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
On March 18 a drone attack near the U.S. embassy in Baghdad produced an audible explosion, and earlier the same week three explosive drones were intercepted at a U.S. diplomatic facility near Baghdad International Airport by C‑RAM defenses. The strike follows a series of U.S.–Israeli operations that killed senior Iranian security officials, prompting Iranian missile and drone retaliation across the Gulf, including a projectile near the Bushehr nuclear plant. The conflict has driven oil prices higher and sparked calls for allied warships in the Strait of Hormuz. U.S. troops have been injured, suggesting the war may linger beyond initial expectations.
Trump has no intention of leaving NATO He’s being Trump spewing improvisational bullshit and being disruptive The most generous interpretation is that he's trying to reshape NATO #NATO #Geopolitics #Trump
The U.S. Coast Guard remains operational amid a federal shutdown, forcing roughly 40,000 enlisted members and civilian staff to work without pay. The American Pilots Association warns that the funding lapse jeopardizes navigation safety, staffing at vessel‑traffic‑service centers, and maintenance...
We can’t do MCM without allied support and it’s not just about the sweeps; it’s the staffs, the divers, the support ships, and all the other things required to do MCM. Mine warfare is career stop for the U.S. Navy,...
An Iranian missile barrage struck central Israel near Tel Aviv, killing two civilians when a cluster munition collapsed the roof of a residential building. The attack damaged Tel Aviv’s main railway station, prompting Israel Railways to suspend train services nationwide....
European intelligence agencies report that Russia and Iran are increasingly recruiting ordinary citizens to conduct espionage, sabotage and disinformation campaigns. The Netherlands has responded by expanding its anti‑espionage law and creating a dedicated police unit to enforce it. Recent arrests...
I’m honestly surprised the pro-Iran disinfo crowd hasn’t found this real footage of bombs detonating next to the USS Ford carrier. IYKYK. https://t.co/7LFKOYH0vl
Taiwan Defence Minister Wellington Koo said on Tuesday that the United States’ internal review of a second $14 billion arms package – featuring 102 Lockheed Martin PAC‑3 air‑defence missiles – is proceeding on schedule. The sale, awaiting President Donald Trump’s signature...
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky signed a defence partnership in London on Tuesday, March 18, 2026, aimed at countering low‑cost drone attacks. The deal combines Ukraine’s battlefield expertise with the UK’s industrial base and includes...
On March 18, 2026, the United Arab Emirates announced the closure of its civilian airspace after its military reported responding to incoming missile and drone threats launched from Iran. The decision, issued from Dubai, reflects an immediate escalation in regional...
On March 17, 2026, the U.S. Air Force launched a new wave of strikes against Iran’s missile program, sending nearly a dozen B‑1B Lancer bombers from RAF Fairford in the United Kingdom and deploying Lockheed Martin’s Precision Strike Missile (PrSM)...
Iran’s government confirmed on March 18, 2026 that Ali Larijani, the secretary of the Supreme National Security Council and the country’s top security official, was killed in an Israeli air strike. The death was announced alongside reports of renewed drone and...
The U.S. Air Force is re‑evaluating how many Collaborative Combat Aircraft (CCA) it will produce, with a decision expected this summer that could push deliveries beyond the original 100‑unit target for 2029. General Dale R. White indicated the service is...
A fragment of an Iranian missile landed in Tel Aviv’s newly built Wavegarden wave pool after Israeli air defenses intercepted most of the incoming barrage. The debris caused no injuries and the facility resumed operations within hours, while minor shrapnel...
Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese confirmed that an Iranian projectile struck near the Al Minhad Air Base in the United Arab Emirates on March 17, 2026. The impact caused a small fire that damaged an accommodation block and a medical facility, but...
"China Has Much to Lose in Iran," I had a great talk with the @WSJ @WSJopinion Kate Odell on Iran, China, and more. https://t.co/Ms3i2Z5N7M
I'm surprised that people are surprised that China and Russia are aiding Iran's war efforts.
Apple has rolled out its first Background Security Improvements update to address WebKit vulnerability CVE‑2026‑20643 across iPhone, iPad, and Mac devices. The flaw allowed malicious web content to bypass the Same Origin Policy via the Navigation API, and was patched...
We’ve reached the point where serious, smart people I’ve known for 10+ years think Iran can sink a U.S. aircraft carrier. Thank you MSM. Not saying it’s impossible but I’ll put $100K on the other side of that bet right now.
Iranian FM Araghchi is talking of a new "post-war arrangement" for the Strait of Hormuz. Would be interesting to see what other details emerge. Right now, the markets are more focused on what kind of "war arrangement" might fall into place, if...
The U.S. Department of Justice defended the Pentagon’s decision to label AI developer Anthropic a supply‑chain risk, effectively barring its Claude models from warfighting systems. Anthropic sued, claiming the designation violates its First Amendment rights and threatens billions in expected...
Wonderful. Can we expel US intelligence from Waihopai and the FBI from Wellington now, please?
Navy Juggles Its Aircraft Carrier Plans To Stay Afloat One carrier was already tired before it had a fire, another saw its service life extended for the second time, while the delivery of a third is delayed. https://t.co/0wcOTKMdzP
President Trump indicated his long‑awaited summit with Xi Jinping could be pushed back five to six weeks, likely occurring after April 20, as China signals tentative approval but remains cautious amid the ongoing war in Europe. A senior Chinese delegation...
Lite Coms, a seven‑year‑old satcom firm, has deployed almost 1,000 tactical VSAT terminals for U.S. and allied forces. Its core strategy centers on multi‑orbit, constellation‑agnostic terminals that operate across GEO, MEO and LEO networks, highlighted by the upcoming 2026 Ku/Ka...
