‘Something Sinister Could Be Happening’: FBI Looks Into Dead or Missing Nuclear and Space Defense Scientists Tied to NASA, Blue...
The House Oversight Committee has asked the FBI, Energy, Defense and NASA to explain the deaths or disappearances of at least 11 scientists linked to NASA, SpaceX, Blue Origin and classified nuclear‑space defense programs dating back to 2022. The committee’s letters allege the pattern may signal a national‑security threat and demand briefings by April 27. The FBI has opened a formal investigation, while the White House says it is reviewing the cases for commonalities. The scientists were involved in high‑value contracts, including SpaceX’s $6 billion and Blue Origin’s $2.3 billion defense launches.
Thales, Viasat and Partners Complete Beyond Visual Line of Sight (BVLOS) Connectivity Demo
Viasat, Thales, Dimetor, TTP plc and the European Space Agency completed successful Beyond‑Visual‑Line‑of‑Sight (BVLOS) flight trials at Cranfield University using a Bulldog light aircraft. The tests, part of ESA’s Iris RPAS airspace‑modernisation programme, demonstrated a trusted multi‑link architecture that blends...
New Lotus Data Wiper Used Against Venezuelan Energy, Utility Firms
Kaspersky has identified a previously unknown data‑wiping malware called Lotus that was deployed in late 2025 against Venezuelan energy and utility firms, including the state‑owned oil giant PDVSA. The attack begins with two batch scripts that disable Windows services, alter...
Army’s $50B MAPS Contract Draws Fire on Multiple Fronts
The U.S. Army is launching the Marketplace for the Acquisition of Professional Services (MAPS), a 10‑year, $50 billion contract vehicle that merges the RS3 and ITES‑3S contracts. Industry groups have raised dozens of concerns, noting that the Army has answered only...
Trump Says Anthropic Is Shaping up and a Deal Is 'Possible' For Department of Defense Use
President Donald Trump told CNBC a deal allowing the Department of Defense to use Anthropic’s AI models is “possible,” after weeks of tense negotiations. The Pentagon had labeled Anthropic a supply‑chain risk in March and ordered a halt to its...
Putin’s Army of Drones
Russia’s four‑year war in Ukraine has accelerated a sweeping overhaul of its unmanned‑systems and artificial‑intelligence capabilities. By 2030 Moscow aims to employ one million specialists in the drone sector and boost AI graduate output by more than 400 percent. The Kremlin is...
Persistent Engagement in Orbit and the Coming Shape of Space Conflict
A new paper by Clémence Poirier warns that the failure of multilateral space arms‑control could usher in a regime of “persistent engagement” in orbit, mirroring U.S. cyber doctrine. The concept envisions continuous, below‑threshold actions—shadowing, inspections, cyber intrusion, and electronic interference—to shape...
FedRAMP and CMMC Compliance Deadlines Are Looming
Federal cloud and defense contractors face two critical compliance milestones before the end of 2026. FedRAMP requires vendors to submit machine‑readable authorization packages by September 30 2026 and to fully adopt NIST SP 800‑53 Revision 5 controls by September 30 2027. The Department of Defense’s CMMC...
Formal Verification: Vital for Safety- and Security-Critical Software
Designers of space, defense, and other mission‑critical systems are turning to formal verification to guarantee software reliability and security. Traditional testing can only sample a fraction of possible execution paths, leaving rare timing and extreme input scenarios unchecked. Formal verification...
US Commander Warns Taiwan Not to ‘Starve the Chicken’ on Defense
U.S. Indo‑Pacific commander Adm. Samuel Paparo warned Taiwan that it must fund its own defense, emphasizing that the United States cannot prioritize Taiwan’s security over the island’s own spending. Taiwan’s president has proposed an additional $40 billion in defense outlays to...
US Navy Unmanned Surface Vessel Fleet to Grow Sevenfold in Indo-Pacific
The U.S. Navy announced it will grow its medium‑sized unmanned surface vessel (USV) fleet in the Indo‑Pacific from roughly four today to about 30 by 2030, a sevenfold increase. The expansion is part of a broader vision that includes thousands...
Nation States Responsible for ‘Nationally Significant’ Cyber Attacks Against UK, Says NCSC Chief
The UK’s National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) warned that hostile nation‑states are now behind the majority of "nationally significant" cyber attacks, averaging four incidents per week. Russia, China and Iran are adapting wartime tactics and leveraging sophisticated AI tools, such...
