FBI Gathered Intelligence on Reporters, Religious Orgs Using ‘Assessment’ Authority, Watchdog Report Says
The Government Accountability Office reported that the FBI used its “assessment” authority to collect intelligence on more than 1,000 journalists, religious groups and public officials between 2018 and 2024. Assessments permit physical surveillance, grand‑jury subpoenas and human sources without a criminal predicate or warrant. The GAO counted roughly 100 media‑related, 180 religious‑related and 550 political assessments, many lasting over six months. The findings revive concerns that the FBI’s broad tools may infringe First Amendment protections.
Germany’s Helsing, HENSOLDT Team up on Autonomous Systems for Euro CCA
Germany’s Helsing and HENSOLDT have announced a joint effort to equip Helsing’s CA‑1 autonomous aircraft with AI‑driven combat capabilities. HENSOLDT will integrate its radar, optronics, self‑protection and electromagnetic warfare sensors through its Multi‑Domain Operations Core software. The AI‑pilot, named Centaur,...
Booz Allen Announces General Availability of Vellox Reverser to Automate Malware Defense
Booz Allen Hamilton has launched the general availability of Vellox Reverser™, an AI‑driven malware reverse‑engineering platform that automates deep analysis at machine speed. The solution leverages a resilient agentic AI architecture, AWS Lambda, Bedrock and Step Functions to ingest samples,...
Space Force, Aiming to Double in Size, Blows Past Recruiting Goal
The U.S. Space Force announced it plans to double its active‑duty Guardians from roughly 10,000 to 20,000 to meet expanding national‑security missions and counter threats from China and Russia. Chief Master Sergeant John Bentivegna reported the service is already at...
New NPS Challenge Aims to Rewrite How the Military Builds Missiles
The Department of Defense has long struggled with the high cost and long timelines of traditional missile programs, where a single system can exceed millions of dollars. To counter this, the Naval Postgraduate School introduced the Tactical Missile Innovation Challenge,...
US-NATO Exercise Rehearses Taking Out 1,500 Targets a Day to ‘Overwhelm’ an Enemy
The U.S. Army and NATO allies showcased the Dynamic Front exercise, targeting the ability to intercept 600‑1,200 ballistic missiles and engage 1,500 targets within 24 hours. Brig. Gen. Stephen Carpenter emphasized creating an overwhelming, unrelenting response to any peer aggression...
Watchdog Flags Gaps in Coast Guard’s Handling of Discrimination Complaints
The Government Accountability Office released a report highlighting gaps in the Coast Guard’s handling of discrimination complaints, known as social climate incidents. The GAO identified 112 reported incidents from fiscal 1998‑2024, 79% of which involved race or ethnicity, with more...
Space as a Sanctions Workaround: Financial Engineering & Shadow Procurement Networks
Iran’s civil space program is now a conduit for evading UN sanctions, channeling billions through a shadow banking network to acquire dual‑use microelectronics. FinCEN estimates the covert financial system handles over $9 billion annually, laundering oil revenues via Hong Kong, UAE and...
Crowded Field of Robot-Boat Makers Vies for Navy's Attention
Blue Water Autonomy plans to move its 190‑foot Liberty class autonomous patrol ship from prototype to production this year, joining a rapidly expanding market of unmanned surface vessel (USV) suppliers courting the U.S. Navy. The Navy is still defining how...
Calian Group Expands Defence and Space Footprint in Record First Quarter
Calian Group posted a record Q1 2026 revenue of $208 million, up 12% year‑over‑year, driven by recent acquisitions and organic defence growth. The company secured $171 million of new contracts, including a November 2025 deal to build four Ka/Q/V‑band RF gateway stations for a...
Trump Orders Pentagon to Prioritize Coal Power Purchases for Military Facilities
President Donald Trump issued an executive order directing the Pentagon to prioritize coal‑fired electricity for military installations, framing it as a national‑security measure to bolster grid reliability and on‑site fuel security. The order calls for long‑term power purchase agreements with...
