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
Army Training Dropout Rate Falls
The Ministry of Defence reports that the British Army’s Phase 1 training attrition has fallen to 19 percent in the 2024/25 recruiting year, matching pre‑2020 levels. The dropout rate declined from a peak of 29 percent in 2021/22, then 25 percent in 2022/23, and 22 percent in 2023/24. Figures cover regular Army other ranks and omit Gurkhas, reserves and other non‑regular personnel. Defence Minister Louise Sandher‑Jones attributes exits to medical issues, discipline, false information and general unsuitability.
You're Invited: April Private Roundtable - The War in Iran
Geopolitical Dispatch is hosting a private roundtable on April 6‑7 to dissect the war in Iran and its potential outcomes. The 60‑minute session includes a 30‑minute briefing followed by an off‑the‑record discussion with authors and experts. Attendees will explore implications...
Second iOS Exploit Kit Now in Use by Suspected Russian Hackers
Researchers have identified a second mass‑scale iOS exploit kit, DarkSword, linked to suspected Russian actors. The kit targets devices running iOS 18 or earlier, potentially affecting up to 270 million iPhones, and can steal passwords, crypto wallets, and messages. It exploits Apple’s...
Texas National Guard Drone Teams Support Border Partners, Strengthen Guard Readiness
The Texas National Guard’s 640th Technology Integration Cell deployed small unmanned aircraft systems to support Operation Lone Star, delivering real‑time thermal imaging and aerial overwatch for Border Patrol agents. The drones accelerated terrain assessment, enabling faster decision‑making and contributing to...
Russia Is Changing Its Drone Strike Tactics
Ukraine’s armed forces say Russia has altered its Shahed drone strike tactics, flying them at altitudes below 100 metres and deploying larger swarms. The low‑level approach hampers radar detection, while some drones are now equipped with jet engines, increasing speed....
Trump’s NATO Betrayal Leaves Europe Refusing Bailout
Trump spent years trashing NATO. He's been threatening to have the US withdrawal since his first term. Now he wants NATO to bail him out of a war he chose. Europe said no. That’s not the story of weak allies- that’s the consequence of...
Iran Threatens Gulf Gas Assets, Rattles Global Market
Iran appears to be preparing to retaliate after attacks on its giant gas field 🇮🇷 ⚠️ It issued a warning to stay away from a range of similar assets in Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the UAE The inclusion of Qatar (home...
Anschütz Clears CDR for Hunter-Class Frigate Integrated Navigation Systems
Anschütz has completed the Critical Design Review for its Warship Integrated Navigation and Bridge System (WINBS) destined for the Royal Australian Navy’s Hunter‑class frigates. The CDR confirms the design meets technical and operational requirements and clears the way for production...
UK, Netherlands, Finland Explore New Defence Financing, Procurement Plan
Finland, the Netherlands and the United Kingdom announced plans to create a joint defence‑financing and procurement mechanism by 2027. The framework will pool demand, enable shared purchasing and accelerate investment in critical capabilities such as munitions. It is designed to...
Why Did McDonnell Douglas Build The C-17 Globemaster With A T-Tail?
McDonnell Douglas equipped the C‑17 Globemaster with a T‑tail to maximize rear‑cargo clearance and preserve elevator effectiveness during airdrop operations. The high‑mounted horizontal stabilizer, inherited from the YC‑15 prototype, also improves stall recovery and overall pitch stability. Combined with a...
UK E-7 Wedgetail Delay Down to a “Technology Issue”, As MoD Grapples with Slipping Timelines
The UK Ministry of Defence confirmed that the first E‑7 Wedgetail airborne early‑warning aircraft, ordered in 2019, will now be delivered in 2026 after a series of setbacks. Officials traced the delay to a technology issue within Boeing’s certification process,...
