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
Leidos Secures $454.9m Contract to Modernise USAF Cloud One Platform
Leidos has secured a $454.9 million contract to modernize the U.S. Air Force’s Cloud One platform, a core hub for mission‑critical cloud services. The effort will integrate Amazon Web Services, Microsoft Azure, Google Cloud and Oracle Cloud Infrastructure to boost security, automation and cost efficiency. Leidos aims to accelerate cloud adoption across Air Force units, enhancing operational readiness and cyber defence. The initiative aligns with Leidos’ NorthStar 2030 strategy and follows an $88 million Oracle task order for the same programme.
California & Iranian Drones: The Facts
A recent episode of The Britt Mayer Show examines claims of Iranian drones targeting California, reviewing official statements, border security gaps, and expert warnings. While federal agencies have not confirmed any incursions, the discussion highlights the potential for low‑altitude UAV...
Rust-Based VENON Malware Targets 33 Brazilian Banks with Credential-Stealing Overlays
Brazilian security firm ZenoX has uncovered VENON, a Rust‑based banking trojan that targets 33 banks and digital‑asset platforms. The malware uses DLL side‑loading, shortcut hijacking, and nine evasion techniques before delivering credential‑stealing overlays. Distribution relies on a PowerShell‑driven ZIP chain,...
How the Shutdown Endangers America’s ‘Arsenal of Freedom’ Behind the Scenes
The ongoing partial government shutdown has sharply reduced demand for small defense sustainment suppliers, with one Texas OEM reporting a 76% drop in orders and a 44% workforce cut. Over 115 funded delivery orders worth millions sit idle, creating a...
Globalist Mole Inside Administration Sabotaged Strait of Hormuz
Not gonna sugar coat this and do not care if it costs me my new Pentagon press credentials and access to this administration. The left smeared my name in a major WAPO hit piece and the right can do the...
Kroenig on The Beacon of Liberty Podcast on the Truman Doctrine
On March 12, Atlantic Council’s Matthew Kroenig appeared on The Beacon of Liberty podcast to discuss the Truman Doctrine. He traced the policy’s origins to post‑World War II fears of Soviet expansion and highlighted its role in shaping early Cold War strategy. Kroenig linked...
UK Confirm New Medium Helicopter Timeline for the First Time
The United Kingdom has announced a definitive delivery schedule for its New Medium Helicopter (NMH) programme, with the first Leonardo AW149 expected in summer 2030 and the final unit arriving by autumn 2033. The £1 bn contract awards Leonardo UK 23...
National Security Acquisition Overhaul: Industry Can Play a Positive Role
The Office of Federal Procurement Policy is launching the most extensive overhaul of the Federal Acquisition Regulation in decades, targeting simplicity, speed, and cost savings across the national security acquisition landscape. Legacy processes have been criticized for excessive complexity, lengthy...
How to (Not) Be a Pacific Power
Recent U.S. policy shifts have tightened visa rules for Pacific islanders while scaling back development aid, signaling a move toward militarized, strategic engagement. The United States now requires bonds for visitors from Fiji, Tuvalu and Vanuatu and has placed partial...
Italy’s Leonardo Rides High on Soaring Global Defense Spending
Leonardo announced a bullish industrial plan targeting €32 billion in annual orders by 2030, up from €23.8 billion last year. The firm projects revenue to climb 50% to €30 billion, driven by a new air‑defence system, the Michelangelo Dome, and an expanded focus...
U.S. Crude Exports Serve as West’s Strategic Reserve
America’s Strategic Oil Exports @WSJ Great and important read. I still believe the WSJ Editorial Board does some of the most balanced and informed analysis in the media. https://t.co/sxJ6f76VCl The International Energy Agency said Tuesday that its 32 member countries will...
Price Tag for Epic Fury Tops $11 Billion in First Six Days, Pentagon Tells Congress
Pentagon officials briefed senators that Operation Epic Fury cost roughly $11.3 billion in its first six days, a figure that likely underestimates the true expense. U.S. Central Command reports about 6,000 Iranian targets have been struck, while seven American service members...
Iran’s Digital Arsenal: When Invisible Fences Rise in the Conflict
On 28 February 2026, coordinated cyber operations drove Iran’s internet traffic to just 1‑4 % of normal levels, coinciding with US‑Israeli air strikes that killed the Supreme Leader. Analysts attribute the blackout to a hybrid mix of regime‑imposed whitelisting, large‑scale DDoS attacks,...
VIDEO: Three Ships Struck in New Iranian Attacks
Video footage released on March 12 showed two crude oil tankers, the U.S.-owned Safesea Vishnu and the Greek‑owned Zefyros, ablaze after being struck by Iranian suicide surface drones during an STS transfer south of Al Basrah. The coordinated attacks killed...
DPAA’s Family Update Mission Searches for Answers Worldwide
The Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA) is a congressionally mandated body tasked with locating and identifying missing U.S. service members worldwide. It holds large family‑member update events, the biggest scheduled in Dover, to share case progress and foster closure. Recent...
