Today's Defense Pulse
U.S. Treasury expands sanctions on Iran-linked shipping network
The U.S. Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control announced a new sanctions round targeting a global network of shipping firms, tanker operators and intermediaries tied to Iran’s petroleum and petrochemical trades. Entities in Hong Kong, the UAE, India, Qatar, Singapore, China, Liberia and the Marshall Islands were added to the Specially Designated Nationals list.
Also developing:
By the numbers: Disciplined Growth Acquisition Corp raises $150M in IPO
Space and Satellite Futures: The Chief Saboteur Just Got Orbited
In this episode of Orbited, Viasat co‑founder and Hall of Fame inductee Steve Hart shares four decades of satellite‑communications experience with the 2025‑20 Under‑35 cohort. He emphasizes the critical judgment of knowing when to change—avoiding sunk‑cost bias and staying outward‑focused on industry trends—to keep teams innovative. Hart also discusses the evolution of security from defense‑grade, high‑cost solutions to fast, cost‑constrained commercial challenges, and offers advice for incumbents facing rapid LEO competition: continuously innovate, be willing to discard legacy work, and engage end‑users directly, especially in defense procurement. Throughout, he underscores the importance of a clear, values‑driven culture that balances stability with agility.
Rubio Says Strait of Hormuz Is Global, Not U.S. Issue
Opening the Strait of Hormuz is not America's problem, says Marco Rubio "The countries that are most impacted by that should be willing to do something about it." "We'll help you." "We're impacted by it a little bit, but the rest of the...
Pentagon Eyes Canceling ‘Troubled’ GPS Ground System
The U.S. Space Force is weighing the cancellation of the Next‑Generation Operational Control Segment (GPS OCX), a ground system built by RTX to command the newest GPS III and upcoming GPS IIIF satellites. After a government‑led test phase uncovered persistent software defects, the...
The War That Funded A Merger
The episode investigates the financing of Paramount Pictures' $111 billion acquisition of Warner Bros. Discovery, revealing that the publicly disclosed investors – Larry Ellison’s trust ($47 billion) and Redbird Capital ($250 million) – fall far short of the total price. The host uncovers...
Iranian Attack on Prince Sultan Air Base Reportedly Struck U.S. KC-135s – Reports
Satellite imagery on March 27 confirmed a heat signature and visible damage on the apron of Saudi Arabia's Prince Sultan Air Base, where U.S. KC-135 refueling aircraft are stationed. The Wall Street Journal reported that an Iranian missile, supported by...
AI‑SOC Tool Deconstructs Attacks, Slashes MTTR and False Positives
Here's a small taste of NightBeaconAI (our human driven but AI-SOC augmented solution I've built) @Binary_Defense - it has attack path deconstruction - can see every part of an attack chain with details on each part of it. Doesn't matter...
US Hopes for Iran Meetings 'This Week': Envoy Witkoff
U.S. special envoy Steve Witkoff told a Miami business forum that Iran is expected to meet Washington this week, citing a 15‑point peace plan on the table. President Donald Trump echoed the optimism, claiming Tehran wants a deal and pointing...
F5, Breached by an APT Last Year, Says BIG-IP APM Exploited
F5’s BIG‑IP Access Policy Manager (APM) vulnerability CVE‑2025‑53521 is being actively exploited, granting unauthenticated remote code execution. Attackers can disable SELinux, write in‑memory webshells, and seize control of authentication and VPN services used by Fortune 500 firms. The exploit follows a...
The Impact of the Iran War on the Asia-Pacific Region
In this episode, RAINN analyst Chase Blazik explains how the Iran war is reshaping security and energy dynamics across the Asia‑Pacific. He details the recent Washington summit between Japan’s Prime Minister Takeichi and President Trump, highlighting Japan’s delicate balancing act...
Iran Launches Assault on Kuwait’s Ports During Regional Escalation
Iran launched coordinated drone and missile strikes on Kuwait’s two main ports, Shuwaikh and the under‑construction Mubarak Al‑Kabeer, causing material damage but no casualties. The attacks coincided with regional siren alerts in Bahrain, Qatar and Saudi Arabia, reflecting a broader...
