U.S. Army Tests APEX Counter-Drone Round for Apache
The U.S. Army conducted live‑fire trials of a new 30 mm Aviation Proximity Explosive (APEX) round on AH‑64 Apache helicopters at Yuma Proving Ground. Over the course of the evaluation, crews fired roughly 1,200 rounds, pitting the APEX munition against the legacy M789 round while engaging multiple small unmanned aerial systems. The APEX round is designed to detonate ahead of a drone, creating a fragmentation pattern that neutralizes the target without a direct hit. Successful results will advance the round toward an Airworthiness Release, enabling operational use.
UAE’s First Combat Use of M-SAM II Could Raise Export Prospects for South Korean Air Defence
South Korea’s M‑SAM II missile, part of the Cheongung II air‑defence suite, was employed by the United Arab Emirates to intercept Iranian projectiles launched after the U.S. Operation Epic Fury. The engagement, beginning on 28 February, marks the first overseas combat use of...
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Poland's Tusk Vows to Use EU Defence Loans Despite President's Veto
Poland’s president Karol Nawrocki vetoed a bill that would have unlocked €43.7 billion in EU Security Action for Europe (SAFE) loans, citing long‑term debt risks. Prime Minister Donald Tusk responded by promising to tap the same financing through existing armed‑forces funds,...
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Trump Claimed in G7 Call that Iran Is "About to Surrender," Axios Reports
Former President Donald Trump told G7 leaders in a virtual meeting that Iran is "about to surrender," citing the ongoing U.S.-Israel Operation Epic Fury. He boasted that the campaign had eliminated a threat and dismissed Iranian leadership as "deranged scumbags."...
A.I. Goes to War + Is ‘A.I. Brain Fry’ Real? + How Grammarly Stole Casey’s Identity
The Hard Fork episode examines how the United States and Israel are integrating artificial intelligence into the Iran conflict, using AI to pinpoint targets such as data centers and fiber‑optic infrastructure. It also highlights a new workplace phenomenon dubbed “AI...
Q&A: Rebecca Evernden on UK Space Strategy
Rebecca Evernden, the newly appointed director of the UK Space Agency, outlined a four‑pillar strategy—satellite communications, launch capability, in‑orbit servicing and manufacturing, and space domain awareness—to drive economic growth and national security. She emphasized that the agency’s launch ambitions remain...
Iranian Armed Forces Going AWOL
Iranian regular forces are confronting acute supply shortages, with soldiers receiving as few as 20 rounds of ammunition for two men, while the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) reportedly hoards medical supplies and refuses to evacuate the wounded. Both branches...
The Gulf’s Tough Choices
The United States and Israel have entered a war with Iran that the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) spent years trying to avoid through diplomacy. Daily attacks are now targeting civilian infrastructure across the Gulf’s six member states, exposing a growing...
3D Printable Nanotube Composite Shields Electronics In Extreme Environments
Researchers have created an ultrathin, stretchable, 3D‑printable composite that combines single‑walled carbon nanotubes and boron nitride nanotubes to simultaneously block electromagnetic interference and absorb neutron radiation. The hybrid films achieve over 50 dB EMI shielding at micrometer thicknesses, while a 2:8...
Norway Police Arrest Mother of Three Suspects of US Embassy Bomb
Norwegian police detained the mother of three men suspected of planting an explosive device outside the U.S. Embassy in Oslo on March 8. The mother was arrested on Friday on suspicion of involvement, though authorities gave no further details. All four...
NIWC Carries MRAP Innovation Forward With Marine Drone Defeating Air Defense System
The Naval Information Warfare Center Atlantic (NIWC) delivered the Marine Air Defense Integrated System (MADIS) to the Marine Corps, mounting a 30 mm cannon, Stinger missiles and electronic‑warfare tools on two JLTVs. Developed from 2022 using commercial‑off‑the‑shelf parts and the command’s...
Lockheed Martin Delivers Second Shipment of ASEV Shipsets and AN/SPY-7(V)1 Equipment to Japan
Lockheed Martin announced on March 12, 2026 that it has delivered the second Aegis System Equipped Vessel (ASEV) shipset, featuring the AN/SPY-7(V)1 solid‑state radar, to Japan’s Ministry of Defense. The shipment, executed through Mitsubishi Corporation under a Direct Commercial Sale,...
