Washington, D.C. (November 12, 2026) — Defense One, the award-winning national-security news brand of GovExec, welcomes renowned journalist Drew Lawrence to its editorial team. Following reporting roles at CNN, DefenseScoop, and elsewhere, Lawrence joins Defense One as the Air and Space Warfare Senior Reporter, covering the U.S. Air Force and Space Force, the companies they buy from, and the technology that is reshaping their missions. He will report to Bradley Peniston, Executive Editor at Defense One.

“We are excited to add Drew to the Defense One team. With the insight of a former U.S. Army officer and the reporting chops of an award-winning investigative and enterprise reporter, he’ll help us expand our coverage of the people, trends, and technology shaping the future of national security,” Peniston said.

Lawrence comes to Defense One with a celebrated portfolio of stories on national security, technology’s impact on modern warfare, and other breaking trends in the sector. Most recently, he was a reporter at DefenseScoop, where he co-wrote an Azbee award-winning enterprise story about the Pentagon’s generative-AI push. At Military.com, Lawrence helped produce a Gerald R. Ford Award-winning investigation into extremists’ recruitment of veterans. He also founded the site’s flagship podcast, Fire Watch. Lawrence, who served four years as an armor officer in the U.S. Army, later held the Military Veterans in Journalism Fellow position at CNN.

“I'm excited and honored to join the excellent team at Defense One. Their reporting and analysis help drive conversations about the evolving national security and defense landscape,” said Lawrence.

As Defense One’s Air and Space Warfare Senior Reporter, Lawrence will cover people, operations, technology, and other developments that shape the future of national security, from the Pentagon to the field to industry. Lawrence will join the rest of the Defense One editorial team in contributing to the publication’s website, podcast, live events, and more.

_____

About Defense One

Defense One is a digital and events media brand that informs the U.S. defense and national security leadership community by delivering news, breaking analysis, and ideas on the topics and trends defining the future of defense and national security. Part of GovExec, Defense One offers new voices and innovative, fearless commentary while providing national security leaders, influential professionals, stakeholders, and interested citizens across the defense spectrum with the information that they need to know.

Media Contact

Liz Stein
lstein@govexec.com