More Columbia Class Submarines?
Admiral Richard Correll told the Senate Armed Services Committee that the United States may need more Columbia‑class ballistic‑missile submarines to match the launch‑tube capacity of the aging Ohio fleet. The Ohio class provides 280 tubes across 14 boats, while the...
After 2025 Collision, Air Controllers at Reagan Get New Tools
Following the 2025 fatal crash at Reagan National Airport, the FAA accelerated deployment of the digital Terminal Flight Data Manager (TFDM) system, co‑developed by Leidos. TFDM replaces paper flight strips with electronic ones, adding a real‑time overhead map, touch‑based interaction...
Defense Watch: GMTI, New SASC Member, CH-47F Award, Big sUAS Order
The U.S. Space Force is targeting a 2028 launch for its space‑based ground moving target indication (GMTI) radar satellites, despite Congress cutting the FY‑2026 R&D request from $1 billion to $719 million and reallocating funds. The Army awarded Boeing a $326 million contract...
30,000 New Drones: Pentagon Names Winners Of Air Dominance 'Gauntlet'
The Pentagon announced the winners of its Gauntlet I uncrewed exercise, selecting Skycutter, Neros and Nepatree to supply 30,000 one‑way attack drones. The two‑week competition at Fort Benning tested 25 companies, with drones required to hit targets up to 6.2 miles after...
FBI Director Kash Patel and White House Instagram Hacked by Iran
The episode dives into recent Iranian cyber‑operations, focusing on the hack of FBI Director Kash Patel's personal email and the simultaneous breach of the White House's Instagram and X accounts. Host Dean Blundell reviews leaked photos and emails from Patel's...
Friday Footnotes: Supply Dynamics and a Changing World
Recent attacks in the Middle East, including Iran's retaliation and the shutdown of the Strait of Hormuz, have created unprecedented geopolitical turbulence. The disruption threatens global energy flows and could reverberate through commodity markets for years. Though less visible, agriculture...
Policy Week in Review – March 27, 2026
The Senate approved a partial funding bill for the Department of Homeland Security that excludes ICE and CBP, but the House rejected it, extending the agency's shutdown. President Trump signed an executive order guaranteeing TSA workers’ pay and another banning...
Senate Passes DHS Funding Bill, Restores TSA Pay but Leaves Immigration Enforcement Unfunded
The Senate approved a midnight funding measure that restores pay for TSA agents and funds most of the Department of Homeland Security, ending a 42‑day shutdown that crippled airports. The bill omits money for Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Border...
Granite Wins $495M in Southern Border Work
Granite Construction has been awarded a $495 million contract from U.S. Customs and Border Protection to build the LRT‑4 Webb‑Zapata project in southern Texas. The scope covers 27 miles of tactical infrastructure, including roads, fencing, bridges, culverts, low‑water crossings, and extensive electrical...
Iran War Triggers Global Fertilizer Shortage, Pushes Food Prices Higher
The Iran‑Israel conflict has choked the Strait of Hormuz, curtailing roughly a third of global fertilizer shipments and sending U.S. fertilizer prices up 40% since the fall. The squeeze is already raising production costs for farmers and is expected to...
Iran's $2M Ship Fee Fuels Export Surge Amid US Presence
Iran is processing ships at the Imam Khomeini port, located in Khuzestan at the northernmost extreme of the Gulf, near Kharg Island. So, for ships seeking passage approval from Iran, they have to sail all the way to the northern end...
Navy to Commission Submarine Massachusetts (SSN 798)
The U.S. Navy will commission the USS Massachusetts (SSN 798), the 25th Virginia‑class fast‑attack submarine, on March 28 in Boston Harbor. The ceremony features senior officials including Navy General Counsel David Denton, Governor Maura Healey, and sponsor Sheryl Sandberg. Massachusetts is...
