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Vaughn Cockayne

Vaughn Cockayne is a Foreign Affairs Correspondent for The Washington Times. He is an Ohio native and holds a bachelor's degree in Multi-Platform Journalism from Bowling Green State University. Vaughn previously worked as a freelance writer, covering data security and privacy issues before joining The Washington Times. He can be reached at vcockayne@washingtontimes.com.

Articles by Vaughn Cockayne

Russia, Iran align interests during Tehran talks this week, Kremlin says

Russia and Iran remain aligned on Tehran's goals for its domestic nuclear program, the Russian foreign ministry said this week.

February 26, 2025

Airbus secures $500 million contract to upgrade France’s navy communications

Airbus Defense and Space won a $500 million contract this week to improve and upgrade French naval vessels' communication systems.

February 26, 2025

Musk says Verizon network ‘not working’ as FAA switches over to Starlink tech

Two years after Verizon secured a $2 billion contract to upgrade the Federal Aviation Administration's IT infrastructure, the agency is switching to Starlink internet terminals.

February 25, 2025

Tesla faces steep drop in European sales amid Musk’s political push in Germany

Tesla saw a massive decrease in sales across Europe in January as competing electric vehicle makers succeeded.

February 25, 2025

Iran says it attracted over $8 billion in foreign investment over the past six months

Iran announced Monday that it had received more than $8 billion in foreign investment over the last six months.

February 25, 2025

Space Force to play central role in development of ‘Iron Dome for America’

The Space Force will play an important role in the Department of Defense's efforts to build a missile defense shield over the U.S., Space Force's chief of space operations announced recently.

February 25, 2025

Meta begins accepting applications for its Community Notes program

Social media giant Meta announced Thursday that it's taking applications for its Community Notes system, which is intended to replace the company's fact-checkers.

February 21, 2025

Iran increases executions in 2024 in ‘horrifying escalation,’ report says

Iran executed 975 people in 2024, a notable uptick from 2023 and the highest figure recorded since 2008.

February 21, 2025

GM partners with UAE contractor to manufacture tactical vehicles

General Motors' defense division is teaming up with United Arab Emirates contractor EDGE to deliver the next generation of tactical vehicles.

February 20, 2025

General Atomics mulls breakthrough SeaGuardian drone deal with Saudi Arabia

San Diego-based defense contractor General Atomics announced at the International Defense Exhibition in Abu Dhabi this week that it is in talks with Saudi Arabia for the potential sale of MQ-9B SeaGuardian drones, a deal that would provide more U.S.-made equipment to the Middle Eastern nation.

February 20, 2025

Russia reveals ‘Super Drone’ at IDEX conference

Russia's Rostec State Corp. unveiled the Supercam S350 drone at the International Defense Exhibition this week, a "super drone" responsible for taking out American-made military vehicles.

February 20, 2025

X enters funding talks to hit $44 billion valuation

Elon Musk's X is reportedly entering a funding round that would bolster the social media platform's worth to $44 billion.

February 19, 2025

Officials in Poland probe whether unidentified object is SpaceX debris

Polish space authorities are investigating the origin of an unidentified object that crash-landed near the city of Poznan, with some suspecting the object is debris from SpaceX's Falcon rocket.

February 19, 2025

British journalist missing in Brazil for 11 days

A U.K. journalist has gone missing in Brazil, sparking concern from an international correspondents association and a search by local authorities.

February 19, 2025

AeroVironment unveils JUMP 20-X AI powered drone at IDEX

Robotic systems developer AeroVironment revealed its latest uncrewed aircraft system, the JUMP 20-X, at the International Defense Exhibition this week, showing off its precision in complex and dangerous environments.

February 19, 2025

Iran ponders moving capital to southern coast as traffic, sinking persist

Facing heavy traffic, air pollution and a sinking city, Iran's leaders are considering moving the Islamic Republic's capital to its southern coast.

February 18, 2025

Musk’s xAI unveils Grok-3 as tech race intensifies

Elon Musk's generative AI company unveiled the latest version of its chatbot as the battle for artificial intelligence dominance continues.

February 18, 2025

Russian defense contractor unveils improvements for Moscow’s T-90 tank at IDEX

Russian defense contractor UralVagonZavod showed new improvements to Moscow's T-90 tank this week at the International Defense Exhibition.

February 18, 2025

Future of U.S. space policy unclear as National Space Council might close

As the White House moves ahead with bold executive action, rumors circulate that President Trump might shutter the National Space Council, a move that could have wide-ranging effects on U.S. policy toward the stars.

February 14, 2025