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
Project Compass Is Europol’s New Playbook for Taking on The Com
Project Compass, a Europol‑led operation backed by 28 nations including the Five Eyes, began in January 2025 to dismantle the transnational youth‑focused cybercrime network known as The Com. Since its launch the initiative has secured 30 arrests, fully or partially identified 179 perpetrators and pinpointed up to 62 victims while safeguarding four confirmed victims. The Com is divided into Hacker, In‑Real‑Life and Extortion sub‑groups, each employing sophisticated anonymity and money‑laundering tactics. Project Compass leverages an information‑sharing hub to coordinate investigations across specialized units in partner countries.
Emergency Warning System Blowout
Australia’s new national emergency warning system, AusAlert, has seen its projected cost explode from an initial $10 million to an estimated $132 million. Emergency Management Minister Kristy McBain framed the increase as an investment in community safety rather than a blowout. The system...
Wyden Blocks Rudd Confirmation to Lead Cyber Command, NSA
Senator Ron Wyden announced he will block the Senate’s confirmation of Lt. Gen. Joshua Rudd as head of U.S. Cyber Command and the National Security Agency. Wyden argues Rudd lacks any digital‑warfare or signals‑intelligence background and gave vague answers on...
Redwire Emphasizes Defense Pivot and Maturing Capabilities in 2025 Results
Redwire reported a 10.3% revenue increase in 2025, reaching $335.4 million, with fourth‑quarter sales surging 56% year‑over‑year to $108.8 million. CEO Peter Cannito said roughly two‑thirds of revenue is now moving into production, especially its unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) portfolio. The company...
25th ID Helping the Army Smooth Out the Wrinkles in Its Next-Generation C2
The U.S. Army’s Next Generation Command and Control (NGC2) platform is being refined through the 25th Infantry Division’s Lightning Surge exercises, which expose data‑overload issues across siloed battlefield systems. A joint effort by Lockheed Martin and Palantir delivered an application that...
SOCOM on the Hunt for ‘Acoustic Rainbow’ Tech for Silencing Drones
U.S. Special Operations Command (SOCOM) has launched an SBIR solicitation for acoustic rainbow emitters (ARE) to silence tactical drones, aiming to cut acoustic signatures by at least 50%. The devices must weigh no more than 1 kg for Group 1 UAVs and...
Space Data Meets Ground Troops: The Calian-ADGA Training Partnership
Calian Group and ADGA Group have signed a three‑year partnership to create advanced land‑training simulators for the Canadian Army, embedding full C5ISRT networks into synthetic battlefields. Both firms bring deep satellite communications and secure simulation expertise, ensuring virtual environments mirror...
Passive EO/IR Sensors Threaten Manned Combat Aircraft
Passive EO/IR sensors are a real bitch to contend with for manned combat aircraft. It was fully known that the Houthis had this capability and employed it with missiles for years. Fully integrated IADS with advanced IRST etc is really...
68th Jaeger Brigade Becomes Part of Air Assault Troops
The Ukrainian Ground Forces' 68th Jaeger Brigade has been transferred from the 9th Army Corps to the Air Assault Forces and will be re‑designated as the 68th Airmobile Brigade. The unit will join the 8th Air Assault Corps under new...
Marine Corps Reaffirms JLTV Acquisition in Wake of Army Stop
Nearly a year after the U.S. Army announced it would cease procurement of the Joint Light Tactical Vehicle (JLTV) as part of its transformation plan, the Marine Corps has reaffirmed its intent to continue acquiring the platform. The service plans...
Army Orders $186 Million in Switchblade Kamikaze Drones, Tank Killers
The U.S. Army has placed a $186 million delivery order with AeroVironment for two Switchblade loitering‑munition variants: the 600 Block 2 and the 300 Block 2. The 600 Block 2 brings advanced AI‑driven target detection and can operate from sea platforms, while the 300 Block 2 is equipped with...