Rubio Rejects Zelenskyy Claim of US Land-for-Security Proposal.
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio denied President Volodymyr Zelenskyy's claim that Washington is demanding Ukraine cede the Donbas region in exchange for security guarantees. Rubio called the allegation a lie and said the United States has not set such...
DND’s $51.7 Billion Plan for 2026-27 Includes a New Space Rocketry Challenge
Canada’s Department of National Defence unveiled a $51.7 billion CAD (≈$37.7 billion USD) 2026‑27 plan that earmarks new resources for space defence. The plan includes a $25 million CAD (≈$18 million USD) Space Rocketry Challenge for 2026‑27, rising to $50 million CAD (≈$36 million USD) annually,...
Houthis in Yemen Announce Entry Into the Conflict if Any Alliance Joins the US and Israel
The Yemen‑based Houthis warned they will join Iran against any coalition that aligns the United States and Israel, threatening to block the Bab el‑Mandeb Strait. Saudi Arabia has hinted it may intervene, raising the prospect of a direct Houthi‑Saudi confrontation. A...
Supermicro Servers With Nvidia GPUs Sold To China Military-Linked Universities: Report
Supermicro sold AI‑focused servers equipped with Nvidia A100 GPUs to four Chinese universities, including two with direct military ties. Reuters documents show two additional universities attempted similar purchases, citing ties to the People’s Liberation Army and missile‑technology programs. The sales...
Offshore Wind Now Enhances Military Radar, Not Hinders
The reasoning given by the Trump administration for shutting down wind farms was due to concerns about interrupting military radar and sonar. But now offshore wind farms can be integrated into national defense programs, boosting sensing technologies. https://spectrum.ieee.org/offshore-wind-military-radar
More than $6 Million in Federal Defence Funding Bound for Alberta
The Canadian government announced more than CAD 6.1 million (≈ USD 4.5 million) in defence‑related funding for Alberta. The money is split between space‑data firm Wyvern (≈ USD 2.1 million) for hyperspectral maritime monitoring, the University of Alberta (≈ USD 2.2 million) to create the DEFENDS commercialization centre, and CANDO (≈ USD 111 k)...
Combat Drones Are Pivoting Into Green Hydrogen Fuel Cells
Combat drones and emerging ground robots are increasingly being powered by green hydrogen fuel cells, a shift driven by Ukraine’s rapid adoption and U.S. defense interest. Startups such as Sesame Solar have created mobile nanogrid refueling stations that can be...
Iran Delays Response to US Proposal Amid Intolerable Attacks
Senior Iranian Official: Tehran Yet To Decide Whether To Respond To US Proposal Because Of Attacks On Industrial And Nuclear Infrastructure - US Action Of Launching Attacks While Simultaneously Calling For Talks Is 'Intolerable' - Iran's Response To Proposal Had...
Iran Destroys US KC-135, Hits Prince Sultan Base
Looks like Iran scored a direct hit on the US apron at Prince Sultan Air Base today. Smoke everywhere... At least one KC-135 Stratotanker is toast and a few others might be banged up from those ballistic missiles and drones.
Epic Fury Oil Shock: Repositioning Your Portfolio for War
Operation Epic Fury, the US‑Israeli offensive against Iran, has effectively shut the Strait of Hormuz, choking roughly 20% of global crude oil flow and a host of other critical commodities. The closure also traps 22% of urea and ammonia, 24%...
Trump Labels Iran Strike a “Military Operation” To Bypass Congress
Trump on Iran War: "It's for legal reasons I say military op, because as a military operation I don't need any approvals. As a war you're supposed to get approval from Congress, something like that. So I call it a...
Sanctions Keep Russia's War Windfall in Check
New at THE OVERSHOOT: Russia's Iran War Windfall in Perspective https://t.co/YgLaalkQxU As long as financial sanctions and export controls remain in place, the aggressor's gains from higher oil and gas prices will be limited. https://t.co/MWwrDIs9pR
Japan's Security Policy Evolves: New Japanese Perspectives Unveiled
1/3: Japan’s security posture is intensively debated inside the country—and its security policy is, therefore, dynamic and evolving. A new series of essays from two new #CarnegieAsia nonresident scholars seeks to appreciate these dynamics from a Japanese perspective, harnessing in...