Pentagon comptroller Jules Hurst confirmed that nearly all of the $153 billion reconciliation fund has been allocated, leaving just $1.3 billion unspent. Lawmakers are debating a $50 billion supplemental package to fund potential strikes on Iran, while the White House is expected to...
The 2026 assessment of operational intercontinental ballistic missiles shows a reshaped strategic picture. Russia’s heavyweight RS‑28 Sarmat remains non‑operational after a series of test failures, while China has rapidly loaded over 100 DF‑31‑class missiles into new silo complexes, marking its fastest...
U.S. Central Command confirmed that on March 17, 2026 it deployed multiple 5,000‑pound deep‑penetrator bunker‑buster bombs against hardened Iranian missile sites along the coast of the Strait of Hormuz. The strikes targeted underground launch and storage facilities that could threaten...
Ursa Major has shifted from a launch‑engine startup to a diversified propulsion supplier focused on defense and hypersonics. Its Hadley engine achieved repeated Mach‑5 reusable flights with Stratolaunch and secured a $32.9 million follow‑on contract, while the Draper storable liquid engine...
The generative AI models used in classified environments can answer questions, but don't currently learn from the data they see. That could soon change.
The U.S. Space Force is introducing Portfolio Acquisition Executives (PAEs) to manage groups of systems tied to specific missions rather than individual programs. Four initial portfolios—infrastructure, battle management, satellite communications/positioning, navigation and timing, and missile warning and tracking—will give PAEs...
Russia's state nuclear corporation Rosatom condemned a strike that hit the area adjacent to the metrological service building at Iran's Bushehr nuclear power plant. The incident caused no injuries and radiation levels remained within normal limits, according to Iranian officials....
Joe Kent, the top U.S. counterterrorism official, resigned publicly, stating Iran posed no imminent threat to the United States. His letter directly contradicted President Trump’s claim that Iran was about to launch a nuclear strike and that its missiles could...
Argentine President Javier Milei denounced Iran at a ceremony marking the 34th anniversary of the 1992 bombing of the Israeli embassy in Buenos Aires. He reiterated Argentina’s support for the United States and Israel amid the ongoing US‑Israeli military campaign...
One blurry jet over Shiraz is exploding online.... some say it looks like a Mirage 2000 or Typhoon and must be a covert Gulf country aircraft. That theory doesn’t hold up at all. UAE, Saudi Arabia, Qatar... none of them...
Security at MacDill AFB, home of @CENTCOM, @USSOCOM, two USAF refueling wings and dozens of other mission partners as been raised to FPCON Charlie, the second highest level possible, the base announced on its FB page. https://t.co/1n7BRrZUmC
Israel’s air force announced a series of strikes in Tehran that killed Basij commander Gholamreza Soleimani and, in a separate raid, senior security official Ali Larijani. The attacks were framed by Israeli officials as a catalyst for an Iranian uprising, a...
Dear Speaker of Islamic Republic, you do know we have 9 more aircraft carriers and an entire Marine Corps…. right? Not saying anyone here wants to deploy them along the strait but, ultimately, it’s not really your choice.
The CIA is an amazing place staffed with very talented people, but “don’t over think a single poor-quality video” is like OSINT 101. Hard lessons.
In this episode of Region Moderates, hosts Scott Galloway and Jessica Tarlov dissect President Trump's aggressive demands on allies to confront Iran after a strike that killed a senior Iranian commander, highlighting the lack of support for deploying warships to...
Size comparison of Vietnam and Iran. We only had troops in half of Vietnam and peak strength was 580K. https://t.co/t6mzoeG4GY
Navy E-2D Hawkeye Radar Planes Appear To Be Rushing To The Middle East The E-2D is America's most capable platform for spotting drones and other low-flying Iranian threats that are wreaking havoc on Gulf Arab States. https://t.co/0X8hOJvdao
At RSAC 2026, husband‑and‑wife team Rebecca and Kevin Grapsy will present on the critical role of clear communication in cybersecurity. Their talk highlights how technical brilliance alone fails without translating insights for non‑technical stakeholders. They introduce the “Five Points of...
IRAN is JUST GETTING STARTED /Alastair Crooke & Lt Col Daniel Davis https://t.co/XXmrRSM32D via @YouTube
A first‑person FPV drone hovered for nearly two minutes over the U.S. Victory Base in Iraq, surveyed the site and struck without being detected. The attack demonstrated how low‑cost, fiber‑optic‑guided drones can combine intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) with precision...
User and Entity Behavior Analytics (UEBA) leverages machine‑learning to model normal activity across users, devices and applications, then flags deviations that indicate threats. By ingesting logs, configuration files and network telemetry, UEBA can spot lateral movement, compromised credentials, insider abuse,...
So it grows: The US military official leading the effort to build the Golden Dome missile-defense shield put a $185 billion price tag on the first stage of the project, a $10 billion increase https://t.co/nEZojGGV8x
The Air Force is scaling back the B‑52 Radar Modernization Program, delivering a minimum‑viable product and postponing the new wideband nose radome. It will continue testing the Raytheon AN/APQ‑188 radar with the legacy radome, aiming for a low‑rate production decision...
BAE Systems has secured a contract from the U.S. Air Force to sustain and modernize the AN/ALQ‑221 Advanced Defensive System on the U‑2 Dragon Lady fleet. The agreement covers field service support, repairs, and software upgrades to counter evolving electronic threats....
Acting CISA director Nick Andersen told an Auburn University event that agencies should stop rigidly adhering to the traditional sector risk‑management agency (SRMA) designations when engaging with critical infrastructure. Instead, the lead should be the entity with the strongest relationship...