America Is Digitally Fragile — and Our Adversaries Know It
The opinion piece warns that America’s critical infrastructure has become digitally fragile, with adversaries like China embedding persistent footholds in water, energy, telecom and port systems. U.S. cyber strategy remains episodic and reactive, allowing hostile actors to pre‑position capabilities before...
Another Patriot System Deployed in Turkey
NATO is deploying an additional US‑made Patriot air‑defence system to Turkey’s Adana Province, joining a Spanish‑operated Patriot already stationed there. The move follows a recent decision to position a Patriot in Malatya near a NATO radar site. It comes amid...
Italy Looks to Acquire a Containerized Naval Mine Laying System
Italy’s Ministry of Defense has issued a market consultation for a containerized naval mine‑laying system, valued at roughly €8 million. The system, built to ISO‑20 standards, will be mounted on the navy’s newest vessels—including CNG‑C MCMVs, coastal multipurpose ships, and the...
SideWinder Espionage Campaign Expands Across Southeast Asia
The India‑linked SideWinder APT group has broadened its espionage campaign into Southeast Asia, adding Indonesia and Thailand to its target list. Researchers note the group continues to use low‑complexity intrusion methods—government‑audit phishing, stolen credentials, and DLL hijacking—while rotating domains and...
Guidance: Future Operating Environments 2040
The UK Ministry of Defence released "Future Operating Environments 2040" (FOEs 2040), an evidence‑led assessment of how global drivers, disruptors and actors could shape defence contexts through 2040. The guidance builds on the Strategic Defence Review 2025, outlining plausible scenarios to aid...
NATO's Inaction in Hormuz Empowers Putin, Tests Unity
Defending international shipping in the Strait of Hormuz is a coalition responsibility. That is not an offensive campaign. It is a defensive mission to protect freedom of navigation, global commerce, and the stability of a maritime chokepoint that carries roughly...
China Signals New Target for 2027 Asteroid Deflection Test
China’s space agency has identified Aten‑class asteroid 2016 WP8 as the target for its first planetary‑defense kinetic‑impact test, slated for a December 2027 launch on a Long March 3B from Xichang. The mission will deploy two spacecraft—a kinetic impactor that will strike the asteroid...
Reimagining Gulf Security
The recent Iran war has exposed the shortcomings of the Gulf’s long‑standing “protection for sale” model, where security is bought through U.S. arms deals and basing rights. Authors argue that reliance on conditional American guarantees is unsustainable. They propose that...
Rome Prepares to Host the 2026 African Land Forces Summit
Rome will host the 2026 African Land Forces Summit from March 22‑24, bringing over three hundred delegates from about forty nations to Italy for the first time. Organized by the U.S. Army Southern European Task Force, the event aims to...
Control of Hormuz Determines Iran War’s Global Impact
Comparing what is now happening with what has happened in analogous historical situations and triangulating my thinking with smart, well-informed leaders and experts has always helped me make better decisions. I have found that most wars are filled with big...
Critical Unpatched Telnetd Flaw (CVE-2026-32746) Enables Unauthenticated Root RCE
A critical vulnerability (CVE‑2026‑32746) in GNU InetUtils telnetd allows unauthenticated remote attackers to achieve root‑level code execution via a buffer overflow in the SLC sub‑option handler. The flaw affects all telnetd versions up to 2.7 and carries a CVSS score...
China’s Global Strategy: Coercion, Propaganda, and Iran Support
With China’s unmatched censorship at home, it’s worth asking how narratives like this move so freely abroad. China is a remarkable, ancient civilization. But it is governed by a Communist Party that advances its interests through economic coercion, information operations,...
US Strikes on Iran Risk 5% Global Oil Loss
Iran produces 4-5% of the world's total oil supply, making it the 3rd largest producer in OPEC. The best case for this conflict just took a leg lower. At best, this ends in the next 1-2 months and the Strait...