Near Nuclear Catastrophe a Mere Two Weeks Away
“They have a nuclear weapon, or they want to have one. They were very close. They were two weeks away. I call it the luclear dust." https://t.co/4GzxjDCgqT
US Blockade Erodes Cuba’s Economy, Chart Shows
Cuba is being worn down by the relentless US blockade, shown by this chart on the Economist. More featured on today's Chartbook Top Links in the comment below. https://t.co/WP5T7dRmAp
Houthis Warn Red Sea Escalation Amid Iran War
Houthis Threaten Red Sea Escalation as Iran War Risks Spreading to Second Shipping Chokepoint https://t.co/9Nypu2iQHO
Trump Claims Middle East Nearing Freedom From Iranian Terror
U.S. President Donald Trump: "Tonight, we are closer than ever to the rise of the Middle East that is finally free from Iranian terror and aggression."
Gulf Nations Question US Security Guarantees Amid Iran Conflict
"Gulf countries are increasingly frustrated with the US over the Iran war, privately questioning American security guarantees and expressing concern about the Trump administration’s apparent lack of strategy..." https://t.co/dmcHthBwRz
Eurofighter Typhoon Hits 1M Hours, Remains Europe's Air Backbone
Having now passed the one million flying hours mark - how the Eurofighter Typhoon remains the backbone of European air power #avgeek #defence #NATO https://t.co/byu8M2PzW4 https://t.co/ZTe2VFrnyR
US Puts $10M Bounty on Iranian IOControl Hackers
US offering $10 million for info on Iranian hackers behind IOControl malware | The Record from Recorded Future News https://t.co/2wnlp84kjx
Tehran's Counter‑Proposal Looms as Rubio Teases U.S. Response
Iran US war news LIVE: Tehrans counter-proposal to US expected soon; Marco Rubio hints at next move https://t.co/UUGxfHdaMx
Houthis Poised to Act if Iran War Escalates
Deleted the Walter QT re: Houthis because I couldn't find any other supporting reports. All I could find was this report (from yesterday) that noted the Houthis were read to respond militarily "should developments in the war on Iran require such...
Iranian Attacks Drive Push for Hardened Underground Base
Hardened Underground Facilities Now Being Sought For Al Udeid Air Base Iranian attacks highlight the glaring need for hardened infrastructure and shelters to protect troops and military assets. https://t.co/z6Sqsl2jPV
US Seeks Underground Bunker Design for Al Udeid, Delayed
Scoop: As Iranian missiles and drones rain down, CENTCOM is seeking vendors who can plan and design a hardened, underground facility at Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar. But it won't be built any time soon. https://t.co/8w5TtpXOLA
China’s Decade-Long Push for Energy Self‑Sufficiency as Defense
China has been planning for over a decade to be cut off from global energy resources. Sustainable Energy is National Defense
Decades of Navy‑Merchant Marine Split Now Costing Hormuz
"The United States has spent seven decades severing every operational link between the Navy and the Merchant Marine, and the Hormuz crisis is the bill coming due." 🎯NAILED IT 🎯 https://t.co/l9z9PP9W7P
Trump Says No Immediate Iran Ground Invasion Despite Troop Buildup
EXCLUSIVE: The Trump administration is signaling to allies that it has no immediate plans for a ground invasion of Iran, even as it deploys thousands of troops to the Middle East, people familiar with the matter said. @nwadhams https://t.co/YZRj1gwl2H
DoD Can Outsource Custom AI, Conflict Publicized
Yes. Ultimately, DoD can pay x or Palantir or someone else to develop custom AI models for them, for example. The most important part of the Anthropic - DoD conflict was elevating some of the issues to the public, the...