Know What's Happening in Defense
Know What's Happening in Defense
U.S. IDFC boosts reinsurance guarantees for Hormuz shipping to $40 billion
The U.S. International Development Finance Corp has doubled its reinsurance guarantees for vessels transiting the Strait of Hormuz to $40 billion, adding major insurers such as AIG and Berkshire Hathaway. The step is intended to reinforce maritime security amid escalating regional tensions.
Also developing:
By the numbers: Kraken Robotics acquires Colvya Group for $615M
A recent poll reveals that a clear majority of Americans think U.S. military action against Iran has exceeded acceptable limits. The sentiment comes as Washington debates a possible operation on Iran's strategic Kharg Island and as regional violence escalates.
L3Harris Technologies secured a Defense Innovation Unit contract to deliver a torpedo‑tube launch and recovery (TTLR) system for autonomous underwater vehicles. The modular system enables the Iver4 900 AUV to be launched and retrieved through existing submarine torpedo tubes, eliminating the...
Brazil has unveiled the F‑39E Gripen, its first domestically assembled supersonic fighter, marking the first time a Latin American nation has produced such an aircraft. The jet is part of a $4 billion deal for 36 fighters, with 15 built locally,...
Google announced that a quantum computer with just one million noisy qubits could factor a 2048‑bit RSA key in under a week, shifting the industry‑wide “Q‑Day” deadline to 2029. The warning accelerates calls for rapid adoption of post‑quantum cryptography across...
Polish defence firm FlyFocus has unveiled KURIER, a 600‑kg class unmanned helicopter capable of transporting over 200 kg of supplies for special‑force missions. Backed by the Polish Ministry of Defence, the programme—valued at roughly $5.5 million—has progressed to Technology Readiness Level 6...
Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi urged Iran to negotiate with the United States to end the Middle East war, highlighting Beijing’s concern over oil supply disruptions. Meanwhile, state‑owned COSCO Shipping Lines resumed container bookings to six Gulf markets by bypassing...
Blackwired and ARMIS International have formed a strategic alliance to enhance cyber resilience against nation‑state attacks. The partnership combines Blackwired’s ThirdWatch platform—featuring 3‑D threat visualisation and the Aim‑Ready‑Fire methodology—with ARMIS’s operational crisis frameworks and deep government relationships. Together they aim...
The UK Ministry of Defence released its 2026 Official Statistic on operational deaths, detailing fatalities among service members across all medal‑earning missions since World War II. The 18‑page PDF and accompanying spreadsheet files present a tri‑service breakdown of both regular and...
Fifteen years after the 2011 earthquake‑triggered tsunami, the Fukushima Daiichi disaster still haunts Japan with unresolved health studies, lingering ocean contamination, and a cleanup bill estimated at $500 billion. The plant’s design‑basis assumptions failed when all three operating reactors lost power,...
The Trump administration has imposed a de facto blockade on Cuba’s fuel imports, plunging the island into a deep economic and humanitarian crisis. President Donald Trump repeatedly declares the Cuban regime’s “imminent demise” yet offers no concrete roadmap for post‑regime governance....
President Donald Trump, asserting Iran’s military is gone, asked Britain, France, Japan, South Korea and even China to dispatch minesweepers to clear the Strait of Hormuz. When the allies declined, he warned NATO of a “very bad” future if it...
Turkey's state‑owned defence firm ROKETSAN confirmed that serial production and deliveries of its domestically developed TAYFUN long‑range ballistic missile and SOM air‑launched cruise missile are proceeding as scheduled. The TAYFUN missile boasts hypersonic speed and resistance to GPS jamming, while...
The Wagner Group may have dissolved after Yevgeny Prigozhin’s death, but its networks, combat experience, and influence structures persist within Russia’s security apparatus. Former fighters have been absorbed into the Russian armed forces, the African Corps, and volunteer units that still...
HP and Dell announced new hardware‑level security features aimed at defending against physical attacks and emerging quantum‑computing threats. HP introduced TPM Guard, which encrypts the TPM‑CPU link, and added quantum‑resistant cryptography to its LaserJet Pro and Enterprise printer lines along...
Silver47 Exploration Corp. announced its membership in the Pentagon‑sponsored Critical Minerals Forum, a coalition aimed at securing domestic supply chains for defense‑critical minerals. The forum provides AI‑driven market intelligence and a project‑clearinghouse that links miners with investors and government agencies....
