Middle East in Flames – Where Is the Royal Navy?
The Royal Navy entered the escalating Middle‑East crisis with virtually no combat‑ready warships deployed in the Mediterranean or Gulf. Only HMS Duncan, freshly worked‑up, is immediately available, while the rest of the fleet is tied up in refits, maintenance periods, or stationed far from the region. British bases such as RAF Akrotiri and the Bahrain support facility face heightened threat from Iranian drones and missile attacks. The shortage of naval assets jeopardises the UK’s ability to protect maritime trade through the Strait of Hormuz and to support allied operations.
LLM-Assisted Deanonymization
Large language model (LLM) agents can now deanonymize individuals from a handful of anonymous online posts, achieving high precision across platforms such as Hacker News, Reddit, LinkedIn, and interview transcripts. The technique extracts location, occupation and interest signals, then matches...
How Iran’s Missile Barrage Struck at the Heart of Global Trade
Iran’s recent missile barrage over the Persian Gulf resulted in debris striking Jebel Ali, the world’s busiest container port, igniting a fire that forced a temporary shutdown. The incident halted more than 10% of global container throughput, disrupting supply chains that...
Enduring the Storm: Reflections on the U.S. Navy’s “Fat Leonard” Scandal
Retired Rear Admiral Bruce Loveless reflects on his decade‑long ordeal stemming from the “Fat Leonard” scandal, the largest corruption case in U.S. Navy history. After an initial suspension in 2013, he was arrested in 2017, endured a protracted trial, and...
Explainer: Why EU Keeps Its Warships in the Red Sea
The European Union has announced that Operation ASPIDES, its naval mission protecting Red Sea shipping, will be extended through 2027. The decision signals that the underlying drivers of the Red Sea crisis – chiefly Houthi‑linked attacks on commercial vessels –...
Beyond Metrics: Integrating Command Culture with Operational Readiness
The Navy is emphasizing command culture as a force multiplier for expeditionary logistics, linking initiatives such as Culture of Excellence 2.0 and Get Real, Get Better to operational readiness. Leaders are urged to foster psychological safety, decentralized decision‑making, and learning‑focused...
Lloyd’s Register Grants Approval for Hybrid Nuclear Vessel
Lloyd’s Register has issued an Approval in Principle for a hybrid nuclear‑ready power concept co‑developed with Australian ship designer Seatransport. The design merges micro‑modular nuclear reactors (1.2‑2.6 MW) with diesel‑electric propulsion on 73‑metre and 90‑metre amphibious stern landing vessels. Recent sea...
American F-15 Jet Comes Down over Kuwait
Reports from regional media claim a United States Air Force F-15 fighter crashed in northern Kuwait near the Iraqi border, with video showing a smoking aircraft and visible flames. Sources suggest the pilot ejected and was assisted by local residents,...
UAE Covers Accommodation Costs For Stranded Passengers
UAE airports were shut for two days after Israeli and US strikes on Iran triggered Iranian missile and drone attacks on Gulf allies. The closure left tens of thousands of passengers stranded in transit hubs. The General Civil Aviation Authority...
2026-03-02: IRGC Launches Largest Offensive, Attacking 20+ US Bases and Israel
On February 28, 2026, the United States and Israel conducted coordinated airstrikes against Iranian targets, prompting a massive retaliatory offensive by Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC). The IRGC launched the largest attack in its history, striking more than 20...
"All Lawful Use": Much More Than You Wanted To Know
Secretary of War Pete Hegseth designated AI firm Anthropic a supply‑chain risk after it refused to let the Department of War use its models for mass surveillance or autonomous weapons. Hours later, OpenAI announced an agreement‑in‑principle to fill the gap,...
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Defense & Aerospace Report Podcast [Mar 01 ’26 Business Report]
The Defense & Aerospace Report podcast highlighted Wall Street’s worst day of 2026, driven by AI‑related worries and disappointing U.S. job numbers. A joint Israel‑U.S. strike on Iran sparked a broad regional retaliation, raising concerns over depleted U.S. weapons stocks...
Breaking Down Our "Red October" Moment for AI
The article warns that the Department of War’s rush to embed frontier AI models in national‑security systems mirrors the "Red October" fiasco, where safety mechanisms were disabled and catastrophic failure followed. It argues that without a mission‑aligned, fit‑for‑purpose evaluation framework,...
The Minerals of War: Criticality in an Age of AI and Artillery
The article expands the "mineral imperative" concept, arguing that global demand for metals and critical minerals must roughly double by 2050 to sustain development, decarbonisation, digitalisation and now defence. While population growth, urbanisation, electrification and AI have already driven material...
Ukrainian Marines Reform Coastal Defense Brigades
The Ukrainian Marine Corps has redesignated its three coastal defense brigades—the 34th, 39th and 40th—as Marine Brigades, raising the total number of active marine formations from four to seven. The change, announced on March 1, 2026, shifts these units from...
The RF-4C Crew Chief Who Stole Parts From an F-4 to Get His Aircraft Airborne After It Developed a Fuel...