Florida National Guard Supports D.C. Mission During Winter Weather
The Florida National Guard’s Task Force Phantom has been deployed in Washington, D.C., to support the Safe and Beautiful mission amid an unusually heavy winter snowfall. Guard soldiers have been clearing snow from schools, assisting stranded motorists, and maintaining a visible...
Behind the Flight: Essential Roles at UAS Test Sites
The FAA’s UAS test site program now includes nine locations across the United States, two of which opened in 2026, to validate critical drone technologies such as detect‑and‑avoid, BVLOS, and UTM. Test sites serve a dual purpose: they provide manufacturers...
Ukraine Strikes 2nd Lukoil Refinery in Russia This Week
Ukrainian drones struck Lukoil’s Ukhta refinery in the Komi region, igniting a blaze in the primary unit and a visbreaker. The attack follows a high‑precision strike on Lukoil’s larger Volgograd refinery earlier this week. Ukhta processes about 60,000 barrels of...
Indonesian Navy Wants Ex-Italian Aircraft Carrier to Be Delivered Before October 5
Indonesia’s navy is pushing to have the former Italian carrier Giuseppe Garibaldi delivered before the TNI’s 81st anniversary on October 5, although a formal purchase contract has not yet been signed. The Ministry of Defence continues negotiations with shipbuilder Fincantieri and the...
Jacobs and PA Consulting to Continue Work on UK Transport Security
Jacobs and PA Consulting have secured a four‑year extension from the UK Department for Transport to lead the National Security Science and Research (NSSR) programme. The consortium, which also includes QinetiQ, TNO, Iconal Technology, Cambridge University Technical Services and Prometheus...
China’s New Maritime Combat Drone Poised for Global Success: Analysts
China unveiled the Wing‑Loong X maritime combat drone at the Singapore Airshow, marking its first regional display. The UAV, designed for surveillance and strike missions, builds on the proven Wing Loong family and targets buyers unable to afford Western systems....
World Leaks Ransomware Group Adds Stealthy, Custom Malware ‘RustyRocket’ to Attacks
World Leaks, a high‑profile extortion group, has introduced a new Rust‑written malware called RustyRocket, according to Accenture research. The tool provides stealthy persistence on both Windows and Linux systems, using heavily obfuscated, multi‑layered encrypted tunnels to exfiltrate data and proxy...
EXCLUSIVE | Trump Pauses China Tech Curbs Ahead of Xi Summit
The Trump administration has temporarily shelved a suite of technology security measures targeting Chinese firms ahead of the April Trump‑Xi summit. The paused actions include a ban on China Telecom’s U.S. operations, restrictions on Chinese equipment in data centres, and...
SBA Proposes to Terminate 154 Companies From 8(a) Program
The Small Business Administration announced it will terminate 154 Washington, D.C. firms from the 8(a) Business Development program after a data‑call revealed they exceeded statutory net‑worth, asset and income thresholds. The companies collectively received $1.3 billion in federal contracts, including roughly...
The Download: AI-Enhanced Cybercrime, and Secure AI Assistants
Artificial intelligence is rapidly becoming a tool for cybercriminals, enabling faster, lower‑skill attacks and fueling a surge in deep‑fake‑driven scams. At the same time, AI‑powered personal assistants such as OpenClaw expose massive amounts of user data, raising urgent security concerns....
Lockheed Martin, Fujitsu Sign Initial Contract for SPY-7 Radar Power Supply Units for Japan’s ASEV
Lockheed Martin and Fujitsu signed a contract on Feb. 12 to supply the Power Supply Line Replaceable Unit for the SPY‑7 radar’s Subarray Suite on Japan’s Aegis System Equipped Vessels (ASEV). The PS LRU provides regulated power to the radar modules,...
Taiwan Completes Integration Test of Jointly Developed Mighty Hornet IV Drone
Taiwan announced on February 6 that the National Chung‑shan Institute of Science and Technology and Kratos successfully completed a systems integration test of the Mighty Hornet IV drone, a Taiwan‑specific variant of the US‑made Firejet. The test proved the platform can carry a...
These Net-Firing Drone Hunters Will Nab Rogue Drones over FIFA Stadiums
Fortem Technologies secured a multimillion‑dollar Department of Homeland Security contract to protect the 2026 FIFA World Cup venues with its net‑based DroneHunter interceptors. The company will deploy TrueView R30 radar, SkyDome command software, and kinetic net‑capture drones, marking its second...