Electronic warfare in the Persian Gulf has escalated with widespread GPS jamming and AIS spoofing following the U.S.–Israel pre‑emptive strikes on Iran. Within the first 24 hours, over 1,100 vessels experienced interference, and a week later incidents rose 55 %. Gulf states...
The U.S. Army is evaluating its existing small‑arms and artillery ammunition as low‑cost counter‑UAS solutions, aiming to replace expensive $1 million missiles with rounds that cost a few thousand dollars or less. Demonstrations have shown that the 30 mm XM121 high‑explosive proximity...
A U.S. Navy Virginia‑class submarine fired a Mark 48 heavyweight torpedo that sank the Iranian Moudge‑class frigate IRIS Dena about 40 nautical miles south of Sri Lanka on March 4. The strike killed at least 87 crew members, left 61 missing and rescued...
Performance Drone Works (PDW) completed a three‑day flight test at Texas’s 9 Mile Training Center, executing 114 sorties to prove the extended range and autonomous capabilities of its C100 and AM‑FPV platforms. The C100, equipped with a Range Extension Kit and...
VectorNav Technologies has upgraded its Tactical Series IMU and INS lines with 90 g and 250 g accelerometers and 4,000°/sec gyroscopes, targeting extreme‑dynamic defense platforms. The new sensors are built into the VN‑110, VN‑210 and VN‑310 families, preserving the original form, fit...
Iran's bid to start charging a fee to vessels crossing the Strait of Hormuz (Tehran never ratified the UNCLOS despite signing it in 1982) is making other countries ensure they don't encounter such risks in other chokepoints -- the Straits...
The United Arab Emirates has formalized a nationally coordinated cyber‑security framework that links government, strategic industries and private partners. Continuous monitoring, AI‑enhanced threat detection and 24/7 response teams are embedded in a unified structure to protect critical infrastructure. The strategy...
Ground Control and Ambrey have launched RockFLEET Assured, an assured positioning, navigation and timing (A‑PNT) solution that adds an Iridium‑based backup to traditional GPS. The system targets high‑risk corridors such as the Baltic, Black Sea, Arabian Gulf and Strait of...
The Ukraine war has shown that cheap, commercial drones can replace costly, centralized U.S. ISR platforms, delivering real‑time intelligence directly to platoon and company commanders. By fielding $2,000 drones that cost a fraction of a $30 million MQ‑9 Reaper, Ukrainian forces...
The article argues that Iran’s pervasive intelligence network, known as Etela’at, underpins the regime’s resilience despite recent military setbacks. It proposes that the United States create a secure, anonymous reporting channel enabling ordinary Iranians to share intelligence with opposition groups....
Thales has unveiled Expeditionary PathMaster, a modular mission package that bundles its M‑Cube mission management system, Mi‑Map sonar analysis software, and the e‑POC portable operations centre into a single, scalable solution for hybrid crewed‑uncrewed mine countermeasures (MCM). The package is...
Security researchers have released the DarkSword exploit kit on a public platform, turning a previously state‑level iOS attack tool into a commodity for cyber‑criminals. The kit chains multiple Apple OS vulnerabilities, enabling drive‑by compromise of iPhones without any user interaction...
The United States and its Arctic and Antarctic partners are proposing a Combined Joint Interagency Task Force for the Polar Regions (CJIATF‑PR) to counter the People’s Republic of China’s expanding “allfare” operations, which blend legal, illegal and irregular activities. Chinese...
The U.S. Army War College released the Spring 2026 issue of *Parameters*, featuring a special commentary on denial strategies, three thematic forums, and a Strategic Competition Corner. The Clausewitz forum revisits the trinity concept, linking it to modern leadership and...
The Oulu City Library hosted Faktabaari’s Fact Tour, bringing together fact‑checkers, cybersecurity experts and officials to discuss the merging of information operations and cyber threats. Speakers highlighted how the same digital techniques—bot networks, AI‑generated deepfakes, and phishing—are used by both...
The authors argue that President Donald Trump’s foreign‑policy brand of “flexible realism” is a rhetorical veneer lacking substantive strategic coherence, especially evident in his aggressive posture toward Iran. By invoking Thucydides‑style power politics, the administration claims pragmatism while pursuing erratic...
Recent Russian offensives across the Lyman‑Borova, Konstantinovka and Zaporozhye axes have yielded scant territorial gains and reported heavy losses, especially a mechanized push halted on March 19. Ukrainian sources claim over 400 Russian casualties and the destruction of dozens of...
