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
Trump Claims It’s Unconstitutional to Ask Congress to Authorise War
President Donald Trump told reporters that seeking congressional authorization for the ongoing war with Iran is "totally unconstitutional," arguing no other nation has done so. He cited the War Powers Resolution, which requires congressional approval within 60 days, but claimed the conflict ended with a temporary cease‑fire in early April. Trump also hinted at resuming large‑scale artillery attacks despite Iran’s recent offer of a new deal. The remarks came as the war entered its third month, raising questions about executive authority and compliance with established statutes.
Mobile SMS Blasters Hijack Toronto Networks, Disrupt Millions
Hackers used vehicle-mounted SMS blasters to impersonate networks, disrupt millions of connections, and infiltrate thousands of devices across Toronto streets. https://t.co/z5FSt0Afig
Critical Infrastructure at Risk: Project Glasswing Urges Attention to AI-Driven Cyber-Risks
Anthropic launched Project Glasswing in April 2026, a coalition that uses its unreleased Mythos Preview AI model to hunt for hidden software vulnerabilities across operating systems and browsers. The initiative aims to deploy frontier AI for defensive cybersecurity before malicious...
China Escalates Stealth Flying‑wing Drone Testing
Massive Chinese Stealth Flying Wings Spotted Together At Secretive Drone Test Base Testing of China's very large flying-wing drones appears to be ramping up, along with one unmanned fighter-like design. Latest on 'Monster of Malan' and more: https://t.co/9CYsXtUVYI
Pentagon Inks AI Procurement Deals with Seven Companies, Leaves Out Anthropic
The U.S. Defense Department announced AI procurement contracts with seven firms—Amazon Web Services, Google, Microsoft, Nvidia, OpenAI, SpaceX and startup Reflection AI. The agreements make the vendors' products available through the internal GenAI.mil portal, which already serves over 1.3 million personnel....
SpRCO Awards Contracts For Radar Warning Satellites
On April 29, the Space Rapid Capabilities Office (SpRCO) partnered with SpaceWERX to fund three small firms—Assurance Technology Corporation, Raptor Dynamix, and Innovative Signal Analysis—with $3 million contracts each for radar warning receivers. The receivers will detect ground‑based radar emissions that...
Defense Watch: DoD AI Deals, P-8 Upgrade, Drone and Counter-Drone News
The Pentagon announced a suite of AI agreements on May 1 with major cloud and AI firms—including SpaceX, OpenAI, Google, Microsoft, AWS, NVIDIA and Reflection—to embed advanced models into classified Impact Level 6 and 7 networks. Defense leaders also highlighted the fiscal 2027 request...
US‑Iran Talks Stall, Oil Stocks Dip Another 100 M Barrels
Every weekend half my feed expects a sudden breakthrough in US-Iran negotiations and the other half expects a sharp resumption of bombings. Of course, the most likely outcome is that absolutely nothing changes and we do this again next week, down...
Future Anti-Ship PrSM Prioritizes Indo-Pacific Ops and 1,000 Km Range
The U.S. Army is developing a future variant of its Precision Strike Missile (PrSM) with anti‑ship capability, targeting a range of up to 1,000 km. PrSM Increment 4 is being fast‑tracked for deployment on HIMARS launchers, with a requirement to operate in...
Trump: 60-Day War Powers Deadline ‘Totally Unconstitutional’
President Donald Trump declared the 60‑day War Powers deadline for ending the Iran conflict “totally unconstitutional” and said he will not seek congressional approval to continue operations. The White House argues the cease‑fire pauses the clock, a position at odds...
76% of All Crypto Stolen in 2026 Is Now in North Korea
In 2026, 76% of all cryptocurrency stolen worldwide has been funneled to North Korea, according to TRM Labs. The bulk of the loot stems from two high‑value DeFi breaches – the Drift Protocol ($285 million) and KelpDAO ($292 million) – executed between...