OMB Seeks Details From Agencies on Their Commercial Buying, or Lack Thereof
The Office of Management and Budget (OMB) issued a memo demanding agencies detail their commercial versus non‑commercial acquisitions under President Trump’s 2025 executive order. Agencies must report every non‑commercial contract awarded between April and September 2025 by May 4, and justify...
Pakistan Navy Tests Extended-Range Anti-Ship Ballistic Missile From Corvette
On April 15, 2026 the Pakistan Navy successfully test‑fired its indigenously developed P282 SMASH anti‑ship ballistic missile from a Babur‑class (MILGEM) corvette, achieving a high‑speed, precision strike at an "extended range" beyond the previously claimed 350 km. The launch, witnessed by...
US Did Not Move Defense System From Korea, General Says
The United States confirmed that its Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) system remains stationed in South Korea, countering reports that it was being relocated to the Middle East for the Iran conflict. General Xavier Brunson clarified that only munitions...
USS Gerald R. Ford Returns to Red Sea as US Positions Third Carrier Strike Group Amid Iran Tensions
The U.S. Navy has redeployed the super‑carrier USS Gerald R. Ford to the Red Sea, joining the Abraham Lincoln carrier strike group and the Tripoli amphibious ready group in CENTCOM. The carrier, escorted by destroyers USS Mahan and USS Winston...
Canada Tests Arctic Defences as Sovereignty Push Meets Harsh Reality
Over the past three months Canadian troops completed a 5,000‑km snowmobile patrol across the Arctic, enduring temperatures as low as –60 °C to test mobility and equipment. Prime Minister Mark Carney announced a C$35 bn ($26 bn) investment to reinforce northern defence, the largest...
Italy Joins Kenya’s Growing Network of Defence Partners
Italy and Kenya signed a Memorandum of Understanding on defence cooperation during President William Ruto's visit to Rome. The MoU sets a framework for capacity building, military training and institutional exchanges between the two nations. Kenya’s defence partnership network now...
California Guard Innovation Center Hosts Drone Training
The California National Guard’s Hap Arnold Innovation Center hosted a DCMA Blue List small‑UAS training on April 14, drawing more than 70 representatives from military, federal and industry agencies. The event highlighted the shift from a two‑vendor procurement model to...
U.S. Army Awarded Dynetics a $617 Million Contract for Advanced Indirect Fire Protection Capability Systems
The U.S. Army awarded Dynetics a $617.2 million contract to produce Indirect Fire Protection Capability (IFPC) Increment 2 systems, a mobile 360° air‑defense layer that bridges short‑range weapons and Patriot‑class missiles. The contract covers 53 truck‑mounted Enduring Shield launchers, each equipped with...
Budget Request Directs Record $338.8 Billion to Air Force and Space Force to Meet “Challenges of Today and Tomorrow”
The Department of the Air Force has submitted a FY 2027 budget request of $338.8 billion, a 38% jump from the FY 2026 enacted level. The plan allocates $267.7 billion to the Air Force and $71.1 billion to the Space Force, with the latter’s budget...
Budget Request Directs Record $338.8 Billion to Air Force and Space Force to Meet “Challenges of Today and Tomorrow”
The Pentagon’s FY 2025 budget request earmarks a historic $338.8 billion for the U.S. Air Force and Space Force, marking the largest combined allocation ever. The proposal emphasizes funding for next‑generation aircraft, hypersonic weapons, artificial‑intelligence tools, and resilient satellite constellations. It also...
A Drop of 300-400 Thousand Barrels per Day. How Are Ukrainian Attacks Damaging Russian Oil Exports?
Ukrainian drone strikes on Russian ports and refineries forced a sharp cut in crude output, dropping production by 300,000‑400,000 barrels per day in April—the steepest decline in six years. The attacks hit key export hubs in Leningrad Oblast, Primorsk on...
Japan Lift Arms Export Limits to Meet Partner ‘Expectations’
Japan announced a sweeping relaxation of its arms‑export controls, allowing the sale of advanced weapons systems to a broader set of allies. The move aligns Tokyo’s export regime with the standards of 17 partner militaries and opens markets for platforms...
Payload Field Guide: Golden Dome
The Golden Dome missile‑defense program, modeled on Israel’s Iron Dome, was rebranded by President Donald Trump in May 2025 and is overseen by Space Force Gen. Michael Guetlein. Valued at $175 billion, the initiative includes a $151 billion IDIQ contract pool that...
