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
Northrop’s Talon IQ Flies First Mission With Shield AI’s Hivemind Autonomy
Northrop Grumman’s Talon IQ modular testbed successfully completed its first flight using Shield AI’s Hivemind as the digital brain. The autonomous mission, conducted in Mojave, saw the aircraft execute a combat air patrol and engage simulated targets without human input. After the Hivemind‑controlled segment, Talon IQ switched back to Northrop’s native Prism autonomy software, demonstrating seamless software interchangeability. The test validates a plug‑and‑play approach to AI integration for unmanned platforms.
Advancing the Field: Luminary Cloud Announced New Physics AI Models at AIAA SciTech Forum
Luminary Cloud unveiled three new physics‑AI defense models—SHIFT‑CCA, SHIFT‑Submarine and SHIFT‑Pump—at the AIAA SciTech Forum 2026. The models promise sub‑second inference, cutting traditional simulation times from hours to fractions of a second. Built on the company’s GPU‑native Physics AI Factory,...
Austal USA Contracts Master Boat to Fabricate T-ATS Modules
Austal USA has awarded Master Boat Builders a contract to fabricate two hull modules for the U.S. Navy’s Navajo‑class T‑ATS program. The agreement follows a 2025 memorandum of understanding and positions Master Boat as a key subcontractor in a distributed‑production...
Rep. LaHood on Why Section 702 Reauthorization Will Take a ‘Little Political Muscle’
Section 702 of the FISA, which permits warrantless collection of foreign communications, is set to sunset on April 20 unless Congress acts. Rep. Darin LaHood, chair of the House Intelligence Committee’s NSA subcommittee, urged an 18‑month “clean” reauthorization aligned with...
Canada’s NRC Allocates C$161M to Quantum Tech Within Broader C$900M Defense Plan
Canada’s National Research Council (NRC) is earmarking C$161 million over five years for quantum‑technology research as part of a broader C$900 million Defence Industrial Strategy. The funding targets quantum sensing, internetworking, and quantum‑safe communications, while C$28 million is set aside for biomedical counter‑measures...
Iran’s Attacks Force Israel to Restrict Holy Site Access
Many people of faith have asked why the Temple Mount, al aksa, the Western Wall and Church of the Holy Sepulchre are not open. It is because the Iranian death cult is firing on these holy places. Israel is ensuring that...
Ukraine Is Quietly Helping Five Middle East Nations Shoot Down Iranian Drones, Even as Trump Says He Doesn’t Need Kyiv’s...
Ukrainian officials are assisting five Middle Eastern nations—UAE, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Kuwait and Jordan—to counter Iranian Shahed drones by providing expert assessments and deploying cheap, battle‑tested interceptor units. These interceptors, honed in Ukraine’s fight against Russia, have become a leading...
IRGC Spokesman Brigadier General Ali Mohammad Naeini Killed in Overnight Strike
Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps confirmed on March 20 that Brigadier General Ali Mohammad Naeini, its public spokesperson for the past two years, was killed in an overnight U.S.-Israeli strike. Naeini, a veteran of four decades and a specialist in...
Israeli Strike Kills Three in Rural Village in Iran's East Azerbaijan Province
An Israeli‑US airstrike hit the village of Dizaj Amir Madar in Iran’s East Azerbaijan province on March 20, killing three civilians and wounding three others. The strike struck a local workshop and damaged adjacent residential buildings, prompting an immediate emergency response....
Saudi Arabia Intercepts 27 Drones Launched Towards the Kingdom
Saudi Arabia's Ministry of Defence reported that its air defenses shot down 27 drones launched toward the kingdom on March 20. Twenty‑six of the unmanned aircraft were destroyed over the Eastern Province, home to Saudi Aramco’s primary production and export...
How CISOs Can Survive the Era of Geopolitical Cyberattacks
Geopolitical cyber threats are shifting from ransomware to destructive wiper campaigns, exemplified by Iran‑linked Handala’s March 2026 attack on Stryker that crippled operations in 79 countries. The article outlines a five‑step containment playbook for CISOs, emphasizing credential protection, zero‑trust network segmentation,...
