Today's Defense Pulse
UK MOD issues new RA 5219 rules for flight‑test instrumentation and data recorders
Regulatory Article 5219 now mandates specific sensors, recorder capacities, data‑retention periods and compliance procedures for UK military air‑system flight trials. The latest Issue 8 revision was released on 29 May 2026, replacing earlier versions dating back to 2014. The rule applies to all future flight‑test programs of air platforms.
Also developing:
By the numbers: Disciplined Growth Acquisition Corp raises $150M in IPO
![Defense & Aerospace Report Podcast [Mar 08 ’26 Business Report]](https://hixhlmpcokxhartfkpyi.supabase.co/storage/v1/object/public/images/thumbnails/b20b5e27ebeafffde9a01892545d2a00.webp)
Defense & Aerospace Report Podcast [Mar 08 ’26 Business Report]
During the March 8 Defense & Aerospace Report podcast, analysts examined a surge in geopolitical tension and market volatility shaping defense spending. The Trump administration is expected to request $50 billion in supplemental funding as the US‑Israel conflict with Iran intensifies, while energy prices have jumped 35 percent after discussions to allow limited Russian oil sales. Boeing is nearing a 500‑jet order with China ahead of President Trump’s April summit with Xi, and Europe is expanding nuclear deterrence, including France’s new ballistic‑missile submarine slated for 2036. Supply‑chain constraints and rising costs also led Switzerland to trim its F‑35 order to 30 aircraft.
The War’s Next Phase: Five Indicators That Matter Most
General Miller outlines five critical indicators to gauge the next phase of the ongoing conflict: the ability to intercept missiles and cheap Shahed drones, energy flow disruptions and traffic through the Straits of Hormuz, the evolving role of Iraqi and...
Gold Isn’t a Critical Mineral for Defense or Energy Transition
I've been on the topic of critical minerals for 15 years and I have never heard gold referred to as a critical mineral. Gold is certainly valuable, but not critical to defense technologies, energy transition, or anything else that would elevate...
Women in Combat: The Untold Story of Modern Warfare
Ukraine now fields nearly 70,000 women in its armed forces, with more than 10,000 fighting on the front lines. The surge has been driven by a rapid expansion of high‑tech combat roles such as drone piloting, unmanned‑systems command, and intelligence...
US Must Not Let Iran Distract It From China
The United States and Israel are escalating a military campaign against Iran, raising concerns that the conflict could divert American attention and resources. Analysts warn that this distraction may allow China to deepen its strategic foothold in the Indo‑Pacific. The...
MOD Explores Fuze System for Armed Uncrewed Platforms
The UK Ministry of Defence has launched Project OLCHAR, a preliminary market engagement to develop a sovereign electronic fuze system for armed uncrewed platforms. The design will be "safe‑by‑design" with an Electronic Safe and Arm Device (ESAD) and will be platform‑agnostic,...
B-21 Bomber Production to Accelerate
Northrop Grumman and the U.S. Air Force are speeding up production of the B‑21 Raider stealth bomber as testing progresses. The company has poured more than $5 billion into digital engineering and manufacturing infrastructure to support the ramp‑up. Final assembly continues...
BlackSky Awarded $99M Air Force Contract for Advanced Optical Testbed; Lockheed Martin Expands Missile Production
The U.S. Department of Defense awarded BlackSky Geospatial Solutions a $99 million SBIR Phase III contract to build an advanced optical imaging testbed for the Air Force Research Laboratory. Simultaneously, Lockheed Martin Missiles and Fire Control received a $53.1 million contract modification to...
Britain's Strategic Retreat Hands China Global Footholds
We had a good thing, Britain. A really good thing. You taught us this game. Mahan studied you. We just wrote bigger checks. The deal was simple. We spend the trillions. Fight the hard wars. We even let you sit out Vietnam. And...
Iran Can Cripple U.S. by Blocking Strait of Hormuz
I don't generally believe stories about high American casualties or Iranian military wins. But the thing is, Iran doesn't have to 'win' militarily to defeat the U.S. They just have to put a few guns in some caves next to...
The PRC's New Spring, with Dean Cheng on Midrats
Dean Cheng joins the Midrats podcast to dissect China’s evolving strategic posture as the PRC adjusts its assumptions on Venezuela, Iran, Japan and other key states. He outlines how the latest Five‑Year Plan, heightened defense spending, and sweeping PLA purges...