The RF‑4C tactical reconnaissance aircraft entered service in 1964, with 499 units built for the USAF. During the 1965 deployment to Vietnam, crew chief SSgt Edgar M. Mays faced a fuel‑system failure that would have grounded the aircraft for weeks....
Iran, I Saw, I Conquered?
Recent U.S. and Israeli strikes inside Iran, coupled with reports of Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei's death, have triggered a sharp geopolitical escalation. Diplomacy appears to have given way to force, raising the prospect of retaliatory attacks and broader regional spillover....
WEBINAR (3/10/26): American Peacebuilding at a Crossroads
The University of Notre Dame’s Keough School of Global Affairs and Kroc Institute for International Peace Studies, in partnership with the Alliance for Peacebuilding, are hosting a full‑day virtual webinar on March 10, 2026 titled “American Peacebuilding at a Crossroads.”...
2/28/26 National Security and Korean News and Commentary
The Small Wars Journal roundup highlights a surge in U.S.-Iran tensions, citing a CIA assessment that hard‑line IRGC elements could replace Ayatollah Khamenei if he is killed, and President Trump’s reaffirmed red line leading to a massive strike plan. Israeli...
International Reactions to Military Strikes on Iran: A Tipping Point for the UN Charter?
President Donald Trump announced that U.S. forces have launched major combat operations against Iran, a move widely regarded as a clear breach of Article 2(4) of the UN Charter. An emergency UN Security Council session is convening to address the violation....
Explainer: Washington Declares Maritime War on Beijing
The White House unveiled a Maritime Action Plan aimed at confronting Beijing’s dominance in global shipbuilding. The strategy calls for a massive increase in U.S. shipyard capacity, leveraging $30 billion in federal funding and new partnerships with allies such as Japan...
The Busiest International Airport in the World Remains Indefinitely Shut Down Amidst Continuing Iranian Missile Attacks
Dubai International Airport (DXB), the world’s busiest airport handling roughly 261,000 passengers daily, remains shut indefinitely as Iran’s missile and drone attacks force airspace closures across the Middle East. Emirates has halted all flights to and from Dubai with no...
El Al Israel Airlines Breaks Shabbat Tradition To Evacuate Airplanes Out of Tel Aviv As Iranian Missile Strikes Continue
El Al Israel Airlines broke its Shabbat grounding policy on Saturday to launch an emergency evacuation of its fleet from Ben Gurion Airport amid ongoing Iranian missile strikes across the region. Twelve aircraft, including Boeing 787 Dreamliners and a 737...
Digest of Recent Articles on Just Security (Feb. 23-27, 2026)
Just Security’s weekly digest (Feb. 23‑27, 2026) aggregates more than a dozen expert pieces on international law, security, and U.S. policy. Highlights include a two‑part analysis of a lawful peace for Ukraine, a court‑focused critique of ICE and CBP actions, an updated...
Who Is the Kimwolf Botmaster “Dort”?
KrebsOnSecurity identified the individual behind the Kimwolf botnet as a teenager from Canada using the handle "Dort" and aliases like CPacket and M1CE. Public OSINT links the persona to a GitHub account, multiple cyber‑crime forum registrations, and a history of...
Iran ’S Internet Near-Totally Blacked Out Amid US, Israeli Strikes
Iran experienced a near‑total internet blackout on Feb. 28, 2026, as U.S. and Israeli strikes hit the country. Network monitoring by NetBlocks showed national connectivity dropping to roughly 4% of normal levels, while Cloudflare reported traffic falling to effectively zero...
Purpose-Built or Perilous: Congress Faces a Critical FBI Headquarters Decision
Congress is weighing a pivotal decision on the FBI’s next headquarters as the aging Hoover Building must be replaced. Lawmakers are considering the Ronald Reagan Building, but security experts argue it cannot satisfy Interagency Security Committee Level V standards. The article highlights...
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Defense & Aerospace Report Podcast [Feb 27, ’26 Washington Roundtable]
The Washington Roundtable highlighted President Trump’s push for new tariffs following a Supreme Court ruling, while Republicans draft related legislation. Analysts debated the 2027 defense budget, noting a consensus around $1.1‑$1.2 trillion versus the president’s $1.5 trillion request. The Pentagon warned AI...
Skin of Its Teeth: Mentor-Protégé Joint Venture Survives SDVOSB Status Protest Despite Missing Required Provisions in Joint Venture
The SBA Office of Hearings and Appeals upheld Sugarloaf Technologies, an SDVOSB mentor‑protégé joint venture, after GSA protested its award for missing the specific reporting language required by 13 C.F.R. § 128.402(c)(11)‑(12). Sugarloaf’s agreement instead contained a clause stating reports would be submitted...
Where We Are in the Storm | ClubGPF Clip with George Friedman
In a recent ClubGPF live discussion, Geopolitical Futures chairman George Friedman revisited his book *The Storm Before the Calm* to argue that America is moving through an 80‑year institutional cycle. He compared today’s political polarization and economic anxiety to three...
Indian Register of Shipping Launches First Defence Export Project
Indian Register of Shipping (IRS) has launched its first defence export project, delivering a floating dry dock to the Sri Lanka Navy. The dock, constructed by Goa Shipyard Limited, was inaugurated on February 19, 2026, with Rear Admiral MDK Wijewardana...