Ekco Launches Managed Risk Operations Centre to Help Irish Organisations Reduce Cyber Risk
Ekco has introduced a Managed Risk Operations Centre (ROC) in Ireland, powered by Qualys Enterprise TruRisk Management. The service consolidates fragmented vulnerability data into a continuous, business‑aligned risk reduction model. It prioritises exposures based on exploit likelihood, asset criticality and...
Marines Test ‘Cruise Control’ Swim Feature on Amphibious Vehicle Prototype
Marines conducted water‑entry, swim and firing trials of the next‑generation Advanced Reconnaissance Vehicle (ARV) prototypes from General Dynamics Land Systems and Textron at Camp Pendleton. The tests showcased a new autotrim or "cruise‑control" feature that automatically maintains course and azimuth,...
Transparency Data: MOD: Spending over £500 on an ePC for January to December 2026
The UK Ministry of Defence has published its electronic procurement card (ePC) transactions exceeding £500 for January and February 2026. The data are released as OpenDocument Spreadsheet (ODS) files, each under 250 KB, and are updated monthly to cover all ePC...
Excluding Allies and Academics Fuels Unchecked US Military Dominance
This IMHO is the most important post of the month. Read it, reread it, then take notes. RULES OF ENGAGEMENT RULES OF ENGAGEMENT RULES OF ENGAGEMENT Why was @secwar able to hermetically seal the southern border, eliminate crime in DC, arrest Maduro, and sink...
Another Russian Shadow Fleet Tanker Stopped in the Mediterranean Sea
France intercepted the Russian‑linked tanker Deyna in the Mediterranean, revealing it was sailing under a false Mozambican flag after departing Murmansk. The vessel is part of Russia’s shadow fleet that evades sanctions by using counterfeit registries. French authorities have seized...
Ghana Eyes New Presidential Jet by Mid-4Q26
Ghana announced it will acquire a new presidential jet by November 2026, adding a dedicated aircraft to the state fleet. The move follows criticism over President John Dramani Mahama’s recent use of his brother’s private Global 6500 for a diplomatic trip...
Key Security Docs Often Missing; Use Templates
Cybersecurity scales with process + templates 🔐 Key docs every org needs: 🛡️ InfoSec: incident logs, access matrix, data classification 🌐 Network: DDoS plan, VPN/NAC logs, patch schedule ☁️ Cloud: config baseline, IR log, backup testing, asset inventory 🧩 AppSec: secure coding checklist, SAST logs,...
Kharg Island Tension Could Trigger Market Shock Soon
🚨 THE MARKET IS ONE ISLAND AWAY FROM RELIEF AND CHAOS US is quietly considering lifting Iran sanctions but behind the scenes? There's talk of something far more aggressive. And it all comes down to one tiny island in the Persian Gulf...
“Adjusting Certain Delegations”: New Executive Order Aims to Streamline and Clarify Delegated Authorities Under the Defense Production Act
On March 13, 2026 President Trump issued an Executive Order that revises the delegation framework of the Defense Production Act. The order transfers direct DPA authority over energy‑related resources from the Department of Commerce to the Department of Energy and clarifies how...
Lockheed Martin Signs All Industrial Projects for Czech F-35 Programme
Lockheed Martin has signed off on all eleven industrial cooperation projects tied to the Czech Republic’s F‑35 Lightning II programme, including a partnership with Ray Service to manufacture wire harnesses domestically. The Czech government plans to purchase 24 F‑35A fighters,...
Pentagon Moves to Extend D.C. National Guard Mission to 2029
The Pentagon is set to prolong the federal National Guard deployment in Washington, D.C. until Jan. 20, 2029, covering 2,865 troops drawn mainly from Republican‑led states. The extension, awaiting Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth’s signature, underscores a shift in domestic security policy...