Reluctant Support for Extended Iran Deployment, Questioning CENTCOM Funding
For the record, I’m not thrilled about this whole Iran thing. I was in the camp of bulldozing @CENTCOM to fund moving @Southcom back to the Panama Canal. But if we must be there a few weeks longer… maybe… just...
China's Navy Built for Global Commerce Defense, Gulf Escort Possible
Everyone has always wondered what the PLAN (Chinese Navy) was configured for. We may see this come to fruition if they send a squadron to the Persian Gulf to escort their ships. The PLAN is perfectly sized and...
Trump, Iran, Nuclear Weapons
The post warns that President Trump claims only his morality limits his authority to use nuclear weapons, while U.S. law and policy grant the president sole power to order a nuclear strike. Defense Department reports from 2013 and 2024 reaffirm...
Royal Navy's Mediterranean Failure Mocked by Royal Irony
Everyone’s shocked the Royal Navy can’t get a warship to the Mediterranean, let alone the Persian Gulf. But remember, King Charles also commands Canada’s Royal Navy. Surely he can dispatch her broken subs and battle kayaks for backup. https://t.co/Yo6gQLLxR6
IAEA Unlikely to Operate Solo; Joint Survey Likely
There is basically zero chance the @iaeaorg goes commando, as it were. (10x the IAEA-UNCSOM tension in post-1991 Iraq. Disaster.) More likely is an Iraq Survey Group-like arrangement, which maybe includes some friendly former IAEA inspectors and consultants.
Why Does The US Navy Sink Its Unwanted Ships On Purpose?
The U.S. Navy routinely conducts SINKEX exercises, deliberately sinking decommissioned vessels to provide realistic live‑fire training, showcase weapon capabilities, and create artificial reefs. While sinking can be cheaper than traditional scrapping—costs ranging from $200 k to $5 million—environmental cleanup, especially PCB removal,...
From Iraq Mistake to Iran War: Trump's Repeating Hypocrisy
In 2016, Trump called the Iraq War and the search for nuclear weapons a “big, fat mistake.” 10 years later, Trump is waging war in Iran. Plus ça change, plus c'est la même chose. https://t.co/zvsvJCcvwJ
Putin Hasn't Spoken to Trump Since Iran Strike
Geopolitics expert Alexander Mercouris on Putin-Trump's sour relations: "It is a striking fact that Putin has not spoken to Trump at any point since the start of the American operation against Iran. In fact, he has not spoken to Trump since...
If IRAN Activates Proxies Inside the U.S., What Would It Look Like?
The post warns that Iran could employ proxy actors inside the United States, creating a threat environment that looks less like conventional warfare and more like isolated or coordinated attacks on civilian sites such as churches. It outlines how proxy...
Essential Read on US‑Israel War Risks to Iran
If you read one article on the US-Israel war on Iran and its many risk factors - from binary to systemic, bounded to unbounded duration - read this one. 🙏
RStatecraft's War Crime Claims on US Submariners Debunked
@rstatecraft just doubled down on its story all-but-accusing U.S. submariners of committing war crimes, even though we now know that several of its key points are factually incorrect. Amazing. Never change, @QuincyInst. https://t.co/zNquQWgVa0
U.S. Navy Launches Multinational Arctic Submarine Operation
On March 7, 2026 the U.S. Navy inaugurated Operation ICE CAMP Boarfish, a three‑week multinational Arctic submarine exercise featuring the fast‑attack vessels USS Delaware (SSN‑791) and USS Santa Fe (SSN‑763). A temporary command base was erected on a drifting ice...
U.S. Navy Awards Contract to Maintain TacNet Missile Datalink Radios
The U.S. Navy has awarded a $347,318 contract to Rockwell Collins to repair and reconfigure TacNet 1.0 datalink radios used on the Joint Standoff Weapon (JSOW) and Harpoon Block II+ missiles. The sole‑source award, issued by the Naval Air Systems Command’s Precision...
US, Israel Plan Special Forces Raid on Iran's Uranium
Axios: “The US and Israel have discussed sending special forces into Iran to secure its stockpile of highly enriched uranium at a later stage of the war” 👀⏰ Nuclear material a predictable a boots-on-the-ground pretext, but what’s most worrying to me...