Dual-Use Autonomous Unmanned Helicopter for Long-Endurance & Heavy-Lift Missions
Swiss firm Roze Mobility has introduced the SH-917, an autonomous unmanned helicopter designed for both civilian and military missions. The platform delivers up to eight hours of endurance and can lift 250 kg, thanks to a carbon‑fiber airframe and a turbocharged...
Ukraine Launches World-First Programme Giving Startups Access to Real War Data for AI Training
Ukraine has launched a world‑first programme that gives startups access to real battlefield data for training AI models. The initiative, approved by Defence Minister Mykhailo Fedorov, creates a framework linking the Ministry of Defence, Ukrainian firms and international partners. Startups can...
Limited Cases Don't Prove Chinese Weapon Inferiority
Listen, I get the attraction of these kinds of pieces and conclusions about Chinese weapon systems, but there is a lot more to it than a handful of export systems operated by a foreign nation getting destroyed by an overwhelming...
Navy to Commission Ship Named After Medal of Honor Recipient
The U.S. Navy will commission the Arleigh Burke‑class destroyer USS Harvey C. Barnum Jr. (DDG‑124) on April 11, marking the first warship named for a Medal of Honor recipient. The vessel honors Marine Corps Colonel Harvey C. “Barney” Barnum Jr.,...
Cyber National Mission Force to Get New Commander Amid Broader Leadership Turnover
The U.S. Cyber Command’s Cyber National Mission Force (CNMF) will be led by Brig. Gen. Matthew Lennox, replacing Maj. Gen. Lorna Mahlock, who moves to the deputy chief position at Cyber Command. The change‑of‑command ceremony is set for Friday at...
Leonardo to Launch Michelangelo Air Defense Dome Test in Ukraine
Leonardo announced that its Michelangelo air‑defence dome will undergo its first operational test in Ukraine by the end of 2026, followed by NATO‑wide trials in 2027 and full EU integration by 2030. The system, built around the MC5 plug‑in module,...
Strait of Hormuz Must Remain Closed as 'Tool to Pressure Enemy,' Iran's New Supreme Leader Says
Iran's newly appointed supreme leader Mojtaba Khamenei called for the Strait of Hormuz to remain closed, describing it as a tool to pressure the enemy. He also demanded the immediate shutdown of all U.S. bases in the Middle East and...
Onboard Fire Extinguished on Aircraft Carrier in Red Sea, Navy Says
The U.S. Navy confirmed a non‑combat fire broke out in the main laundry room of the USS Gerald R. Ford while the carrier operated in the Red Sea under Operation Epic Fury. The blaze was quickly extinguished, causing no damage...
France’s Controversial Arms Exports to Serbia and Croatia
France has signed major Rafale fighter jet contracts with both Serbia (€2.7 bn) and Croatia (€1.1 bn), delivering the latest F4‑standard aircraft to Belgrade and upgrading Croatia’s fleet to F3. The deals revive historic Franco‑Serbian ties while deepening French defence industry exposure...
Officials Worry Salt Typhoon Apathy Is Killing Momentum for Tougher Telecom Security Rules
Two years after Chinese‑state linked group Salt Typhoon breached at least ten U.S. telecoms, officials say the public remains largely indifferent. The hack gave attackers access to call‑detail records for millions of Americans, yet most citizens cannot see a direct impact...
China’s Middle East Play: Diversified, Not Iran‑Centric
This is not in fact "a jaw dropping twist" to anyone who has paid attention to China's approach to the Middle East. Beijing has a diversified portfolio of partners and interests, has never put all its eggs in the Iran...
The Iran War’s Muddled Endgame
President Donald Trump has offered no clear objectives for the U.S.-Israeli war on Iran, preferring to limit energy shocks and avoid a drawn‑out conflict. Israel, however, continues to pursue an aggressive stance, while Tehran views the fighting as an existential...
Drone Strikes in Middle East Highlight Need for Better Defense at Home, Says Expert
Recent Iranian‑backed Shahed drone strikes hit a U.S. tactical operations center in Kuwait and damaged three Amazon data centers in the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain. Eric Jacques, a Virginia Tech professor collaborating with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers,...
UAV Navigation-Grupo Oesía Will Ensure the Safe Cross-Domain Operation of UAS to Protect and Safeguard Lives Through Advanced Hidden Threat...
UAV Navigation‑Grupo Oesía is joining the EU‑funded TICHE project to enable safe cross‑domain operation of UAV and UGV swarms for hidden‑threat detection. The consortium will integrate advanced sensors, AI‑driven data fusion and the company’s guidance, navigation and control (GNC) expertise...
Hapag Lloyd Ship Hit in Hormuz, Crew Safe
The Hapag Lloyd container ship Source Blessing was hit by projectile fragments in the straight of Hormuz earlier today. Hapag reports that it was not a direct hit, all crew are safe, and they have extinguished the fire on...
Pentagon Knew Vietnam Unwinnable, yet Kept Sending Troops.
The Pentagon Papers revealed that the US Pentagon knew the Vietnam war was unwinnable by 1966 and yet kept sending US boys to die anyway... After 9 more years and ~55,000 more dead GI's, we were forced to hurriedly evacuate Saigon...