Why the 2026 NPT Review Conference – and Diplomacy – Must Not Fail
The 11th NPT Review Conference convenes in April 2026 amid unprecedented nuclear modernization by all five recognized nuclear‑weapon states and the recent lapse of the New START treaty. The article warns that without a consensus outcome, the treaty’s credibility could...
CISA Urges Security Teams to View Environments Following Axios Compromise
The Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) released new guidance after a North Korean‑linked actor compromised the npm package manager account of Axios, a widely used JavaScript library. Axios sees millions of weekly downloads, making the breach a high‑impact supply‑chain...
L3Harris Awarded $65m Contract for ATACMS Solid Rocket Motors
L3Harris Technologies has won a contract exceeding $65 million to produce M124 solid‑rocket motors, igniters, and related components for the U.S. Army’s ATACMS missile system, with deliveries slated for 2027‑28. The award builds on three decades of ATACMS support from L3Harris’s...
Surge in Bomgar RMM Exploitation Demonstrates Supply Chain Risk
Huntress Security observed a sharp rise in attacks exploiting the unauthenticated RCE flaw CVE‑2026‑1731 in BeyondTrust’s Bomgar Remote Support. In early April, attackers compromised a dental‑software vendor and a managed‑service provider, using the breach to spread ransomware and other malicious...
US Navy PMA-281 Selects GA-ASI for CAMP Project
The U.S. Navy’s NAVAIR PMA‑281 awarded General Atomics Aeronautical Systems (GA‑ASI) the Collaborative Autonomy Mission Planning and Debrief (CAMP) contract. The effort will extend mission‑planning software to support autonomous combat operations, including behavioural tasking, AI decision thresholds, and comprehensive debriefs....
From Floppy Discs to Claude Mythos, How Ransomware Grew Into a Multibillion-Dollar Industry
Ransomware has evolved from Joseph Popp’s 1989 floppy‑disk prank to a multibillion‑dollar criminal industry powered by Tor, cryptocurrencies and, most recently, artificial‑intelligence tools such as Anthropic’s Claude Mythos. Three generational shifts—commodity ransomware, targeted double‑extortion, and AI‑enabled ransomware‑as‑a‑service—have expanded attack vectors...
Boeing Invests CA$36 Million in Aerospace Manufacturing R&D in Winnipeg
Boeing announced a C$36 million (≈US$27 million) R&D investment in Winnipeg to advance composite manufacturing, partnering with the National Research Council and firms like StandardAero, CAE and GE Aviation Canada. The funding supports a ten‑year program to develop automated processes and collaborative...
MQ-9B Passes Key Icing Tests, Boosting Operational Flexibility
General Atomics Aeronautical Systems (GA-ASI) completed a series of flight tests that certify its MQ-9B Remotely Piloted Aircraft for Flight Into Known Icing (FIKI). The tests, conducted at the company’s Flight Test & Training Center in North Dakota, concluded in...
U.S. Forces Board Sanctioned Tanker in Indian Ocean as Iran Crackdown Expands Beyond Hormuz
U.S. forces conducted a right‑of‑visit boarding of the stateless tanker Tifani in the Indian Ocean, marking the first interdiction of a sanctioned Iran‑linked vessel outside the Persian Gulf. The ship, falsely flying a Botswana flag, had loaded roughly 2 million barrels...
Trump’s Military Push Confronts US Lawmakers and China’s Shipbuilding Edge
President Trump’s FY 2027 budget proposes a $65.8 billion allocation for 34 new warships, including a namesake battleship, as part of a $1.5 trillion defence request – the largest in U.S. history. The plan hinges on congressional approval, but analysts expect a scaled‑back...
Scoop: Top U.S. Cyber Agency Doesn't Have Access to Anthropic's Powerful Hacking Model
Anthropic’s new Mythos Preview model, a powerful AI tool for discovering security flaws, is being tested by more than 40 private firms and federal agencies such as the NSA, but the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) remains without access....
Department of the Navy Releases FY27 Budget Request
The Department of the Navy has asked Congress for a FY27 budget of roughly $1.5 trillion, earmarking $65.8 billion for shipbuilding, $34.4 billion for aircraft, $22.6 billion for weapons, and $150 billion for operations and maintenance. The request funds 34 new ships—including a Columbia‑class submarine,...