Future Ukrainian Air Force: Ghosts, Vipers, Gripen, Mirage
Ghosts, Vipers, Gripens & Mirages - @EagleMena looks at the future Ukrainian Air Force 'In the latest issue of AEROSPACE - May 2026' #avgeek https://t.co/wiRuHNXDiN https://t.co/wRZnDZTEQC
Marine Corps Fields 3,500 First-Person View Attack Drones
The U.S. Marine Corps has fielded over 3,500 first‑person view (FPV) attack drones, up from zero in October 2024. The surge follows a top‑down directive and the creation of the Marine Corps Attack Drone Team in January 2025, backed by...
U.S. Navy Blockade Pushes Iran’s Oil to Sea Storage
US Naval Blockade Squeezes Iran's Oil Exports, Forces Crude Onto Floating Storage. What us the Navy doing if there us no war? https://t.co/IVew9eYx3o
UN Warns Hormuz Blockade Could Trigger Global Recession as US‑Iran Tensions Flare
U.N. Secretary‑General Antonio Guterres urged the immediate reopening of the Strait of Hormuz, warning that a prolonged choke‑point could spark a global recession with inflation soaring past 6%. The warning comes as U.S. naval forces confront Iranian vessels and Brent...
Trump's Iran War Continues to Violate the Constitution - and Now Also the War Powers Act of 1973
President Trump’s 60‑day deadline under the War Powers Act expired today, making his ongoing Iran campaign unlawful without congressional approval. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth’s claim that the ceasefire pauses the clock is contradicted by the Act’s language on imminent hostilities....
White House Declares Iran Hostilities Ended Amid War Powers Deadline
White House Says Iran Hostilities ‘Terminated’ as War Powers Deadline Arrives. Pulling the blockade and all the troops? Or dodging getting Congressional approval? And ships in the Strait looking for maritime security? https://t.co/v7grneaRf0
Five Eyes in Focus with Brat Nomination
President Donald Trump has nominated former Rep. Dave Brat as U.S. ambassador to Australia, a posting that comes as the Five Eyes intelligence alliance faces heightened scrutiny. Brat, a vocal critic of the FBI, CIA and Justice Department during the...
Contracting Association Warns It Could Take DHS Until the End of the Year to ‘Get Back on Track’ Following Record-Breaking...
The Professional Services Council warned that, despite the end of the DHS funding lapse, it could take until the end of 2026 for agencies and their contractors to fully recover. The 70‑day shutdown forced cybersecurity and disaster‑response contracts to operate...
Trump Declares Iran War over After Final Blow Briefing
Thursday: US CENTCOM Commander briefs President Trump on a "final blow" to Iran, Fox News reports. Friday: Trump administration officially tells Congress the war against Iran is over, AP reports.
Trump Executive Order Pushes Fixed-Price Contracting, but Implementation Questions Loom
President Trump signed an executive order urging federal agencies to favor fixed‑price contracts over cost‑reimbursement models, citing $120 billion in cost‑reimbursement consulting contracts in FY 2024. The order mandates written justifications for any non‑fixed‑price award and routes those justifications to a political...
White House Questions Tech Industry on Defensive AI Use, Cybersecurity Resilience
The White House Office of the National Cyber Director sent an 11‑question probe to major U.S. tech firms, asking how they use AI to protect networks and prepare for AI‑driven cyber crises. The questions cover AI detection tools, model integration,...
Iran's Kleptocratic Elite Fuels Hyperinflation as Sanctions Tighten
Iran's new supreme leader, Mojtaba Khamenei, is at the center of a sprawling offshore wealth network worth hundreds of millions of dollars. Coupled with renewed U.S. sanctions on the IRGC‑linked bonyads, the country is spiralling into hyperinflation, threatening its fragile...
Federal Movers & Shakers | May 1, 2026
The federal government announced a slate of senior appointments this week, including Richard O’Malley as Deputy Under Secretary for Defense Acquisition and Sustainment, Abby Warren as Assistant Secretary for Export Administration at the Bureau of Industry and Security, and Jeffrey...