Soft Power and the Race to the Moon: Why Cislunar Norms Are the Next Hill to Hold
The United States is positioning cislunar space as the next geopolitical arena, leveraging NASA’s Artemis program and the Artemis Accords to set soft‑power norms. Cislunar real estate near the lunar south pole is scarce, and early standards for communications, navigation,...
Here's How a Shutdown Would Affect DHS Agencies
Congress faces a looming partial shutdown of the Department of Homeland Security as the two‑week stopgap expires Friday. Without a deal, agencies such as the Coast Guard, CISA, TSA, Secret Service and FEMA would see non‑essential staff furloughed and essential...
Europe Debates Future Ties with US: Decouple or Double Down?
Europe is split on its future relationship with the United States under President Trump. Eastern European NATO members such as Romania and Lithuania argue for tighter security cooperation and participation in the critical‑minerals ministerial, citing Russian aggression. In contrast, France,...
Alpha Unmanned & Parallel Flight Partnership Targets Long-Endurance Heavy-Lift UAV Operations Using Heavy Fuel
Alpha Unmanned Systems and Parallel Flight Technologies have teamed up to convert Parallel Flight’s Firefly Group 3 UAV to heavy‑fuel operation. The effort leverages Parallel Flight’s Parallel Hybrid Electric Multirotor (PHEM) architecture, aiming for long‑endurance, heavy‑lift missions in naval and expeditionary...
![New Zealand and Dyess Fly Together in Arizona [Image 4 of 5]](/cdn-cgi/image/width=1200,quality=75,format=auto,fit=cover/https://d1ldvf68ux039x.cloudfront.net/thumbs/photos/2602/9518680/250w_q95.jpg)
New Zealand and Dyess Fly Together in Arizona [Image 4 of 5]
The U.S. Air Force 40th Airlift Squadron and the Royal New Zealand Air Force’s No. 40 Squadron flew their C‑130J Hercules aircraft together during a training sortie at the Advanced Tactics Aircrew Course near Fort Huachuca, Arizona, on August 21, 2025. The sortie was part...
![New Zealand and Dyess Fly Together in Arizona [Image 5 of 5]](/cdn-cgi/image/width=1200,quality=75,format=auto,fit=cover/https://d1ldvf68ux039x.cloudfront.net/thumbs/photos/2602/9518681/250w_q95.jpg)
New Zealand and Dyess Fly Together in Arizona [Image 5 of 5]
On August 21, 2025, a U.S. Air Force C‑130J Hercules of the 40th Airlift Squadron and a Royal New Zealand Air Force C‑130J of No. 40 Squadron landed together at Fort Huachuca, Arizona, after completing the Advanced Tactics Aircrew Course. The course, run...
![Combined Readiness: Inter-Unit Casualty and Vehicle Recovery Exercise [Image 7 of 7]](/cdn-cgi/image/width=1200,quality=75,format=auto,fit=cover/https://d1ldvf68ux039x.cloudfront.net/thumbs/photos/2602/9518675/250w_q95.jpg)
Combined Readiness: Inter-Unit Casualty and Vehicle Recovery Exercise [Image 7 of 7]
U.S. Air Force personnel from the 35th Logistic Readiness Squadron executed a combined casualty and vehicle‑recovery drill at Misawa Air Base, Japan, on Feb. 11 2026. The exercise simulated extracting a wrecked vehicle from a ditch while providing immediate medical care, illustrating...
![Combined Readiness: Inter-Unit Casualty and Vehicle Recovery Exercise [Image 3 of 7]](/cdn-cgi/image/width=1200,quality=75,format=auto,fit=cover/https://d1ldvf68ux039x.cloudfront.net/thumbs/photos/2602/9518667/250w_q95.jpg)
Combined Readiness: Inter-Unit Casualty and Vehicle Recovery Exercise [Image 3 of 7]
On February 11, 2026, the 35th Civil Engineer Squadron and the 35th Logistic Readiness Squadron executed a combined casualty and vehicle‑recovery exercise at Misawa Air Base, Japan. Firefighter Tadakatsu Kumagai demonstrated stretcher‑pull techniques on a simulated wreck, highlighting the drill’s...