Army Orders $186 Million in Switchblade Kamikaze Drones, Tank Killers
The U.S. Army has placed a $186 million delivery order with AeroVironment for its Switchblade loitering‑munition family, covering the 600 Block 2 and 300 Block 2 variants. The Switchblade 600 Block 2, co‑developed with SOCOM, features AI‑driven target detection and can operate from sea‑based platforms....
US Chipmakers Turn to Sunrise Metals Amid Scandium Shortage
U.S. semiconductor manufacturers are feeling the pinch from Chinese restrictions on scandium exports, @Reuters reports, underscoring the importance of @SunriseMetals’ Syerston Scandium Project as an essential supplier to key U.S. industries. “U.S. chipmakers have experienced delays in receiving new scandium export licenses from...
Mike Pezzullo Reflects on Action Following Major ANU Data Breach
Former public servant Mike Pezzullo addressed the Universities Australia Solutions Summit, reflecting on the 2019 cyber‑attack that compromised nearly 20 years of Australian National University (ANU) student and staff records. The breach, attributed to Chinese state‑linked threat actors, exposed bank...
US Navy Awards $61m Contract Modification for Kratos BQM-177A
The U.S. Navy has awarded Kratos Defense & Security Solutions a $61.07 million contract modification to initiate full‑rate production of the BQM‑177A subsonic aerial target, delivering 70 units and associated RATO kits. The award brings the total value of the BQM‑177A...
NODA AI Raises $25M Series A for Defense AI
Defense AI startup NODA AI announced a $25 million Series A round, led by Bessemer Venture Partners and joined by Booz Allen Ventures, Draper Associates, Bloomberg Beta and Alumni Ventures. The Austin‑based company builds AI software that orchestrates mixed fleets of autonomous...
India and Israel Sign Tech and Cyber Security Pacts During Modi's Trip
During Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s state visit, India and Israel signed multiple agreements to deepen cooperation in technology and cybersecurity. The pacts create a joint innovation fund, enable real‑time cyber‑threat intelligence sharing, and launch collaborative projects in artificial intelligence, quantum...
Belarus Uses Middle Eastern Experts to Build Migrant Tunnels
Russia sends migrants into Europe through secret tunnels. Belarus used specialists from the middle east with "a high level of expertise" (long list of who that could be IRGC, Hezbollah, Hamas) to develop tunnels. @Telegraph https://t.co/MmsPD24kwy Belarus, a Russian puppet state...
Pentagon Readies Kamikaze Drone Unit for Potential Trump‑ordered Iran Strike
Just in: The Pentagon’s first kamikaze drone unit is ready to participate if President Donald Trump decides to launch strikes on Iran, according to US officials and analysts. https://t.co/DOPGwxi339
Critical Juniper Networks PTX Flaw Allows Full Router Takeover
Juniper Networks disclosed a critical CVE‑2026‑21902 vulnerability in the On‑Box Anomaly Detection framework of its Junos OS Evolved running on PTX Series routers. The flaw lets an unauthenticated attacker reach a root‑level service over an external port, enabling full device...
Modular Software Lets You Swap Brains, Even Tom Cruise
Open, modular, and interoperable software is critical. You don't want systems to be stuck with the brain they shipped with, and it isn't hard to imagine reasons why you might want to support totally novel/specialized agents. Next, downloading Tom Cruise...
Drones Redefine Modern Warfare: Emerging Tactics Explored
Good discussion on how the war evolved, the role of drones, what is novel or perhaps new. https://t.co/ZKWx3h4J6D
MP Materials to Build New $1.25B Magnet Plant in Texas
MP Materials announced a $1.25 billion investment to build a 120‑acre rare‑earth magnet campus in Northlake, Texas, under its “10X” program and a public‑private partnership with the U.S. Department of War. The facility will add roughly 10,000 metric tons of NdFeB magnet...