Shadow Fleet Vessels Exposed in Sweden
Swedish Coast Guard intercepted the tanker Sea Owl 1 near Trelleborg, identifying it as a Russian shadow‑fleet vessel operating under a falsified Comorian flag. The ship, listed under EU sanctions, is suspected of transporting oil or liquid fuels to Russia, echoing...
East Front News #86: Sabotages in Poland; Ukraine Delivers Support to the Persian Gulf Countries
The article highlights a wave of Russian‑linked information operations that blame Ukrainian citizens for sabotage incidents in Poland, aiming to erode Warsaw‑Kyiv trust. In Bucharest, Romania agreed to let the United States use its airfields, signaling deeper NATO logistics cooperation....
Myanmar Commissions Largest Domestically Built Frigate
Myanmar’s navy commissioned its largest domestically built warship, the 135‑meter UMS Thalun Min, a 3,500‑ton frigate capable of 30 knots. The ceremony also marked the opening of a 40,000‑ton floating dry dock and the keel laying of two 63‑meter ASW...
Vance Was ‘Skeptical’ Voice in White House on Iran Strikes
Vice President JD Vance privately expressed skepticism about a U.S. strike on Iran, warning of limited success and potential fallout, according to two senior Trump officials. Despite his reservations, Vance publicly defended the operation after President Trump approved the attacks....
Conflict in the Strait of Hormuz Is Spilling Into the Indian Ocean
Conflict between the US‑Israel coalition and Iran has effectively closed the Strait of Hormuz, forcing commercial vessels to reroute through the Indian Ocean. At least 18 ships have been attacked and dozens have disabled AIS, while Iran permits Chinese‑flagged traffic,...
Leonardo Plans to Fly Uncrewed Fighters Alongside M-346 Aircraft by Mid-2026
Leonardo announced that its M‑346 light‑attack trainer will act as a crewed "mother" aircraft to control two uncrewed fighter prototypes, with the first flight demonstrations slated for May 2024 and a public rollout by mid‑2026. The program, dubbed crewed‑uncrewed teaming...
Textron Systems Hands over LCAC 115 to US Navy
Textron Systems delivered the new Ship-to-Shore Connector (SSC) LCAC 115 to the U.S. Navy on March 10 after successful Board of Inspection and Survey trials. The hovercraft retains the legacy LCAC’s dimensions and well‑deck compatibility while offering a 60‑to‑75‑ton payload capacity....
Authorities Disrupt SocksEscort Proxy Service Powered by AVrecon Botnet
Law enforcement agencies in the United States and Europe have dismantled SocksEscort, a malicious proxy service powered by the AVrecon botnet that leveraged compromised routers and IoT devices. The operation uncovered roughly 363,000 IP addresses across 163 countries and about...
What if Iran’s Next Target Is the Gulf’s Water Supply?
Iran’s recent strike on a Qeshm Island desalination plant has raised the prospect of water‑infrastructure attacks on GCC states. The Gulf produces roughly 40% of global desalinated water, with nations like the UAE, Kuwait and Saudi Arabia relying on it...
What to Know About the U.S. Lasers That Could Be Used to Counter Iranian Attacks
High‑energy lasers are being promoted as a low‑cost alternative to traditional missile interceptors for defending U.S. bases and oil facilities from Iranian drones and missiles. A single laser shot can cost as little as $3.50, compared with the $3 million price...
Revamped Staatsräson: Merz’s Germany Hardens Tone on Israel
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz has softened Germany’s traditionally unconditional support for Israel, warning that an endless Israel‑Iran conflict harms German interests and condemning recent West Bank annexation plans. While still affirming Israel’s right to self‑defence, Berlin now stresses the need to...
The Cyber Perimeter Was Never Dead. We Just Abandoned It.
The article argues that the network perimeter is not dead, but has been neglected as organizations focus on cloud‑native identities. Federal actions—FBI’s Winter SHIELD operation and CISA’s BOD 26‑02 directive—force a hard look at weak authentication, excessive privileges, and unsupported edge...