Iran's New Supreme Leader Vows Revenge on U.S., Israel
Iran's newly appointed supreme leader Mojtaba Khamenei issued his first public address, vowing retaliation against U.S. and Israeli forces. He warned that attacks on U.S. bases will continue unless they are shut down and emphasized Iran's intent to keep the...
U.S. Navy Delayed, Tanker Escorts Unavailable for Weeks
U.S. Navy Won’t Be Ready To Escort Tankers Through Hormuz For Weeks Escorting oil tankers in the strait is an incredibly high-risk mission, and might not even be enough to ensure their safe passage. We are live updating: https://t.co/ofZdY79JtI
Each American Pays $35 for the Iran War
So far we've spent $35 for every American on the war with Iran. Would you pay $35 for this war? https://t.co/e1KJve15MM
Army Eyeing Four Categories for New FMS Weapons Catalog
The U.S. Army is drafting a new Foreign Military Sales (FMS) weapons catalog that will initially group offerings into four capability buckets: integrated air and missile defense, long‑range fires, drones, and counter‑drone systems. The effort follows President Trump’s February executive...
Bombing Could Give Trump a Face‑saving Exit
Hanoi took over the whole country 3 years after the peace deal. So your point is that more bombing could give Trump cover for pulling out without losing face? Interesting idea....
Ukraine’s $1,000 Drones Inspire Global Defense Innovation
"These are Ukraine’s $1,000 interceptor drones the Pentagon [and now many countries] wants to buy." https://t.co/UK44ifiKp8 Through surviving daily Russian attacks / war crimes from missiles and drones with whatever means they could acquire comes an innovation that will save many...
Iranian Attacks on the Amazon Data Centers: A Legal Analysis
Iran launched Shahed‑136 drone strikes on Amazon Web Services data centers in the UAE on March 1 and a third site in Bahrain shortly after, causing fires, power outages and prolonged service disruption. The attacks occurred amid an international armed conflict...
Regime's Missiles Could Jeopardize Hormuz Tankers, Spike Oil
If the regime holds on, what is to stop its missiles and drones from threatening tankers through the Strait of Hormuz? Its ability to impact energy prices would be enormous. https://t.co/Xu1MLsUQXz
Chios Lion Images Show July 2024 Attack, Not Recent
🚨CHIOS LION 🚨 Anyone seeing images of the Houthis attacking the tanker Chios Lion in the Red Sea, this is a PAST attack. This took place off Yemen on July 14, 2024. I have a story from @gCaptain linked below:...
Taiwan Military Tests Drone Strike Tactics in Urban Training
Taiwan’s 58th Artillery Command UAV battalion conducted its first immersive FPV drone training in a simulated urban battlefield on March 10, 2026. The exercise paired long‑endurance reconnaissance drones with first‑person‑view attack drones to locate and strike mock enemy forces inside...
Egypt Turns Sinai Buffer Zone Into Military Stronghold
Israeli media report Egypt is quietly increasing its military buildup in Sinai, and is transforming the demilitarized buffer zone into a major military stronghold.
US/Israel Must Keep Strait Open to Block Iran's Trump Card
On the other hand, if US/Israel give up because unable to keep the straits open, we hand Iran a trump card almost as valuable as nuclear weapons. So, can the whole US + Israeli military not stop Iran from threatening...
Iran's Crisis Fueled by Prior Sense of Invulnerability
FWIW - The greatest risk to the unfolding events in Iran was, is, and will continue to be the backdrop of invulnerability that existed moments before hand.
Iranian Rocket Near Jerusalem's Sacred Sites Sparks Prayer
Iranian rocket lands "a few hundred meters from the Old City, the Western Wall, Al-Aqsa Mosque and the Church of the Holy Sepulchre." I have warned about this in the past. The reckless and desperate behavior of the Islamic regime in...
DHS Shutdown Halts Long-Awaited Disaster Agency Reform Report
The shutdown of the US Department of Homeland Security has thrust into limbo a long-awaited report on how to revamp the nation’s top disaster agency, according to one of the report authors https://t.co/Xkhy5v1Aeb
Finns Show Highest Defense Willingness in Europe
Finns’ willingness to defend their country also polls far higher than in most other countries, especially in Europe https://t.co/k9rSYzOhx1 via @liamdenning @loupalu @opinion https://t.co/cBY7bL9hp4
Iran’s Weakened IRGC Won’t Spark Revolt, Source Says
The IRGC is weakened. The regime is fractured. So why won't Iranians revolt? Gen. Spider Marks — with a source inside Iran — explains what the optimists are getting wrong. https://t.co/vORJuPJysT
New Deterrent Outshines Nukes, Redefining Global Power
Disagree. They have shown themselves and the world they have a solid deterrent, tbh. A nuke isn’t anywhere as usable as the deterrent they now provably possess and can improve on, and does not come with problems and existential fears of...
China Poised to Join War Debate Soon
Looks like #China is about ready to enter the discussion on the War. You figured that was coming.....