![Combined Readiness: Inter-Unit Casualty and Vehicle Recovery Exercise [Image 4 of 7]](/cdn-cgi/image/width=1200,quality=75,format=auto,fit=cover/https://d1ldvf68ux039x.cloudfront.net/thumbs/photos/2602/9518671/250w_q95.jpg)
Combined Readiness: Inter-Unit Casualty and Vehicle Recovery Exercise [Image 4 of 7]
U.S. Air Force personnel from the 35th Civil Engineer Squadron executed an inter‑unit casualty and vehicle recovery drill at Misawa Air Base, Japan, on Feb. 11 2026, documented in a photo taken Oct. 2 2026. The exercise simulated a car‑wreck scenario, requiring fire‑protection specialists...
![Combined Readiness: Inter-Unit Casualty and Vehicle Recovery Exercise [Image 6 of 7]](/cdn-cgi/image/width=1200,quality=75,format=auto,fit=cover/https://d1ldvf68ux039x.cloudfront.net/thumbs/photos/2602/9518674/250w_q95.jpg)
Combined Readiness: Inter-Unit Casualty and Vehicle Recovery Exercise [Image 6 of 7]
U.S. Airmen from the 35th Civil Engineer Squadron and the 35th Medical Group executed a combined casualty and vehicle recovery drill at Misawa Air Base, Japan, on Feb. 11, 2026. The exercise simulated a combat environment where rescue teams and...
![Combined Readiness: Inter-Unit Casualty and Vehicle Recovery Exercise [Image 2 of 7]](/cdn-cgi/image/width=1200,quality=75,format=auto,fit=cover/https://d1ldvf68ux039x.cloudfront.net/thumbs/photos/2602/9518666/250w_q95.jpg)
Combined Readiness: Inter-Unit Casualty and Vehicle Recovery Exercise [Image 2 of 7]
On Feb. 11, 2026, U.S. Air Force personnel at Misawa Air Base conducted an inter‑unit casualty and vehicle recovery exercise. Airman 1st Class Josiah Smith and 35th Civil Engineer Squadron firefighters simulated a car wreck to test emergency response protocols....
![Combined Readiness: Inter-Unit Casualty and Vehicle Recovery Exercise [Image 1 of 7]](/cdn-cgi/image/width=1200,quality=75,format=auto,fit=cover/https://d1ldvf68ux039x.cloudfront.net/thumbs/photos/2602/9518665/250w_q95.jpg)
Combined Readiness: Inter-Unit Casualty and Vehicle Recovery Exercise [Image 1 of 7]
On Feb 11 2026, the 35th Fighter Wing at Misawa Air Base staged an inter‑unit casualty and vehicle recovery drill, simulating a car wreck to evaluate rapid response. Multiple units coordinated to extract injured personnel and recover disabled vehicles, sharpening joint operational...
![Combined Readiness: Inter-Unit Casualty and Vehicle Recovery Exercise [Image 5 of 7]](/cdn-cgi/image/width=1200,quality=75,format=auto,fit=cover/https://d1ldvf68ux039x.cloudfront.net/thumbs/photos/2602/9518672/250w_q95.jpg)
Combined Readiness: Inter-Unit Casualty and Vehicle Recovery Exercise [Image 5 of 7]
On Feb. 11, 2026, the 35th Civil Engineer Squadron at Misawa Air Base conducted an inter‑unit casualty and vehicle recovery exercise. Airman 1st Class Josiah Smith and squadron firefighters moved a dummy from a simulated car wreck, demonstrating coordinated stretcher...
![MWCS-38 Norwegian Foot March [Image 9 of 11]](/cdn-cgi/image/width=1200,quality=75,format=auto,fit=cover/https://d1ldvf68ux039x.cloudfront.net/thumbs/photos/2602/9518644/250w_q95.jpg)
MWCS-38 Norwegian Foot March [Image 9 of 11]
U.S. Marines from Marine Wing Communications Squadron 38, part of the 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing, completed the historic Norwegian Foot March at MCAS Miramar on February 11, 2026. The 18.64‑mile timed march, a test of endurance first used by Norway’s military in 1915,...