Anduril and Kraken Partner to Deliver Mission-Ready Maritime Power at Scale
Anduril Industries and Kraken Technology Group announced a partnership at the Sea‑Air‑Space Expo to co‑develop the K7 SABRE and K5 KRAKEN unmanned surface vessels (USVs). The agreement targets rapid delivery of scalable, mission‑ready boats for the U.S. Navy’s hybrid‑fleet transition and NATO...
Game Theory Explains Why the US's Goals in Iran Keep Changing
The standoff in the Strait of Hormuz is being framed as a war of attrition, where endurance outweighs firepower. Iran’s cheap drones and abundant missile stockpiles let it absorb losses longer, while the United States must sustain costly naval deployments...
Iran Alleges US Cyberattacks; China Amplifies Claims
Iranian state media alleges that the United States exploited hidden backdoors or a botnet to disable networking equipment from vendors such as Cisco, Juniper, Fortinet and MikroTik during recent hostilities. The claim suggests the sabotage could be triggered by a...
Third US Security Expert Admits Helping Ransomware Gang
A third U.S. cybersecurity professional, 41‑year‑old Angelo Martino, pleaded guilty in March 2026 for aiding the BlackCat/Alphv ransomware gang while serving as a negotiator for an incident‑response firm. Martino supplied confidential negotiation details in exchange for a share of ransom...
Russia Says Africa Corps Has Freed Russian and Ukrainian Nationals Abducted in West Africa
Russia’s defence ministry said its Africa Corps rescued a Russian and a Ukrainian employee of a geological exploration firm after they were abducted in Niger in July 2024. The men were freed during a special operation in Mali, highlighting the Corps’...
CISA Confirms Exploitation of 3 More Cisco Networking Device Vulnerabilities
CISA added three Cisco networking device vulnerabilities—CVE‑2026‑20122, CVE‑2026‑20128 and CVE‑2026‑20133—to its Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalog, confirming they are being used in the wild. This brings the total of exploited flaws to four of the six Cisco issues disclosed in February....
China’s Liaoning Carrier Heads South: More Than a Routine Drill
China’s Liaoning carrier and the PLAN 133rd task group moved south in a coordinated drill that coincided with Japan’s destroyer transit of the Taiwan Strait and the U.S.-Philippines Balikatan exercise. Beijing routed the task group through the Yokoate Channel rather...
US Says It Intercepted ‘Stateless Sanctioned’ Oil Vessel in Asia-Pacific, Amid Iran Crackdown
The U.S. Department of Defense announced a right‑of‑visit boarding of the orange‑hulled motor tanker M/T Tifani, labeled a “stateless sanctioned” vessel, in the Indo‑Pacific Command’s area of responsibility on April 21. Helicopters landed on the ship without resistance, demonstrating that...
Trump Renews Power Plant Threat Against Iran
President Donald Trump reiterated a stark warning to Iran, saying he would target the country’s bridges and power plants if a pending agreement is not finalized. The threat was made during a Fox News interview, where Trump framed the stance...
USSF Finalizes GPS III Constellation with Successful SV-10 Deployment
On April 21, 2026, the U.S. Space Force launched the SV‑10 mission aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9, marking the final satellite of the GPS III Block III modernization effort. The launch completed a ten‑satellite constellation that now totals 32 operational GPS III satellites, delivering...
The Air Force Accidentally Leaked Secret Nuke Locations—On the World’s Most Dangerous Study Flashcards
The U.S. Air Force inadvertently exposed classified details about its European tactical nuclear weapons when airmen uploaded study flashcards to public apps. The cards identified the six bases—Aviano, Ghedi, Incirlik, Volkel, Kleine Brogel and Büchel—and indicated which underground vaults stored...
Trump’s $1.9 Trillion Defence Budget Includes Ships, Jets and Golden Dome
The Pentagon unveiled President Trump’s FY2027 defence budget request of $1.5 trillion (≈S$1.9 trillion), the biggest year‑over‑year increase since World War II. A new "presidential priorities" line funds Golden Dome missile defence, AI, data infrastructure and the defence industrial base. The proposal allocates...
Former FBI Official Proposes Terror Designations for Ransomware Hackers Targeting Hospitals
Former FBI cyber chief Cynthia Kaiser urged the House Homeland Security Committee to treat ransomware groups that hit hospitals as terrorists, citing the Bush‑era terror‑financing authority and Executive Order 13224. She also recommended that prosecutors consider felony‑murder charges when ransomware‑induced...