Analyst Ups Kratos Defense Stock on New $231.5M Marine Contract and Space Force Deal
An investment analyst has raised a buy rating on Kratos Defense & Security Solutions after the company secured a $231.5 million U.S. Marine Corps contract for Valkyrie drones and a $446.8 million Space Force missile‑warning contract. The analyst cites accelerating revenue, expanding...
CISA Mandates Federal Patch for Actively Exploited BlueHammer Zero‑Day (CVE‑2026‑33825)
The Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) has ordered all Federal Civilian Executive Branch agencies to apply Microsoft’s April 14 patch for the BlueHammer privilege‑escalation flaw (CVE‑2026‑33825) by May 7. The directive follows proof‑of‑concept code released by researcher “Chaotic Eclipse” and...
Underwater Drones Echo Old Torpedoes; Surface Drones Differ
Torpedoes have been around since the 19th century, so these underwater drones aren't doing anything groundbreaking. Surface maritime drones are a different story. #navalwarfare #drones #geopolitics Note: This video was recorded last year during one of Peter's backpacking...
U.S. Navy to Christen Future USNS Solomon Atkinson
On May 2, 2026, the U.S. Navy will christen the future USNS Solomon Atkinson (T‑ATS 12) at Austal USA in Mobile, Alabama. The Navajo‑class rescue and salvage ship is named after retired Chief Warrant Officer 4 Solomon Atkinson, an original SEAL and veteran who trained...
UK Seeks New L85 Replacement for Future Small Arms
Grayburn: The UK’s Future Small Arms Requirements - I write with @LaurenceT1942 for @RUSI_org on the requirements for an L85 replacement for the British military: https://t.co/Ez7VEaWRPM
Qatar's New AF One Aircraft Set for Summer Delivery
Just in: AF says new Qatari-`Bridge' AF One ready for delivery this summer: ``The aircraft is on schedule to roll out in a new red, white and blue livery this summer,'' service says; L3 Harris disclosed as contractor modifying it.
FAS 2.0 Becomes ASD/Create: GSA’s Quiet Rewiring of Federal Procurement Power
The General Services Administration is rebranding its Federal Acquisition Service as Acquisition Solutions Development/Create (ASD/Create), rolling out the change the week of May 4. The reorganization shifts the agency from a neutral contract facilitator to a strategic buyer that centralizes portfolio‑level...
One Year Into His Second Term as PM, Albanese Says US 'Playing a Different Role'
Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese says President Donald Trump’s “America first” agenda has forced Australia to rethink its traditional reliance on the United States. He cites punitive tariffs and the surprise launch of a war against Iran as evidence that...
US Imposes AI Skills Requirement on CyberCorps Pipeline
The Office of Personnel Management and the National Science Foundation have instantly revised the CyberCorps Scholarship for Service program to require applicants demonstrate competence at the intersection of artificial intelligence and cybersecurity. New entrants must submit a plan outlining how...
US to Close Its Flagship Gaza Mission as Trump Plan Stalls
The U.S. military‑run Civil‑Military Coordination Center (CMCC) in Israel is set to be closed by the Trump administration, according to Reuters sources. Its duties will be transferred to a newly created International Stabilization Force (ISF), which will operate with roughly...
VC-25B Bridge Program Completes Flight Testing, Prepares for Summer Rollout
The Air Force has finished modifying and flight‑testing the VC‑25B Bridge aircraft and is painting it for a summer rollout in a new red, white and blue livery. The bridge program repurposes former Qatar and Lufthansa 747‑8i airframes to provide...
VC-25B Bridge Program Completes Flight Testing, Prepares for Summer Rollout
The U.S. Space Force announced that the VC‑25B Bridge program has finished its flight‑testing phase and is set to transition into a summer rollout. The program, which bridges the gap between prototype validation and full‑scale production of the next Air...
If AI Becomes Conscious, We Have to Grant It Rights, Some Experts Argue—Or Should We Pull the Plug?