![MWCS-38 Norwegian Foot March [Image 6 of 11]](/cdn-cgi/image/width=1200,quality=75,format=auto,fit=cover/https://d1ldvf68ux039x.cloudfront.net/thumbs/photos/2602/9518640/250w_q95.jpg)
MWCS-38 Norwegian Foot March [Image 6 of 11]
U.S. Marines from Marine Wing Communications Squadron 38 took part in the Norwegian Foot March at MCAS Miramar on Feb. 11 2026. The 18.64‑mile timed march, a tradition dating to Norway’s 1915 military endurance test, challenged participants to move under load over a...
Russia Still Sees US as Its Top Adversary, Estonian Intelligence Report Says
Estonia’s foreign‑intelligence agency warns that, despite recent U.S.–Russia talks, Moscow continues to regard Washington as its chief global adversary. The report argues the dialogue is a Russian tactic to exploit the new U.S. administration for espionage, influence operations and the...
Companies Are Using ‘Summarize with AI’ to Manipulate Enterprise Chatbots
Microsoft's research reveals a new AI hijacking technique called AI recommendation poisoning, where "Summarize with AI" buttons embed hidden prompts that bias enterprise chatbots toward a vendor’s products. Over two months, researchers found 50 instances across 31 companies in sectors...
Police.AI - New Tech Tools for UK Law Enforcement
The UK Home Office has launched Police.AI, a national centre to centralise AI procurement, policy and deployment across policing agencies. Early rollout includes 40 additional live facial‑recognition vans and a suite of tools such as deep‑fake detection and predictive analytics....
0APT Ransomware Group Rises Swiftly with Bluster, Along with Genuine Threat of Attack
The 0APT ransomware group burst onto the scene last month, publicly claiming roughly 200 victims within its first week. While investigators have found no evidence that any of those organizations were actually breached, the group’s infrastructure includes a fully functional,...
Once-Hobbled Lumma Stealer Is Back with Lures that Are Hard to Resist
Lumma Stealer has reemerged at scale after a 2025 law‑enforcement takedown that crippled its command‑and‑control infrastructure. The malware‑as‑a‑service operation now relies on ClickFix lures—fake CAPTCHAs that trick users into running malicious commands—and the memory‑only CastleLoader to evade detection. Researchers report...
ESA Will Engage Global Leaders at the Munich Security Conference 2026
The European Space Agency will attend the 62nd Munich Security Conference (MSC) from 13‑15 February 2026, with Director General Josef Aschbacher joining heads of state, industry CEOs and security experts. ESA aims to showcase how space systems underpin Europe’s competitiveness,...
Watch Vulcan Centaur Rocket Launch 'Neighborhood Watch' Satellites for the US Military Early on Feb. 12
ULA’s Vulcan Centaur will launch early on Feb 12 from Cape Canaveral on the USSF‑87 mission, carrying two Geosynchronous Space Situational Awareness Program (GSSAP) satellites for the U.S. Space Force. The payloads will monitor the crowded geostationary orbit, providing “neighborhood watch” data...
NASA Administrator Eyes Greater Collaboration with Pentagon
NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman urged deeper collaboration between NASA and the Department of Defense, highlighting their historic partnership and the national‑security dimensions of the Artemis lunar program. He pointed to an executive order that tasks the White House Office of...
Interim CISA Chief: ‘When the Government Shuts Down, Cyber Threats Do Not’
Acting CISA Director Madhu Gottumukkala warned that a DHS shutdown would cripple the agency’s ability to issue timely cyber guidance, force over a third of frontline security staff to work without pay, and halt proactive threat‑hunting activities. The shutdown would...
US Navy on the Hunt for Strike Drones that Can Launch From Any Warship
The U.S. Navy, via a Defense Innovation Unit (DIU) solicitation, is pursuing the Runway Independent Maritime and Expeditionary Strike (RIMES) program to field long‑range strike drones that can launch from destroyers, littoral combat ships and future frigates. The drones must...