France's Aircraft Carrier Located in Real Time by Le Monde Through Fitness App
On March 13, a French Navy officer logged a 7‑km run on the Strava app while aboard the aircraft carrier Charles de Gaulle. Because his profile was public, the GPS data instantly revealed the carrier’s exact position northwest of Cyprus,...
Digested Week: Hegseth Chides Media for Focusing on Trivial Issue of His Iran Strategy
Pete Hegseth, newly appointed U.S. defense secretary, publicly rebuked the press for fixating on the “trivial” details of his Iran war strategy. He argued that the media’s focus on the absence of a comprehensive plan distracts from the administration’s broader...
Can the US Reopen the Strait of Hormuz? Many Military Analysts Are Sceptical
U.S. airstrikes have reportedly degraded Iran's coastal missile infrastructure, yet the Strait of Hormuz remains effectively blockaded as drones and naval mines pose persistent threats. Between March 1‑15, only 89 vessels – including 16 tankers – traversed the waterway, a sharp...
IRocket iRX-100 Missile Test with Arnold Defense Launcher
On March 11, U.S. startup iRocket and Arnold Defense successfully conducted a live‑fire test of the iRocket iRX‑100 tactical missile from an Arnold Defense 70 mm rocket launcher in the Mojave Desert. The solid‑fuel missile accelerated to roughly Mach 2, traveling about...
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UAE Says It Dismantled 'Terrorist Network' Funded by Iran, Hezbollah
The United Arab Emirates announced it has dismantled a terrorist network allegedly funded by Iran and Lebanon’s Hezbollah, arresting several operatives. The cell used a fictitious commercial front to launder money, finance terrorism and threaten national security. Lebanon’s foreign ministry...
From Orbit to Objective: Space and the Future of Conflict
The Irregular Warfare Podcast episode “From Orbit to Objective” examines how space has become a contested domain shaping modern conflict. Hosts Ben Jebb and Charlie McGillis interview Dr. James Kiras and U.S. Space Command leader General Stephen Whiting about the...
Estonia Opts for Smart, Adaptable and Cooperative Solutions in the Face of Russian Threat
Estonia is prioritizing smart, adaptable and cooperative defence solutions as the Russian threat looms. With a population of 1.3 million and the EU’s third‑smallest GDP, it has narrowed procurement and focused on joint ventures. Its domestically produced equipment is now being...
Venezuela’s Security State Hardens as Sanctions Relief Lifts Oil Hopes
Venezuela has reshuffled its security leadership, appointing intelligence chief Gustavo González López as defense minister, signaling tighter military and surveillance control. The change coincides with limited U.S. sanctions waivers that have eased pressure on PDVSA, prompting a rally in PDVSA‑linked bonds...
Ukraine Downs Russian Ka-52 Helicopter with FPV Drone
Ukrainian forces reported that an FPV drone destroyed a Russian Ka‑52 attack helicopter near Pokrovsk, supported by video and photos. The strike was credited to the 59th Separate Assault Brigade, which uses low‑cost, first‑person‑view drones as improvised strike platforms. The...
Superpowers Overestimate Blitzkrieg, Underestimate Resistance
It’s amazing to me how many resources must be devoted to geopolitical strategy, intelligence gathering, and war planning in the US and Russia; and yet the two most high-profile wars of the last five years involve a military superpower attempting...
Iran Reveals Even Elite Militaries Deplete Resources Fast
“Just as Ukraine was a wake-up call for the entire world...I think Iran is a second wake-up call in that we’re seeing the most well-capitalized, best organized militaries in the world run out of some things pretty quickly." https://t.co/p2ZgYVbGw8
Fake Interactive Zoom Call Leads to Malicious ScreenConnect Download
Security researchers discovered a novel phishing campaign that uses a fake, interactive Zoom call to trick users into downloading a malicious update. The lure relies on AI‑generated JavaScript to mimic a glitchy Zoom meeting, directing victims to a counterfeit Microsoft...
