Matthew Cox

Matthew Cox has been a defense reporter since 1998. During his time with Military.com he covered all the services, with a close eye on Army weapons development and procurement, body armor testing, camouflage, ammunition as well as readiness and training issues. He previously worked for 12 years for Army Times. He traveled to Afghanistan and Iraq numerous times from 2002 to 2008, covering Stryker and light infantry units in combat. He also spent four years in the U.S. Army during the second half of the 1980s, serving as an infantryman in the 82nd Airborne Division.

Latest Articles

Lt. Col. Alexander Heyman, Commander, 71st Student Squadron, and 2nd Lt. Mitchel Bie, Vance student pilot, walk out to a T-6A Texan II, March 8, 2018, Vance Air Force Base, Okla. (U.S. Air Force photo by Airman Zachary Heal)

Airmen 'Don't Trust Us' to Field Equipment They Need, General Says

Air Force leaders said Tuesday the service must rely more on rapid prototyping to regain service members' trust.

Second Lt. Kenneth Soyars, 14th Student Squadron student pilot, takes off during a virtual reality flight simulation Jan. 10, 2018, at Columbus Air Force Base, Miss. Two subjects flew at a time but no other subjects were allowed to watch or learn from other individuals’ sorties. The Adaptive Flight Training Study pushed subjects to learn through the VR technology. (Keith Holcomb/U.S. Air Force)

Air Force Wants to Use Artificial Intelligence to Train Pilots

The head of Air Force training said the service wants artificial intelligence to help airmen learn faster than ever before.

This M997A3 is a Humvee ground ambulance in the Army fleet. The U.S. Army recently awarded AM General LLC a contract worth up to $800 million to build thousands of Humvee ambulances to supplement the service's Joint Light Tactical Vehicle fleet, according to the Indiana-based company. (U.S. Army photo/Matt Schalbach)

Army Contract for New Humvee Ambulances Could Be Worth $800 Million

The U.S. Army recently awarded AM General LLC a contract worth up to $800 million to build thousands of Humvee ambulances.

Defense Intelligence Agency Dir. Lt. Gen. Robert Ashley Jr., testifies before the Senate Armed Services Committee on Capitol Hill in Washington, Tuesday, March 6, 2018. (AP Photo/Pablo Martinez Monsivais)

Military's Top Spy: AI May Enhance Tradecraft, Prevent Geopolitical Surprises

Using algorithms to sort through massive amounts of info can take the burden off defense analysts, Lt. Gen. Ashley said.

Army Futures Command Commanding General, Gen. John M. Murray answer questions about AFC during a press conference held at the University of Texas System’s building in Austin, Texas, August 24, 2018. (U.S. Army photo/Michael L. K. West)

Head of Army Futures Command Fields Tough Questions From Congress

Lawmakers met the new commander of Army Futures Command to ask him why the service needs the new four-star command.

A TRADOC senior leader participates in the strength deadlift, during an exhibition of the new Army Combat Fitness Test Aug. 1, 2018 at Fort Eustis, Va. (U.S. Army photo/Tristan Biese)

Here's the Army’s Tip Sheet for Acing Its New Combat Fitness Test

The Army will conduct a field test of the ACFT in October, involving active-duty, National Guard and Reserve soldiers.

U.S. Army Wisconsin National Guard Soldiers from the 1-426 Field Artillery Battery operate an M109A6 Paladin Howitzer at Fort McCoy, Wis., August 18, 2018. (U.S. Army photo/John Russell)

Army Eyeing Strategic Cannon Tech with 1,000-Mile Range

Development of long-range precision fires technology is the Army's number one modernization priority.

First Lt. Connor Bednarzyk, a 25-year-old infantry officer assigned as leader of the Distribution Platoon for Echo Company, 3rd Battalion, died Sept. 7, 2018 in an accident involving a single tactical vehicle. (U.S. Army photo)

Army Ranger Officer Killed in Tactical Vehicle Crash

A platoon leader with the Army's 75th Ranger Regiment at Fort Benning died in an accident involving a single tactical vehicle...

U.S. Army Capt. Kristen Griest, middle, carries a fellow Soldier as part of combative training during the Ranger Course on Ft. Benning, GA., April 20, 2015. (U.S. Army/Spc. Nikayla Shodeen)

Army Researchers to Track Heat Injuries in Ranger, Airborne Training

Researchers recently began collecting data from 2,000 soldiers in Ranger, Airborne and Basic Combat Training at Fort Benning.

A paratrooper from the 173rd Airborne Brigade gets ready to place a 120mm round into the mortar, July 25, 2018 . (U.S. Army/ Spc. Josselyn Fuentes)

Army Wants 120mm Mortar Systems That Can Fire Out to 12 Miles

The U.S. Army wants to replace its current mounted and towed 120mm mortars with new systems that will shoot farther.

Sikorsky and Boeing are offering the SB>1 Defiant for the Army's Future Vertical Lift Program. Courtesy of Sikorsky-Boeing

General to Army Aviators: 'Quit Apologizing' and Ask for What You Need

Retired Gen. James Thurman recently told Army aviation officials they've got to "quit apologizing" to the Pentagon.

A U.S. Army AH-64 Apache helicopter assigned to the 82nd Airborne Division conducts an aerial demonstration during the Airborne Review as part of All American Week 100 at Fort Bragg, N.C., May 25, 2017. (U.S. Air Force photo/Tech. Sgt. Barry Loo)

Army Orders Emergency Fix on Bad Apache Rotor Blades

Army aviation units are performing a retrofit to its AH-64E Apache helicopters to ensure that rotors don't break off.

South Carolina National Guard Soldiers from the 118th Forward Support Company transfer bulk diesel fuel for distribution in preparation in advance of Hurricane Florence, in North Charleston, South Carolina, September 10, 2018. (South Carolina National Guard/Sgt. Brian Calhoun)

Fighter Jets Evacuated, Guard Activated as Hurricane Nears East Coast

U.S. bases on the Virginia coast have ordered the evacuation aircraft and ships in preparation for Hurricane Florence.

Chief Warrant Officer 3 Troy Willis performs a pre-flight inspection of a UH-60M Black Hawk, Camp Buehring, Kuwait, Feb. 27, 2018.(U.S. Army/Sgt. Thomas X. Crough)

The Army Wants Autonomous Aviation Tech. But Do Pilots Trust It?

experts are wrestling with how the Army will convince aviators to trust machines to help them make life-or-death decisions.

A U.S. Army Apache helicopter with D Company, 1st Battalion, 3rd Aviation Regiment (Attack Reconnaissance) returns from a maintenance test flight Aug. 17, 2018, at Katterbach Army Airfield in Ansbach, Germany. (U.S. Army photo/Charles Rosemond)

Army's Cold War-Era Apache Gunship Will Fly 30 More Years, General Says

The U.S. Army has no current plans to replace its Cold-War era AH-64 Apache.

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