Google Fixes Two New Chrome Zero-Days Exploited in Attacks
Google issued emergency updates on March 13 2026 to fix two high‑severity Chrome zero‑day flaws—CVE‑2026‑3909 in the Skia graphics library and CVE‑2026‑3910 in the V8 JavaScript/WebAssembly engine. Both vulnerabilities were confirmed to be exploited in the wild, prompting rapid patches for the...
Authorities Disrupt SocksEscort Proxy Botnet Exploiting 369,000 IPs Across 163 Countries
International law‑enforcement agencies dismantled the SocksEscort proxy botnet, which compromised roughly 369,000 residential routers in 163 countries. The operation, dubbed Operation Lightning, seized 34 domains, 23 servers and froze $3.5 million in cryptocurrency. SocksEscort sold proxy access to criminals, enabling fraud...
Q&A With Laurent Jaffart, ESA’s Director of Resilience, Navigation and Connectivity
The European Space Agency has launched a new Directorate for Resilience, Navigation and Connectivity (RNC) under Laurent Jaffart, following a historic €22.3 billion budget and a €1.2 billion defense allocation. The RNC will oversee the European Resilience from Space (ERS) programme, aiming...
Afghanistan Accuses Pakistan of Targeting Homes in Airstrikes that Kill at Least 4 Civilians
Afghanistan's Taliban government accused Pakistan's military of airstrikes on civilian homes in Kabul and Kandahar, killing at least four civilians, including children. The strikes also hit a Kam Air fuel depot near Kandahar airport. The cross‑border conflict, now in its...
Thousands of Chinese Boats Mass at Sea, Raising Questions
Chinese fishing fleets gathered in the East China Sea in massive, geometric formations, involving up to 2,000 vessels. Satellite and AIS data captured parallel inverted L shapes and rectangles that persisted for 30 hours before dispersing. Experts interpret the coordinated...
60 Minutes: Mar 15
The latest 60 Minutes episode examines two stark developments: AI‑controlled drones that can hunt and kill without human input, and a high‑profile media showdown involving former security firm owner Micky Ahuja, who faces accusations of worker exploitation and sexual predation. The...
Democratic Senators File War Powers Resolution to Check Trump on Cuba
Senate Democrats filed a war‑powers resolution demanding congressional approval before any U.S. attack on Cuba, aiming to force the president to pull troops from hostilities. The measure, introduced by Sens. Tim Kaine, Ruben Gallego and Adam Schiff, could be brought...
How Latin America Failed Venezuela
Over the past ten weeks the United States removed President Nicolás Maduro from power, sparking intense debate over the legality and necessity of the action. While Washington frames the move as a moral imperative against an authoritarian regime, critics argue it...
Viral Photo Highlights A Silent Enemy Plaguing The US Navy
A viral photograph of the Arleigh Burke‑class destroyer USS Dewey revealed extensive rust as the ship entered Singapore’s Sembawang port on February 18, 2025. The image sparked public concern about the U.S. Navy’s maintenance practices and highlighted corrosion as a long‑standing vulnerability. In...
U.S. Launches Rescue Efforts After Military Refueling Plane Crashes over Iraq
The U.S. Central Command confirmed that a KC‑135 aerial refueling aircraft crashed in western Iraq during Operation Epic Fury, stating the loss was not caused by hostile fire. A second KC‑135 landed safely, and rescue teams are searching for survivors....
Strategic Stakes Rise for Bangladesh as Iran Targets Gulf Neighbors
Bangladesh’s economic lifeline to the Gulf hinges on 3 million migrant workers and $24 billion in annual remittances. Recent Iranian missile and drone attacks across GCC airspace have heightened security risks for these expatriates. The government is weighing a neutral diplomatic stance...
Iran Vows to Keep Blocking the Strait of Hormuz
Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei, still recovering from a U.S. strike, declared that Iran will keep the Strait of Hormuz closed, leaving roughly 1,000 vessels stranded in the Gulf. While the closure is driven by political retaliation, insurers have confirmed that...
Kim Jong Un Tests Pistols at Weapons Factory
North Korean leader Kim Jong Un visited a state weapons factory on March 13, 2026, where he personally tested pistols alongside his daughter. The visit was documented with images showing Kim aiming a rifle while surrounded by a drink, cigarettes and an ashtray....