When Terrorism, Sanctuary, and State Authority Collide
Pakistan, terrorist enablers, targeting terrorists. Taliban say defending sovereignty. The reality a region where militants operate across borders & terrorists now govern a state. This is what happens when terrorism, sanctuary, and state authority collide https://t.co/D7nxF98Qgv
China’s Spy Satellite Surge Forces Space Force to Strike
China’s Growing Armada Of Spy Satellites Is Pushing Space Force To Go On The Offensive "You can't run away from a bully forever. Sometimes you got to turn around and punch," Space Force Combat Forces boss says. https://t.co/bcXu5Jsyyp
UK’s New Medium Helicopter Deal Finalisation on Horizon, Alludes Leonardo CEO
Leonardo CEO Roberto Cingolani indicated that the UK Ministry of Defence will announce the New Medium Helicopter (NMH) contract within days, ending weeks of speculation. Leonardo is the only bidder for the £1 billion (US$1.3 billion) programme, positioning the company to secure...
Protect Your Identity: Fraud Prevention in AI Era
Insights On Preventing Fraud and Identity Theft in The AI Era by @ChuckDBrooks https://t.co/Z1DoLfU6rP #CyberSecurity #identitytheft
Trump's Promised Superior NK Deal Never Materialized
The Trump people promised a better deal with North Korea than either the 1994 Agreed Framework or the JCPOA with Iran. That didn't happen then and it won't happen now. They might get some sort of deal, but it...
The Last 200 Miles: Britain’s Military Railway Engineers
The British Army’s 507 Specialist Team Royal Engineers (STRE) is the only dedicated railway engineering reserve unit, tasked with repairing and constructing rail infrastructure in hostile, short‑notice environments. Drawing on civilian rail, construction and heritage expertise, the 46‑strong team focuses...
Airbus and Leonardo Report Increased Space Revenues for 2025
Airbus Defence and Space reported €13.4 billion in space revenues for 2025, an 11 % increase from the prior year, while Leonardo’s Space division posted just over €1 billion, also up 11 %. Both companies improved profitability through restructuring, cutting over 2,000 jobs and...
Olympique Marseille Confirms 'Attempted' Cyberattack After Data Leak
Olympique de Marseille confirmed it was the target of an attempted cyberattack after a threat actor claimed to have breached its servers and leaked a sample of a database containing staff and supporter information. The club said its technical teams...
Questioning Trump's Grasp on Iran's Missile vs Nuclear Sites
I wonder if Trump is capable of distinguishing Iran's missile facilities (definitely reconstituting) from its nuclear facilities (much less clear), or whether its all mixed together in his head.
Witkoff Warns 60% Enrichment Risks Rapid Further Enrichment
Again, I think that's clearly not what Witkoff meant -- although I accept his statement was exceptionally maladroit. IMHO Witkoff was explaining, conceptually, why the retention of the 60% enrichment would be a problem under a deal (ie it...
The Purges Within China’s Military Are Even Deeper Than You Think | CSIS Report
The Center for Strategic and International Studies reports that President Xi Jinping has launched a second, far more extensive wave of purges within the People’s Liberation Army, removing 36 generals and lieutenant generals and bringing the total number of senior...
Protectionism Took a Century to Cripple U.S. Shipbuilding
Trust the process, Dominic. These things take time. I mean, it took almost a CENTURY for protectionism to destroy the US shipbuilding industry. 😏
F/A-18 Beat F-15, F-16 & Mirage Jets in Canada’s 1970 NFA Program; Can F-35 Lightning II Repeat A Hornet?
In the late 1970s Canada’s New Fighter Aircraft (NFA) program pitted the F/A‑18 Hornet against the F‑15, F‑16 and Mirage F‑1, ultimately selecting the twin‑engine Hornet for its cost, reliability and Arctic suitability. Decades later the Royal Canadian Air Force...
Guidance: Whittington Ranges Firing Times
Whittington Range has continuously updated its firing schedule, posting weekly and monthly timetables from 2021 through February 2026. Each entry details specific firing windows, often adjusting dates, adding new periods, or deleting outdated slots. The updates are published on a...
AMC Interim Commander Emphasizes Airmen, Aircraft Readiness Importance at AFA
Lt. Gen. Rebecca Sonkiss, the interim commander of Air Mobility Command, addressed service members, industry partners, and the press at the 2026 Air and Space Forces Association Warfare Symposium. She underscored the twin priorities of maintaining Airmen readiness and ensuring...