DEA Moves to Buy Skydio R10 Indoor Drones
The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration announced a sole‑source purchase of Skydio R10 indoor drones via Atlantic Diving Supply. The R10 is engineered for GPS‑denied, confined‑space reconnaissance with autonomous navigation, collision‑resistant construction, and cellular 5G/LTE connectivity. The acquisition reflects a growing...
U.S. Army National Guard Buys Small FPV Strike Drones
The Tennessee Army National Guard has issued solicitations to purchase small unmanned aerial systems, including the Neros Archer, FlightWave Edge 130, and ModalAI Stinger Vision FPV drones, for use by the 117th Regiment Regional Training Institute. Each solicitation calls for two...
Russia's Budget Deficit Was Higher than Officially Stated
Germany’s Federal Intelligence Service (BND) disclosed that Russia’s 2025 federal budget deficit is actually just over 8 trillion rubles (~€89 billion), far higher than the Kremlin’s published figure. The agency also found that Russian military expenditures have been concealed, running up to...
Navy Faces Prolonged Wear and Tear, Recovery Challenging
"“There’s going to be wear and tear on the Navy that’s going to be difficult to recover from very quickly,” said Thomas Shugart, an adjunct senior fellow at [@cnasdc]." https://t.co/TW7rE9fX7S
The US Has Already Spent More on the Iran War Than a Decade of National Parks
Operation Epic Fury, the U.S. campaign against Iran, is consuming roughly $891 million each day, a cost that eclipses the entire annual operating budget of the National Park Service ($2.88 billion). Over the past year, the NPS has faced a 24 percent reduction...
Japan Prepares Long-Range Strike Capability with New Missile Systems
Japan is set to field domestically developed long‑range missiles, including the Hyper Velocity Gliding Projectile (HVGP) and an upgraded Type‑12, between fiscal years 2025 and 2027. The rollout will be complemented by U.S. Tomahawk cruise missiles and a new ISR...
Hormuz Closure Boosts Russian Crude to Record Highs
We already know the winner in the war with Iran and that's Russia. The closure of the Straits of Hormuz has swung Russian crude from pariah to prized commodity. Urals oil price is the highest since right after the Ukraine...
Strait of Hormuz AIS Data Shows Impossible Ship Speeds
There's something going on with either AIS broadcasts (or the GPS that feeds them) near the Strait of Hormuz. Lots of ships showing impossible speeds. https://t.co/g0bFAeW8yN
Israeli Military Says It Will Pursue Every Successor of Iran’s Khamenei
Israel's military announced it will target any individual involved in appointing a successor to Iran's slain Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. The statement, posted in Farsi on X, underscores Israel's intent to intervene after the U.S. and Israeli strikes that...
War in Iran to the Detriment of Ukraine
European officials warn that a U.S. military push into Iran could drain American weapons stocks needed by Ukraine, weakening Kyiv’s ability to repel Russian missile attacks. The United States is already expending key Patriot PAC‑3 interceptors, and critics say this...
Recommended Reading
The post is a curated reading list titled “This Week’s Selections,” linking to seven articles covering Middle‑East geopolitics, U.S. war powers, Kurdish strategy, medical ethics, branding, and cultural decline. Each link points to a reputable outlet such as The Atlantic,...
3/7/26 National Security and Korean News and Commentary
The United States is increasingly integrating artificial intelligence into its operational planning against Iran, accelerating strike timelines and reshaping military education. Simultaneously, overlapping U.S.–South Korea and allied drills in the Pacific underscore a heightened sense of urgency over regional threats,...
More than 5 Hours Above Mach 3.0: SR-71 Pilot Recalls 11.13 Hours Mission During the Yom Kippur War
On October 13, 1973, SR‑71 pilots Jim Shelton and Gary Coleman completed an 11.13‑hour sortie from Griffiss AFB, flying over five hours above Mach 3.0 and refueling six times to gather critical photo intelligence over the Yom Kippur War theater. The...
Military AI Policy Needs Democratic Oversight
The Department of Defense demanded Anthropic remove AI guardrails, prompting a standoff. Anthropic refused to allow unrestricted use for domestic surveillance or fully autonomous targeting, leading the Pentagon to label the firm a supply‑chain risk and threaten contractors. The dispute...