Japan Set to Join U.S. “Golden Dome” Defense Shield; PM Takaichi Could Announce at Trump Summit: Reports
Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi is expected to announce Tokyo’s participation in the United States’ “Golden Dome” missile‑defence program during her March 19 meeting with President Donald Trump. The Golden Dome initiative envisions a layered shield of space‑based interceptors and sensors...
British Defence Minister Suggests Putin’s ‘Hidden Hand’ Behind Iran Tactics
British Defence Minister John Healey warned that Russia may be covertly supporting Iran’s drone operations in the ongoing Middle East conflict. He referenced analysis of an Iranian-made drone that struck the UK’s Akrotiri base in Cyprus, seeking evidence of Russian...
U.S. Sanctions 2 Entities, 6 Individuals over Raising Money for N. Korea
The U.S. Treasury on March 13 sanctioned two companies and six individuals for operating overseas IT networks that funneled money to North Korea. The schemes, which included malware attacks and data theft, generated roughly $800 million for Pyongyang’s weapons programs in...
Russian Oil Purchase Allowed… for Now — Scott Bessent Announces ‘Short-Term’ Licence as Crude Prices Rise Amid Iran War
U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent announced a short‑term general licence that lets countries buy Russian crude already stranded at sea, aiming to ease the price surge triggered by the U.S.-Israel‑Iran conflict. The licence covers oil loaded onto vessels by March 12...
Who Will Pay the Cost of Freedom in Europe?
The Dutch coalition has introduced a “freedom contribution” tax to help meet its NATO‑mandated defence target of 3.5 % of GDP by 2035, raising the current 2.49 % level. Across Europe, governments are weighing three financing routes—public debt, new taxes, or welfare...
Kyodo News Digest: March 13, 2026
Japan and the United States announced plans to broaden classified information sharing between their defense forces, aiming to boost deterrence and response capabilities. In parallel, the United States and China will hold high‑level talks in Paris ahead of a Trump‑Xi...
Indonesia and Australia to Expand Security Cooperation to Include Japan, Papua New Guinea
Indonesia and Australia announced plans to broaden their security partnership by creating two trilateral arrangements, one with Japan and another with Papua New Guinea. The initiatives follow the recent Jakarta Treaty, which already deepens bilateral consultations and joint training, and...
US Has Burned Through ‘Years’ of Munitions Since Start of Iran War
The United States has reportedly exhausted ammunition stockpiles equivalent to several years of supply since the onset of the Iran‑related conflict earlier this year. Defense officials cite accelerated use of precision‑guided munitions, artillery shells, and air‑to‑air missiles supporting regional operations...
Middle East Analysts on What the Iran War Has Accomplished and How It Might End
Analysts Alan Eyre and Behnam Ben Taleblu assess the U.S.-Israel war against Iran, noting that the IRGC has retained hard‑line control while the conflict has crippled Iran's ability to project power. They argue that military successes have also heightened Tehran’s...
A Defense Official Reveals How AI Chatbots Could Be Used for Targeting Decisions
A Pentagon official said the military is experimenting with generative AI chatbots to rank and recommend strike targets, with human operators retaining final authority. The approach would layer large‑language models such as OpenAI’s ChatGPT, xAI’s Grok, or Anthropic’s Claude onto...
KC-135 Tanker Involved in Epic Fury Goes Down in Iraq: CENTCOM
A U.S. Air Force KC‑135 Stratotanker crashed in Iraq during Operation Epic Fury, the campaign against Iran. CENTCOM said the incident occurred in friendly airspace and was not caused by hostile or friendly fire. Casualties remain unclear and rescue efforts...
US Air Force KC-135 Goes Down in Iraq, CENTCOM Says
A U.S. Air Force KC-135 tanker crashed in western Iraq, killing all six crew members. The incident occurred during Operation Epic Fury and involved two aircraft, with the second landing safely. CENTCOM said the loss was not caused by hostile...
EXCLUSIVE: Freeman Out as Head of Amazon Leo Government
Rick Freeman, Amazon's vice president for Leo Government, left the company in late February, prompting a quiet reorganization of the satellite business’s marketing teams. Amazon Leo, formerly Project Kuiper, is building a 3,000‑satellite low‑Earth‑orbit network and currently has about 200...