AMC Interim Commander Emphasizes Airmen, Aircraft Readiness Importance at AFA
Lt. Gen. Rebecca Sonkiss, interim commander of Air Mobility Command, used the 2026 Air and Space Forces Association Warfare Symposium to stress that aircraft and Airmen readiness hinges on rapid modernization, enhanced connectivity, and survivability. She called for accelerating the...
UAT-10027 Targets U.S. Education and Healthcare with Dohdoor Backdoor
Cisco Talos has identified a new threat cluster, UAT-10027, delivering a novel backdoor called Dohdoor that leverages DNS‑over‑HTTPS for command‑and‑control. The malware uses DLL side‑loading through legitimate Windows executables and drops a Cobalt Strike beacon that unhooks NTDLL calls to evade...
Why Europe Can’t Defend What It Can’t Connect
Europe faces its most contested security decade since the Cold War, with the digital backbone—networks, data infrastructures and connectivity—now the primary frontline. Recent blackouts in Portugal and Spain illustrate how digital failures become national security events, while adversaries target subsea...
Closing the Tactical Connectivity Gap
U.S. defense leaders face a persistent tactical edge communications vulnerability as near‑peer adversaries enhance electronic warfare. Elsight’s Halo platform offers a multi‑bearer, beyond‑line‑of‑sight solution that maintains low‑signature, resilient connectivity for unmanned systems and edge sensors. The system has logged more...
World Briefs | Russia Says Sending British Troops to Ukraine Would Prolong the War, Not End It
Russia’s foreign ministry warned that deploying British troops to Ukraine would lengthen the war, countering the UK defence minister’s pledge to send forces after a cease‑fire. In Europe, ECB President Christine Lagarde reiterated she will serve her full term to 2027,...
FAR Council Issues Notice of Proposed Rulemaking to Implement Prohibition on Acquisition of Certain Semiconductors
On February 17, 2026 the Federal Acquisition Regulation Council issued a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking to amend the FAR and enforce Section 5949 of the FY23 National Defense Authorization Act. The proposal bans federal agencies from acquiring semiconductor parts, products,...
Promotional Material: Find Opportunities to Become a Supplier with the Ministry of Defence
The United Kingdom Ministry of Defence has released a new supplier outreach leaflet titled “Find opportunities to become a supplier with the Ministry of Defence.” The eight‑page PDF (679 KB) and an HTML version outline how businesses can engage with Defence,...
March 2026 Focus
Trump’s administration abandoned the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action in May 2023, replacing multilateral diplomacy with a “maximum‑sanctions” approach toward Iran’s nuclear program. The withdrawal re‑imposed crippling sanctions on Tehran’s oil sector and halted inspection mechanisms, prompting Iran to accelerate...
NY Army Guard Officer Is Top Ranking American Officer in NATO Allied Joint Force Command Brunssum
Maj. Gen. Sean Flynn, a New York Army National Guard officer, has become the top‑ranking American at NATO’s Allied Joint Force Command Brunssum. He now serves as deputy chief of staff for operations, overseeing coordination of up to 250,000 troops...
President Misstates Hospital Ship’s Destination, Heading West
I know the news cycle has moved on but are we just going to ignore that the President said a hospital ship was “on the way” to Greenland when it’s clearly headed to the Panama Canal and West Coast? ...
China and Iran Queue up to Copy Belarus-Russia Regional Blueprint, Lukashenko Claims
Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko announced that both China and Iran have expressed interest in replicating the Belarus‑Russia Union State's region‑to‑region cooperation framework. The declaration came during the Supreme State Council in Moscow, co‑chaired by Vladimir Putin, as the Union State...
West Virginia Guard, Qatar Strengthen Security Ties for Scout Event
The West Virginia National Guard hosted senior Qatar Military Police leaders to plan joint security for the upcoming National Scout Jamboree. Both forces will field roughly 40‑45 Qatari personnel alongside Guard members to manage crowd control, route security, and facility...