Insights Shared on OWA Drone Discussion
Good discussion on OWA drones and happy to contribute some thoughts to this piece. https://t.co/9wzT67vLWy
Trump's Short‑Term View Undermines Gulf Alliances
Trump does not connect actions he takes on one day to events that occur weeks later. Allied leaders know that if they help him in the Persian Gulf, he won't be grateful, or even remember. https://t.co/T41LaJfTWa
UK Cyber Monitoring Centre Plans Expansion in US Amid Risk of Category 5 Attack
The UK Cyber Monitoring Centre (CMC) is preparing a US‑based operation to quantify the financial fallout of cyber incidents, targeting a 2027 launch after proving its model in Britain. In its first year, the CMC rated two 2025 attacks –...
C‑RAM Success, but Fear Iranian Shaheds Get Geran Tech
Good work by the C-RAM teams, but let’s hope that Iranian Shaheds do not get upgraded Russian Gerans (and the tech goes along with them), which skim rooftops or maneuver between buildings like they do against Kyiv.
UK Must Adapt Air and Space Power Amid Escalating Threats
With conflicts & threats escalating in multiple theatres - Can the UK adapt its air & space power resources to meet the challenges? Analysis #avgeek #NATO https://t.co/vB6s61ktZ3 https://t.co/MEZDMDGcrf
Oracle Pushes Emergency Fusion Middleware Patch
Oracle released an out‑of‑band emergency patch for a critical pre‑authentication remote code execution vulnerability (CVE‑2026‑21992) affecting Oracle Identity Manager and Oracle Web Services Manager. The flaw, located in the Fusion Middleware REST and security components, is easily exploitable and resembles...
Lukashenko Claims Trump Invites Belarus for Major Deal
Belarus' Alexander Lukashenko says Trump has invited him to Mar-a-Lago to discuss a "big deal" with the US. This would presumably bring his country in from the cold after years of sanctions over his repressions and help for Russia's invasion of...
AI Is Simplifying Cybercrime; the Threat Will Intensify
AI is already making online crimes easier. It could get much worse. | MIT Technology Review https://t.co/OOi3OhIPMa
Medvedev, Medvedchuk Claim Russia’s New Regions Merit Referendums
Ex-president Dmitry Medvedev and Viktor Medvedchuk, Putin's favorite Ukrainian, have written a long article arguing Russia's "new regions" had the right to hold "referendums." That Russia's army had already annexed them from Ukraine is glossed over... https://t.co/06WkWbT190
Drones Redefine Urban Combat in Ukraine’s War
“Drones and Urban Warfare in Ukraine,” the latest episode of my @WarInstitute podcast is out. I sit down with Dr. Anthony Tingle who just returned from his 9th research trip to Ukraine to discuss the evolution of drones and the different...
Germany Expands Intelligence, Creating Its Own NSA
Separately, Germany is building its own version of the NSA. Germany's intelligence service is vastly expanding what has to date been a small section. https://t.co/v3wcztzBqI
Germany Loosens Arms Export Rules for Six Months
Germany to ease weapons export restrictions for 6 months to support Gulf states & Ukraine, according to @BR24. Previously, every single transaction had to be approved, now focus on reporting requirements.
Trump’s Iran Plan Favors Navy, Air Power over Ground
President Trump's Iran strategy has what the Forever Wars never did: having the Army take a backseat to naval and airpower.
Bots to Outpace Humans Online by 2027
Online bot traffic will exceed human traffic by 2027, Cloudflare CEO says | TechCrunch https://t.co/WGWoAMpWVy
Iran’s Asymmetric Threats Could Spark US War, Oil Surge
Joined the great @AudieCornish @CNN this morning. We talked about how Iran’s asymmetric capabilities could make the risks of a worst case scenario real: US boots on the ground, a shooting war in the Strait of Hormuz, and oil prices...
US Chooses Between Lifting Iran Sanctions or Invading Kharg
On the one hand, the US is considering lifting sanctions on Iran's oil. On the other, the US e is considering invading Kharg. It's one or the other. Either the US understands the MAD dynamic at play with energy flows...