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
Taiwan reported the return of large‑scale Chinese air force activity after a two‑week hiatus, detecting 26 aircraft in a 24‑hour period. The pause, which began on February 27, ended on March 7 with sporadic sightings before the recent surge. Beijing offered no explanation, while its Taiwan Affairs Office criticized President Lai Ching‑te’s defence remarks. Defence Minister Wellington Koo noted that Chinese warships continue to circle the island, indicating persistent pressure despite the aerial lull.
The ongoing conflict between the United States, Israel and Iran has expanded from coastal strikes to direct attacks on Iranian Navy and IRGC vessels, including the sinking of IRIS Dena and the internment of IRIS Bushehr and IRIS Lavan. Both...
The podcast marks the fifth spring of the Russia‑Ukraine war, featuring CNA senior researcher Dr. Dmitry Gorenburg. He outlines Russia’s grinding attrition strategy, heavy reliance on drones and foreign satellite services, and the strain caused by Starlink disruptions. The discussion...
A U.S. nuclear‑powered submarine fired a Mark 48 torpedo that sank the Iranian warship IRIS Dena in international waters near Sri Lanka, killing at least 84 crew members. The vessel was returning from an Indian‑hosted fleet review, a diplomatic event that also...
France and Italy have opened diplomatic talks with Iran to secure safe passage for commercial vessels through the Strait of Hormuz, a vital oil transit chokepoint. The initiative follows recent French casualties and heightened military presence that underscored the risks...
France continues to adopt a strictly defensive stance in the escalating Iran‑UAE confrontation, deploying Rafale fighters to intercept Iranian Shahed drones over the United Arab Emirates. The intensive use of MICA air‑to‑air missiles has sharply reduced French missile reserves, highlighting...
The Pentagon’s testing office reported that F‑35 software upgrades have stagnated, with no new combat capability delivered in 2025 despite the jets conducting missions over Iran. The latest software block, designated TR‑3, was largely unusable due to stability issues, capability...
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi declared the Strait of Hormuz open to all except the United States and its allies, following a recent strike on the Iranian tanker Kharg. The remarks sparked concerns that Tehran could restrict American vessels, intensifying...
The Ukraine conflict has become a proving ground for long‑range air‑defence systems, exposing gaps in Ukraine’s layered shield. While the French‑Italian SAMP/T and U.S. Patriot were both deployed in 2023, the Patriot’s greater range is offset by higher cost and...
South Korea's military with a flight from Riyadh carrying 211 souls... including two Japanese who got a lift home. Korean officer helping a girl and grandma board flips the script on old rivalries. Japan did the same for Koreans earlier,...
China and Vietnam launched a joint naval patrol and training exercise in the Gulf of Tonkin this week, extending a practice that has persisted despite their overlapping maritime claims. The operation follows a series of coordinated drills that began last...
So to speak.... “Even the possibility that a hostile power could choke traffic in Hormuz—by far the world’s most vital energy and commodity artery—was considered to be absurd,” McNally told Fortune, largely because it hadn’t happened before. “When I would tell...
Oscar‑nominated director Richard Rowley’s new documentary “Hell’s Army” chronicles the global expansion of Russia’s Wagner Group, following journalist Katya Hakim as she tracks founder Yevgeny Prigozhin across Ukraine, Syria and Africa. The film, which premiered at CPH:DOX, reveals Wagner’s 30,000‑strong force—larger...
RAF Fairford has become the focal point for U.S. Air Force long‑range bomber operations supporting Operation Epic Fury, a campaign aimed at degrading Iranian missile infrastructure. Around eight B‑1B Lancers arrived in early March, followed by three B‑52H Stratofortresses from...
I was reading Ziad Daoud and Dina Esfandiary's analysis of how this war will change the Gulf. They argue that just as the 1990 invasion of Kuwait created a deep psychological rupture, the current missile strikes are threatening to repeat that...
Chinese researchers have unveiled a non‑invasive wearable human‑robot hybrid that assists soldiers in carrying heavy loads across rugged terrain. The exoskeleton uses lightweight actuators, sensor arrays and AI‑driven control to augment strength without requiring implants. Tests suggest it can increase...
Finland‑based Kelluu has launched 12‑metre hydrogen‑fuel‑cell airships that hover silently for days, capturing high‑resolution geospatial data. The lighter‑than‑air platforms can operate in extreme Arctic cold and resist GNSS jamming, drawing interest from NATO and defence customers. Kelluu offers a turnkey...
President Donald Trump warned that the United States could hit Iran’s strategic Kharg Island oil hub again "just for fun," after claiming the first strikes had largely destroyed the facility. Iran’s foreign minister warned of retaliation against U.S. energy assets...
In May 1941 a Luftwaffe Junkers Ju 88C night‑fighter, piloted by Oberfeldwebel Hans Hahn, engaged two RAF Spitfires over Norfolk and shot down Plt Off Bernard Klee’s aircraft. The Ju 88’s unexpected agility allowed it to weave, evade and position...
Saab has secured a SEK 60 million contract from Sweden’s Defence Materiel Administration to build a large uncrewed underwater vehicle (LUUV) demonstrator, dubbed the Autonomous Ocean Drone (AOD). The 7‑metre, 6.5‑tonne platform will integrate Saab’s Autonomous Ocean Core autonomy engine and is...
Resecurity showcased its newest threat‑intelligence solutions at the CyberBay Summit 2026 in Tampa, engaging government, defense, academia, and private‑sector leaders. The company highlighted AI‑driven risk‑management tools and insights on malicious activity tied to the Iran conflict. It also warned of heightened...