A Sierra Leone‑flagged Suezmax tanker, the Altura, was struck by drones near the Bosporus, damaging its bridge and engine room but causing no crew injuries. Turkish officials say the attack likely involved an unmanned underwater vehicle, a rare method in...
Foreign ministers of the G‑7 gathered in France to bridge a widening transatlantic rift over the Iran‑Israel war, as President Donald Trump warned of severe retaliation if Tehran rejects a peace deal. The two‑day summit, chaired by France, also featured...
U.S. court documents from the Mirsad Kandic terrorism trial reveal that Istanbul functioned as a central hub for ISIS recruitment, logistics and cross‑border movement between 2013 and 2016. Kandic, a Kosovo‑born operative, oversaw safe houses, coordinated travel routes, and managed a...
Aliko Dangote’s refinery has lifted its ex‑depot gasoline price to N1,285 per litre – its fifth hike in March – as the U.S.–Israel war on Iran pushes crude to $120 a barrel. The move deepens Dangote’s downstream foothold while sparking...
Epirus, General Dynamics Land Systems and Kodiak AI unveiled the Leonidas Autonomous Ground Vehicle at the AUSA Global Force Symposium in Huntsville, Alabama. The mobile system pairs a high‑power microwave weapon with Kodiak’s autonomous driving suite, offering fully autonomous or...
The U.S. Army has initiated flight tests of the UH‑60MX Black Hawk helicopter equipped with an optional‑pilot system, signaling a move toward autonomous aviation. The program follows a broader push for unmanned and semi‑autonomous platforms, as highlighted by recent conflicts...
Colombian President Gustavo Petro publicly questioned the army’s reliance on second‑hand transport aircraft following a crash that killed dozens of soldiers. The incident has sparked a debate over procurement practices, maintenance standards, and regional defense‑aviation policies.
SES announced a strategic partnership with K2 Space to develop the meoSphere medium‑Earth‑orbit broadband constellation. The rollout will begin with a Spring 2026 pathfinder on SpaceX’s Transporter‑16, scale to 28 satellites by 2029 and reach full operational capability in 2030, positioning...
The Pentagon is rapidly embedding commercial AI tools into combat and intelligence workflows, raising concerns that reliance on large‑language models could erode commanders’ native analytical abilities. Recent research shows that frequent AI use promotes linear reasoning, reduces scrutiny, and creates...
Iranian parliament speaker Ghalibaf. "Based on some data, Iran's enemies, with the support of one of the regional countries, are preparing to occupy one of the Iranian islands. All enemy movements are under the full surveillance of our armed...
In this live interview, Rep. Jason Crow, a former Army Ranger and veteran‑rights advocate serving on the House Intelligence and Armed Services committees, discusses the unfolding Iran conflict and how President Trump’s autocratic decision‑making bypassed congressional oversight. Crow argues that...
The Pentagon has dispatched two Marine Expeditionary Units (MEUs) and accompanying naval forces to the Arabian Gulf as tensions with Iran intensify. Colonel William Dunn explained that the MEUs provide a flexible, self‑sustaining package of infantry, aviation, and logistics that...
Semperis has positioned its platform as a full‑stack incident response solution, offering real‑time threat detection, automated alerting, and rapid containment tools. The suite also streamlines recovery by rolling back unauthorized changes and supports compliance with detailed audit logs. In addition...
US needs a totally new air defense strategy. This also includes congressional advocacy, procurement, etc. Leadership has failed us here. Little movement for many years when it was clear the nature of the mission was morphing rapidly. Time for a...
These narratives are likely just a reflection of the U.S. searching for a symbolic win, rather than a practical military plan. #iranwar #marines #geopolitics https://t.co/tCey0wFpxi
The U.S. Space Force’s Space Systems Command completed its second Tactically Responsive Space (TacRS) exercise, Victus Diem, using a tabletop and field‑training simulation rather than an actual launch. The drill demonstrated that payload processing, checkout, and encapsulation can be completed...
Trump’s Ambivalence on Taiwan Opens a Historic Opportunity for China—Deterring an attack on the island has been a bedrock American policy for 75 years; Xi Jinping sees a chance to change that @Lingling_Wei @learyreports https://t.co/mmAd9KXLlm https://t.co/mmAd9KXLlm
The Air Force’s Collaborative Combat Aircraft (CCA) program has surpassed former Secretary Frank Kendall’s target of delivering drone wingmen at roughly one‑third the cost of an F‑35, achieving unit costs at or below $34 million. Semi‑autonomous drones such as the YFQ‑44A...