UK Confirms New Chinooks to Get Aerial Refuelling Equipment
The UK Ministry of Defence confirmed that the incoming Chinook H‑47(ER) helicopters will be delivered with a built‑in air‑to‑air refuelling receiver. Despite this capability, the current plan is to rely on United States KC‑130 aircraft for in‑flight refuelling rather than...
SEALSQ Expands Japan Presence to Support 2035 Quantum Security Mandate
SEALSQ Corp is expanding its footprint in Japan by showcasing its production‑ready QS7001 secure System‑on‑Chip and QVault Trusted Platform Module at two March 2026 industry events. The move backs Japan’s National Cyber Command Office mandate to transition all government and critical‑infrastructure...
MP's "Strong" Quarter: Accelerated Production, Long-Term Agreements With Major Tech Companies
MP Materials posted a fourth‑quarter revenue of $52.7 million and net income of $9.4 million, buoyed by a U.S. Department of War price‑floor agreement. The company recorded a 12% year‑over‑year increase in rare‑earth oxide concentrate, producing a record 50,692 metric tons, and more...
Pakistan–Afghanistan Escalation Signals Shift From Proxy Conflict to Open Hostilities
Tensions between Pakistan and Afghanistan erupted into open hostilities after Pakistani forces conducted airstrikes on key Taliban‑run military installations in Kabul, Kandahar and Paktia. The strikes, announced by Defence Minister Khawaja Muhammad Asif, were framed as a response to a...
Phishing Attacks Against People Seeking Programming Jobs
A wave of phishing campaigns is targeting individuals searching for programming jobs, using fabricated job listings to harvest credentials. At the same time, North Korean APT37 has released new tools that weaponize removable media, raising concerns about air‑gap breaches. The...
Viral Satellite Imagery of U.S. Military Assets Around Iran NOT Taken by Chinese Satellites: Hu Bo
Chinese firm MizarVision posted high‑resolution satellite images showing U.S. F‑22 fighters at an Israeli base, sparking speculation that the pictures came from Chinese satellites. Analysts from the South China Sea Probing Initiative, led by Hu Bo, used satellite ephemeris and resolution...
Useful Lemons
The article proposes converting decommissioned U.S. vessels into sea‑going factory ships and power‑plant ships to slash logistical delays in the Indo‑Pacific against a rising Chinese threat. It argues that current stockpiles could be exhausted within a week of conflict, making...
Paradigm Change in the 2025 National Security Strategy
The 2025 National Security Strategy (NSS) reorients U.S. competition with China from a primarily military focus to an economic‑centric paradigm, emphasizing political warfare, gray‑zone activities, and supply‑chain resilience. It calls for leveraging alliances, reindustrialization, and civilian tools such as the...
The Connector Problem in Resistance Networks: Why Decentralization Fails in Practice
The article argues that decentralized resistance networks collapse not because combat cells are penetrated, but because connector roles—couriers, logistics, safe‑house managers, communications technicians, and external liaisons—create high‑centrality nodes that become single points of failure. Modern counter‑network tactics such as F3EAD...
SOF-Ening the ICE: The Domestication of Special Warfare
Federal immigration agents have begun adopting Special Operations Forces aesthetics and tactics, a shift highlighted by two fatal shootings in Minnesota in early 2026. Data shows only about 5‑6% of ICE arrests involve violent offenders, yet the agency has expanded...
FAR 2.0 Update: Deviations and FAR Companion Guide
The Revolutionary FAR Overhaul (RFO) is now being implemented through agency deviations, with the Department of Defense (DoD) issuing class deviations covering most FAR parts from 1 to 52. Twenty‑four agencies have already adopted RFO Part 12, and the DoD’s...
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...
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...
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...
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,...
Risk of Renewed War in Tigray: Painful Reminders From Ethiopia’s Last War Demand Action to Prevent Another
Renewed fighting erupted in Ethiopia’s Tigray region in January, prompting flight suspensions and mass cash withdrawals as civilians feared a repeat of the 2020‑2022 war. The previous conflict killed up to 600,000 people, displaced millions, and inflicted widespread sexual violence,...
Late-Phase Failure and the Erosion of Military Effectiveness in Prolonged Conflict
The article argues that military effectiveness in prolonged conflicts erodes primarily due to institutional stress rather than platform loss. It highlights logistics, energy, personnel, civil‑military coordination, and cyber/space vulnerabilities as decisive late‑phase factors, especially for Indo‑Pacific deterrence. Planners are urged...
Wright-Patterson Air Force Base: Ohio’s Tech Powerhouse Meets 3D Printing Innovation
Wright‑Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio’s largest single‑site employer, is emerging as a premier hub for additive manufacturing within the U.S. Air Force. The Rapid Sustainment Office recently awarded a $2.5 million contract to develop a nine‑foot fused filament printer, aiming to...
U.S. Boots on the Ground in Nigeria
On December 25, the United States conducted its first airstrike against a jihadist stronghold in northern Nigeria, followed by the deployment of roughly 100 U.S. advisors to train local counter‑terrorism forces. The initial team is expected to be supplemented by...