Taiwan’s Ministry of National Defense confirmed that the first two of four MQ‑9B SkyGuardian drones will arrive in the second half of 2026, adhering to the original schedule. Ground‑control stations are being built to operate the drones once delivered. The...
Western defence forces face a growing gap against mass‑produced drone swarms, with Ukraine reporting over 54,000 hostile UAVs in 2025 alone. Existing high‑cost SAM systems such as Patriot and SAMP/T are ill‑suited for low‑cost, high‑volume threats, and their long production...
The United States is projected to spend roughly $1.5 trillion on defense and offensive operations in 2026, a level that dwarfs most other fiscal priorities. Because the dollar is a sovereign currency, the Treasury can technically create money to fund this...
The U.S. Air Force launched a Boeing B‑52 Stratofortress on a night sortie as part of Operation Epic Fury, aimed at degrading Iran’s ability to rebuild its missile and drone capabilities. CENTCOM emphasized that strikes remain unpredictable, dynamic and decisive. The conflict...
Japan’s senior officials say sending naval vessels to escort ships in the Middle East would encounter significant hurdles. The comment follows U.S. President Donald Trump’s call for Tokyo to help keep the Strait of Hormuz open and safe. While not...
Oil is the only commodity on Earth used in every single sector of every economy. Even our adversaries need it. The Strait of Hormuz is two miles wide, and Iran is threatening to mine it. Whether securing it costs $2...
So 2 of the 3 Littoral Combat Ships outfitted with the mines countermeasures package is in Malaysia? Not sure about Canberra but this seems like a strange time to pull a major element from the region.
The United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, Volker Türk, condemned a surge in drone attacks across Sudan, reporting over 200 civilian deaths since March 4, including 152 in West Kordofan alone. Strikes attributed to the Sudanese Armed Forces hit markets, a hospital...
Arguably the best analysis of Trump’s war on Iran… On the assassination of Iran’s Supreme Leader & his successor: “We hoped to get Delcy (Maduro’s VP) but we got Kim Jong Un instead.” https://t.co/6utaBQlVnO
Iranian media confirms US strikes destroyed military sites on Kharg Island. Via @BRICSinfo Kharg Island handles 90% of Iran's oil export.
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security remains unfunded after Congress missed the February 13 deadline, leaving TSA agents without pay and causing longer airport security lines. A Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals struck down the NLRB’s 2023 bargaining‑order precedent, limiting...
I don’t play the prediction markets but if I did I’d place a gazillion dollars against this assessment — particularly the notion that Trump understands Russia as a strategic adversary.
By October 2024, fiber optic cable FPVs were already responsible for most Ukrainian vehicle losses in Kursk oblast. Helping Ukraine develop countermeasures to new battlefield threats is in our interest as well.
NEW: The US-led peace process in Ukraine is fizzling out because Trump is losing interest and his war against Iran is easing pressure on Russia. “A pause has indeed appeared in the talks. The Americans have other priorities,” Kremlin spox...
Switzerland bars US overflights linked to combat in the war in Iran https://t.co/pJ65t4h0H7 via @bbenrath https://t.co/oaGcwyWqPv
People still underestimate how many drones are being built, shipped, used, and getting blown up around the world. Autonomous wars are upon us.
‘The US-led peace process in Ukraine is fizzling out because Donald Trump is losing interest in the talks and his war against Iran is easing pressure on Russia, officials say.’ https://t.co/6VFAHJrvaZ
For Xi, Iran War Reinforces View of U.S. as Dangerous Superpower—Trump’s military actions in Iran and Venezuela set tense stage for a coming superpower summit @austinramzy https://t.co/1gsSWd2hed https://t.co/1gsSWd2hed
As they said at the White House, "who could have imagined Iran would block the Straits of Hormuz?"
"China is the biggest loser in all of this [U.S./Israel-Iran War]...the reason we are having this conversation. Iran's nuclear progress like centrifuge manufacturing - China...ballistic missiles production - China." my talk tonight with @PoloSandovalCNN @CNN https://t.co/jN0HZ51bVz
Launched NightBeacon Friday morning. 48 hours later: - 80.83% false positive reduction. - 3x higher true positive confidence. - 98.23% smarter model based on live data. - Multi-platform log intelligence built overnight. - Zero manual tuning. https://t.co/lmtyDyskXe This is just the beginning. #BinaryDefense
Since Iran is in the process of surrendering, I guess there is no point in the UK, France, or anyone else making plans to escort ships through the Straihts of Hormuz
Betting markets are seeing the probability of a US-Iran ceasefire by the end of the month deflate to an extremely skeptical 15%... https://t.co/Brj4lTcqSK
“.. The president said several countries have committed to helping secure the strait, but declined to name any of them.” @NBCNews https://t.co/AEDeyaO4FC https://t.co/YFq6h9TnJb
If true, this is actually a face-saving withdrawal by the Iranians. It lets them pretend to be mean to US & Israel without actually blocking the strait. But I doubt it’s true. https://t.co/xCTeY2zGRE
Trump started a war most of the world was against, and now asks China, the UK, France, Japan and South Korea to send warships to open the Strait of Hormuz Brutal 😂
Imagine a self proclaimed “military expert” telling his followers that in all of the U.S. National Security Council, Joint Staff, CENTCOM, U.S. Naval Forces Central Command (NAVCENT), and JTF staff, they did not plan for scenarios in the Strait of...
“As a matter of fact, the Strait of Hormuz is open … It is only closed to the tankers and ships belong[ing] to our enemies, to those who are attacking us and their allies. Others are free to pass” -...
Any country except for US and Israel can pass through Strait of Hormuz, Iranian Foreign Minister says: NY Post