France’s Aldoria Inks Agreement With India’s AXISCADES For Optical Station Based SSA
French space‑tech firm Aldoria has signed a contract with Indian engineering company AXISCADES to deliver optical stations for Space Situational Awareness (SSA) in India. The first station will be deployed in 2026, with a phased rollout targeting more than a...
BrainChip Named Official Technology Sponsor for Raytheon’s Autonomous Vehicle Competition
BrainChip has been named the official technology sponsor for Raytheon’s 2025‑2026 Autonomous Vehicle Competition, providing its Akida™ AKD1000 neuromorphic processor to every participating university team. The competition tasks undergraduate engineers with integrating UAVs and UGVs that can autonomously navigate, identify...
Making It up as They Go Along
The United States and Israel launched a coordinated strike on Iran on February 28, intensifying rhetoric around regime change without committing ground forces. President Trump urged Iranians to overthrow the clerical government, yet his administration stopped short of providing direct...
A New Low Earth Orbit Regime Must Be Grounded in Geopolitics, Not Detached From It
Low Earth Orbit is on track to host up to half a million satellites by 2040, driven by aggressive mega‑constellation plans from both commercial firms and nation‑states. Existing licensing relies on UN notifications and national approvals, with little cross‑agency coordination,...
How Iran-Israel War Reshapes Sudan’s Fragile Frontlines
The Iran‑Israel conflict has forced Saudi Arabia, the UAE and Qatar to divert attention and resources after Iranian missile reprisals, weakening their mediation role in Sudan’s three‑year war. Analysts argue this shift could either spark renewed diplomatic pressure to end...
US Cancels Strait of Hormuz Safety Alerts Amid War
The US Maritime Administration (@DOTMARAD) put out at the begining of the war 2 "alerts" advising vessles to "keep clear" of the Strait of Hormuz. Overnight, it cancelled the alerts (one alert was due to expire automatically, but the other was...
“Es Colombia, Es Ucrania, Y Es…”: The Global Export of Colombian Mercenaries
Colombia is emerging as a major exporter of military labor, with roughly 10,000 former soldiers entering the private‑security pool each year. These veterans are now fighting in conflict zones from Ukraine to Yemen and are also being hired by Mexican...
Iran's Plan to Outpace US‑Israel War Control Failing
“In other words, Iran hoped to widen the war faster than the United States and Israel could control it. So far, that strategy appears to be failing.”
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USS Tripoli Conducts Damage Control Drill [Image 7 of 10]
On March 7, 2026, the America‑class amphibious assault ship USS Tripoli (LHA‑7) conducted a damage‑control drill while underway in the U.S. 7th Fleet’s Indo‑Pacific area of operations. The exercise was part of the Tripoli Amphibious Ready Group, which includes USS New Orleans (LPD‑18), USS San Diego...
![USS Tripoli Conducts Damage Control Drill [Image 5 of 10]](/cdn-cgi/image/width=1200,quality=75,format=auto,fit=cover/https://d1ldvf68ux039x.cloudfront.net/thumbs/photos/2603/9554796/250w_q95.jpg)
USS Tripoli Conducts Damage Control Drill [Image 5 of 10]
On March 7, 2026 the America‑class amphibious assault ship USS Tripoli (LHA‑7) conducted a damage‑control drill while underway with its Amphibious Ready Group. The ARG includes USS New Orleans (LPD‑18), USS San Diego (LPD‑22) and the 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit. The exercise took place in the U.S. 7th...
![USS Tripoli Conducts Damage Control Drill [Image 10 of 10]](/cdn-cgi/image/width=1200,quality=75,format=auto,fit=cover/https://d1ldvf68ux039x.cloudfront.net/thumbs/photos/2603/9554801/250w_q95.jpg)
USS Tripoli Conducts Damage Control Drill [Image 10 of 10]
On March 7, 2026 the USS Tripoli (LHA‑7) performed a comprehensive damage‑control drill while underway with its Amphibious Ready Group. The ARG, comprising the amphibious transport docks USS New Orleans (LPD‑18) and USS San Diego (LPD‑22) and the 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit, operated in the U.S. 7th Fleet’s...