New .NET AOT Malware Hides Code as a Black Box to Evade Detection
Researchers at Howler Cell have identified a new .NET Ahead‑of‑Time (AOT) compiled malware that strips metadata, turning the malicious binary into a black‑box that evades traditional security scanners. The infection chain begins with a phishing ZIP, delivering a downloader that...
☕ Morning Briefing — Wednesday, March 18, 2026
Israel confirmed a precision airstrike in Tehran that killed Ali Larijani, the de facto head of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council, along with his son and security staff. In the United States, an undercover James O’Keefe video alleges voter‑registration fraud on Los Angeles’...
The Fourth Horseman of the Apocalypse
The Boeing B‑1B Lancer, a long‑range strategic bomber, narrowly avoided cancellation after the Vietnam era left policymakers wary of heavy bombers. Reagan’s 1981 intervention revived the program, leading to the B‑1B’s first flight in October 1984 and operational deployment at...
Texas Man Pleads Guilty to Rigging Bids for Healthcare-Related U.S. Air Force Projects
A Texas storage‑sales company owner, Eric J. Caddy, pleaded guilty to two felony counts for conspiring to rig bids on more than $1.6 million of healthcare‑related contracts for U.S. Air Force facilities at Moody Base, Georgia. He and co‑conspirators submitted artificially...
US Joint Special Operations in Support of Earnest Will (1987-88): US Military Protection of Oil Tankers From Iranian Attacks
Operation Earnest Will (July 1987‑Sept 1988) saw the U.S. protect re‑flagged Kuwaiti tankers from Iranian attacks. To counter mines and fast‑boat raids, the Navy and Army converted two oil‑platform barges into mobile sea bases, deploying SEALs, Marines, helicopters and riverine...
Energy Becomes National Security, Triggering State‑Driven Markets
🔴Thoughts on the Future of Energy Markets🔴 The most severe long-term consequence of escalating trade wars, tariffs, sanctions, disruptions involving Venezuela, Iran, the Strait of Hormuz, and even moves like the Greenland interest isn't just higher prices or short-term supply shocks....
US Drops Bunker Busters on Coastal Iran Missile Sites Near Hormuz; Russia Expands Support for Iran in Targeting US Forces
U.S. Central Command confirmed that U.S. forces used multiple 5,000‑pound deep‑penetrator bombs to destroy hardened Iranian missile sites along the coast near the Strait of Hormuz. The sites housed anti‑ship cruise missiles that could threaten the vital shipping lane. Simultaneously,...
Israel Kills Iran's Senior Intelligence Chief Khatib
Israel eliminated another very senior Iranian figure, Iran's intelligence minister, Esmaeil Khatib, last night. Khatib led terrorist activities against American targets (to include assassination attempts of American political leaders and sleeper cells) around the world. “Khatib had been appointed Minister of Intelligence...
Israel Repeatedly Targets Lebanese Towns with Aerial Strikes
But it is the same as Israel using them over towns and villages in Lebanon. Which it has repeatedly done.
Acalvio Launches 360 Deception to Break AI Attack Automation
Acalvio unveiled 360 Deception, a next‑generation cyber‑deception platform designed to break AI‑driven attack automation. The solution creates a high‑uncertainty environment by dynamically orchestrating decoys and making real assets appear deceptive, forcing attackers to reveal intent early. In a U.S. Navy...
India Escorts Fuel Tankers Near Oman Without Alliance
India Sends Warships Near Gulf of Oman to Escort Its Fuel Ships. Is naval assistance a matter of each country doing its own thing? No alliance? https://t.co/kbTchm8cgX
Hormuz Reopening Dependent on Ceasefire and Neutralizing Iran
"Hormuz Reopening Looks Unlikely Without a Ceasefire" https://t.co/XMIRCwxYZf "Until we’ve neutralized Iran’s layered, asymmetric capabilities- mines, fast attack craft, submarines and drones- we won’t want to put commercial or even escort ships through" - @Bob_McNally https://t.co/ytg2suC6Mi
The Pentagon Built a Blueprint to Avoid Civilian War Casualties. Trump Officials Scrapped It
The Pentagon’s Civilian Harm Mitigation and Response (CHMR) program, created to protect non‑combatants, was largely dismantled after Donald Trump returned to the White House. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth prioritized lethality, cutting roughly 90% of the program’s staff and budget. Within...