Senate Democrats have introduced legislation to regulate federal use of AI in autonomous weapons and mass surveillance, while the Pentagon pushes contracts that limit companies' control over classified deployments. Anthropic’s CEO Dario Amodei warned that current frontier models are unreliable...
The Costs of Contract Duplication
The Army’s Marketplace for Acquisition of Professional Services (MAPS) is duplicating multiple existing federal contracting vehicles, inflating bid, proposal, and administration costs for both government and industry. Large firms are spending hundreds of thousands of dollars each, while the cumulative...
Support for Ukraine Halting Russian Oil Production
If Ukraine manages to completely disrupt Russian oil production and export, I am here for it!
Pentagon’s Big Bet on Reconciliation Sparks Lawmaker Concerns
The Pentagon’s FY2027 budget request of $1.5 trillion earmarks $350 billion for mandatory funding through the reconciliation process, covering key Air Force and Space Force programs such as F‑35 jets, advanced missiles and the Defense Autonomous Warfare Group. Lawmakers warn that relying...
Autonomous Drones Key to Marine Corps’ Future Logistics
The Marine Corps is building a new generation of autonomous unmanned aircraft systems to support distributed operations in contested environments. By shifting aviation assets from secure bases to rapidly moving austere sites, the service aims to complicate enemy targeting while...
Dark Eagle Extends Moscow Reach via Middle East
An interesting wrinkle to @mgerrydoyle's story is that Dark Eagle can also range Moscow from Israel, Jordan and the Gulf. https://t.co/MgOn1Ht6oI
Air Force Units Earn Honors for Rescues During US Evacuation From Afghanistan
Three Air Force units from Davis‑Monthan Air Force Base received the Presidential Unit Citation for their pivotal role in the 2021 Afghanistan evacuation. The 55th and 48th Rescue Squadrons and the 355th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron formed part of a 176‑member...
The U.S. Navy Rebooted a ‘Lethal’ Laser Weapon—And It Can Decimate Drone Swarms
The U.S. Navy has reactivated its 150‑kilowatt Solid State Laser Technology Maturation (SSL‑TM) on the amphibious ship USS Portland, successfully shooting down four drones during the 2025 Crimson Dragon exercise. The revival follows an earlier 2020 demo and a 2023...
Blockade Needed: Stop Rogue Oil Blackmail After Ukraine Invasion
After Russia invaded Ukraine, Putin used the threat of high oil prices to scare the West into inaction. That's why I now support the blockade. We cannot allow rogue oil exporters to blackmail us. The cost of appeasement is visible...
US Senator Pushes Action on Cable Sabotage
Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chair Jim Risch announced a hearing to spur new actions against undersea cable sabotage, citing at least eight suspected incidents since 2022, primarily in the Baltic Sea. He urged public attribution of attacks and a coordinated...
Shift in the Middle East Has Implications for Countries Like Australia
The United Arab Emirates announced it will leave OPEC, marking a dramatic break with its Gulf neighbours and underscoring a new strategic direction. UAE diplomatic adviser Anwar Gargash warned that Gulf policies toward Iran have failed and called for a...
Agencies Issue Guidance on Adopting Agentic AI Systems
The Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA), the National Security Agency (NSA), and a coalition of international partners have published new guidance on the safe adoption of agentic artificial intelligence systems, especially those built on large‑language models. The document outlines...
Blockade Needed to Cut Off Dangerous Oil Exporters
I first proposed a blockade on March 16, one month before it got announced. Whatever you think of Trump, he's right on this. Only way to counter a dangerous oil exporter is to cut off its lifeblood. That's what 4...
Former Defence Minister Harjit Sajjan’s New Startup Lays Groundwork for Public Listing
Juno Industries, co‑founded by former defence minister Harjit Sajjan, raised C$12 million (≈US$9 million) by selling 15 million subscription receipts at C$0.80 each. The receipts will convert into shares after a planned reverse takeover of TSXV capital‑pool company Trailblazer Capital Corp, paving the...