Today's Defense Pulse
Iran drafts MOU with US promising Strait of Hormuz reopening within 30 days
Iran has issued a 14‑point draft memorandum of understanding that would see U.S. forces withdraw from Iranian territory, lift oil sanctions and suspend the naval blockade. The draft also calls for the release of half of Iran’s frozen assets and a reconstruction plan of at least $300 billion, with Tehran pledging to reopen the Strait of Hormuz within 30 days.
Also developing:
By the numbers: KONGSBERG acquires 90% stake in Zone 5 Technologies
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 prior APT breach that stole F5 source code and undisclosed vulnerabilities. CISA has issued emergency directives urging immediate mitigation for federal networks using F5 devices.
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%...
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
Trump DOJ Refuses to Rule Out Second Amendment Right to Nuclear Weapons
The Trump administration’s Department of Justice filed court briefs arguing that any weapon deemed in "common use" by law‑abiding citizens could fall under the Second Amendment, even hypothetically extending that protection to nuclear arms. The stance builds on the Supreme...
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
Claude and the Constitution: Questions Congress Should Ask Before Renewing Section 702
Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act will sunset on April 20, 2026, forcing Congress to decide whether to renew a tool that lets the NSA collect foreign communications but often sweeps up Americans. The article highlights the growing...
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
60 Minutes: Mar 29
The latest episode of 60 Minutes revealed that North Korean operatives are posing as remote IT workers to infiltrate Australian companies, stealing data and funneling funds to Kim Jong‑Un’s weapons programs. The investigation, led by Nick McKenzie, highlights a sophisticated scam that exploits...
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
Syphoning Morale
Secretary of War Pete Hegseth praised aggressive actions in the early weeks of the Iran conflict, while the Pentagon rolled out a new memo that sharply curtails the editorial freedom of the historic *Stars and Stripes* newspaper. The eight‑page directive,...
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...
Iran's 'Toll Booth' Reveals Selective Hormuz Passage List
"Tehran’s ‘toll booth’: How Iran picks [for now] who to let through Strait of Hormuz." Mentions the late IRGC Naval Commander. Is it just me, or does this read like a target list to deconstruct? ...submit the information to the...
What Is Netanyahu’s Endgame in Iran War? – The Latest
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is positioning Israel for a prolonged confrontation with Iran, seeking to weaken Tehran's nuclear ambitions while avoiding a full‑scale war. He is leveraging diplomatic pressure, covert operations, and regional alliances, especially with Saudi Arabia and...
Erdoğan Blames Netanyahu's Israel for Regional Aggression
#TurkeyWatch 🇹🇷: President Erdoğan fingered Netanyahu's gov't and Israel for “not only targeting Iran”, but also its “step by step implementation of plans to occupy Lebanon”, and its continuing “aggressive violations” of Syria’s sovereignty. https://t.co/M9KIHTZopA
Pentagon Silent for First Full War Week, No Briefings
This marks the first full week since the U.S.-Israeli war against Iran began that the Pentagon has done *zero* press conferences. Last briefing was held by Secretary Hegseth and Gen. Caine on March 19. Hegseth's public affairs team itself has not briefed...
MEPs Told to Leave Phone at Home for China Trip
European Parliament lawmakers are traveling to Beijing and Shanghai next week, the first delegation to China in eight years, to discuss the EU’s digital economy and e‑commerce regulations. Due to rising concerns over Chinese cyber‑espionage, the MEPs have been instructed...
Skepticism Over Trump's Quick Iranian Regime Change Promise
Silly in many ways, but specifically: given that we're already 4 weeks into the Iran War, it seems as if Slok here is implying that the Trump admin will achieve durable and favourable Iranian regime change between the weekend and...
Eurofighter Typhoon Handles 80% of Combat Missions
"Eurofighter Typhoon continues to play a central role. Between 2024 and 2025, around 80% of combat-aircraft missions conducted by operator countries were flown by these aircraft." https://t.co/HctQ8eSjo4 https://t.co/dkdRxPXYSU
FBI Confirms Theft of Director’s Personal Emails by Iran-Linked Hacking Group
The FBI confirmed that a hacking group tied to Iran's Ministry of Intelligence and Security, operating under the name Handala, breached the personal email account of FBI Director Kash Patel and leaked photos and routine correspondence from 2010 and 2019....
Iran-Linked Hackers Breach FBI Director Kash Patel's Email
FBI Director Kash Patel's email breached by hackers linked to Iran, sour... https://t.co/CmeuUp2yiA via @YouTube
US Assures Allies: No Immediate Iran Invasion Plans
Not even a slight bounce on this headline. *US SIGNALS TO ALLIES NO IMMEDIATE PLANS FOR IRAN INVASION
Testing the Japan-South Korea-US Techno-Alliance
The Japan‑South Korea‑US trilateral is reshaping from a broad security pact into a pragmatic techno‑alliance focused on AI, quantum computing, critical minerals and next‑generation nuclear energy. At the recent Trans‑Pacific Dialogue, leaders highlighted coordinated supply‑chain initiatives and pledged massive U.S....
U.S. Admits only a Third of Iran's Missiles Destroyed
"They are out of missiles" U.S. confirms only one-third of Iran missile arsenal destroyed as war continues