Trump Missed Iran’s Escalation Ladder, Warns Former Defense Official
Dana Stroul, former US deputy assistant secretary of defense for the Middle East: “It does not appear that President Trump and his inner circle fully grasped the escalation ladder and range of Iranian retaliation actions" An understatement if I've ever heard one....
European Aid to Ukraine Fuels Iran War Effort
~200 Ukrainian anti-drone experts now deployed to the Middle East isn’t happening in isolation—Kyiv’s ability to provide that expertise depends heavily on continued European support at home. In that sense, Europe supports the war in Iran. https://t.co/XxqEEUt8f4
China Pitches Energy‑security Reunification to Taiwan Amid Iran War
China makes energy security 'reunification' offer to Taiwan amid Iran war Chen Binhua, TAO chief told reporters that "peaceful reunification" would bring better protection of Taiwan's energy and resource security with a "strong motherland" as its backing. https://t.co/gUJj7iMQpF
China’s Gulf‑Iran Balancing Act Strains Amid Escalating Strikes
Can China still maintain good relations with Gulf states and Iran as fighting escalates? Iranian strikes on neighbouring states in response to US and Israeli attacks highlight how difficult Beijing’s balancing act has become https://t.co/nw8sJ9lHjm
Israel Hits Iran's South Pars, World's Largest Gas Field
Israel just struck Iranian infrastructure at South Pars, the world's biggest natural gas field. This natgas episode is definitely worth a listen ⬇️⬇️
Iran Claims US‑Israeli Strikes Target South Pars Gas Field
Iran said US and Israeli airstrikes hit its giant South Pars natural gas field and associated infrastructure, according to state television. Petrochemical facilities in nearby Asaluyeh also came under attack, it added.
Gulf States Seek to Neutralize Iran After strikesGulf States Seek to Neutral
Battered by Iranian strikes and the disruption of the Strait of Hormuz, the U.A.E. and some fellow Gulf states now want the regime to be neutered, if not dismantled, once the conflict ends https://t.co/u1v454vp6D
Expensive Drones Aren’t Foolproof, Costly Shahed Attacks Persist
Reality check: a ~$20k drone does not have a 100% success rate. @wilendhornets's numbers indicate that Shaheds can be stopped with ~95% effectiveness for ~$2k/shahed. So a single successful shahed attack actually costs ~$400k. Drones augment missiles. They don't replace them.
Decapitating Enemy Leadership Remains
No, not even close. No one has ever had the capability to kill an entire hierarchy of political and military leaders of the enemy (and any replacements identified during the war). It challenges theories of how the will of the...
War Now Fights Both Battlefields and Minds Across Borders
The Ukraine and Iran wars are the first time that I can think of where enemy nations can create and send messaging and propaganda directly to the citizens of the other country. The fight is in the battlefield and the minds...
Trump Unveils “Shield of the Americas” Anti‑cartel Pact
Trump has launched a new regional security initiative called the Shield of the Americas. This partners with several Latin American leaders that Trump likes to target drug cartels throughout LATAM. Full Newsletter: https://t.co/WT87XwHmmg https://t.co/qCtV29ReRZ
Israel Systematically Tracks Down Iranian Regime Operatives
This story is insane…Israel Is Hunting Down Iranian Regime Members in Their Hideouts, One by One https://t.co/HPxV7aO1MW
China Trades Stability for Sovereignty, Not Energy
China offering Taiwan stability in exchange for sovereignty This is less about energy and more about power. China doesn't have spare energy to offer. https://t.co/YAE9bzHoXv #China #Taiwan #Energy #Geopolitics #Power