changes in 2026 is not the existence of the rule, but its practical consequences. That is when some contractors—qu

Many in-house lawyers inherit export controls without warning. One day it is contracts or IP; the next day someone tells you engineering, HR, and IT are now an “export risk.” That is not an exaggeration. EAR and ITAR regulate who inside your company is legally allowed to know what. Export controls are not mainly about shipping products. They are about information . Design drawings, source code, test data, manufacturing processes, and technical manuals can all become regulated

For small, advanced manufacturing businesses supplying both automotive and aerospace industries, trade secrets are often a competitive...

Defense contractors modifying commercial products to meet specific U.S. military requirements face challenges preserving the product’s...

Selling to the Department of Defense  can be more efficient—and more profitable—when your product qualifies as a "commercial item"  under...