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US Continues Military Build-Up in Puerto Rico + China Plans Future Naval Force with Nine Aircraft Carriers + Senior Russian General Killed by Car Bomb in Moscow Dec 24, 2025

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For review:

1. US Continues Military Build-Up in Puerto Rico.

The Wall Street Journal reported on Tuesday that at least 10 CV-22 Osprey tilt-rotor aircraft, which are used to transport special forces, arrived in the Caribbean theater from Cannon Air Force Base in New Mexico.

The Journal also reported that C-17 cargo planes from Fort Stewart and Fort Campbell Army bases arrived in Puerto Rico on Monday.

2. Israel reportedly started shipping weapons to the Syrian Druze just days after Syria’s Iran-backed President Bashar al-Assad was ousted a year ago.

3. Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan met on Wednesday with Hamas officials in Ankara to discuss the ceasefire in Gaza and advancing to the second phase of the agreement, a Turkish foreign ministry source said.

4. As President Volodymyr Zelensky unveiled details of a U.S.-Ukraine draft peace plan on Dec. 24, aimed at ending Russia's full-scale war, two key provisions remain unresolved.

The disagreements center on provisions 12 and 14 of the 20-point proposal. Both deal with issues Kyiv calls existential: territories and the future of critical infrastructure.

5. Senior Russian General Killed by Car Bomb in Moscow.

6. Sweden will soon have the capability to conduct deep strikes far behind enemy lines, as the Gripen will be integrated with the German-made Taurus cruise missile earlier than planned (2028).

7. China Plans Future Naval Force with Nine Aircraft Carriers.

US Coast Guard Pursuing 3d Sanctioned Venezuelan Tanker + President Trump Announces New "Trump-Class" Battleship + Finland's President: Russia - Ukraine Peace Closer than Any Point in the War Dec 22, 2025

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1. Israel has reportedly warned the Trump administration that Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps may be using an ongoing military exercise focusing on missiles as cover to launch an attack on Israel, amid fears that Jerusalem and Tehran are readying for another confrontation.

2. Finland's President (Alexander Stubb): Russia - Ukraine Peace Closer than Any Point in the War

3. US Coast Guard Pursuing 3d Sanctioned Venezuelan Tanker.

4. President Trump Announces New "Trump-Class" Battleship.

The U.S. Navy will buy two new “battleships” as part of the “Golden Fleet” effort, President Donald Trump, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and Navy Secretary John Phelan announced Monday at Mar-a-Lago.

5. The U.S. Coast Guard Legend-class will serve as the basis of a new Navy frigate program, Secretary of the Navy John Phelan and Chief of Naval Operations Adm. Daryl Caudle announced on social media Friday.

The new frigate design will focus on American designs and American yards.

6. The US Air Force has awarded nine companies contracts for an early stage of the second round of its Collaborative Combat Aircraft program, selecting a wide array of designs that will be evaluated for potential future prototyping, an Air Force spokesperson told Breaking Defense today.

The spokesperson did not say when the awards were made or what companies were picked. The nine successful firms will now compete for a prototyping deal, which the spokesperson said could be offered to more than one company.

7. U.S. President Donald Trump signed into law a nearly $1 trillion annual defense policy bill. The fiscal 2026 National Defense Authorization Act, or NDAA, authorizes a record $901 billion in annual military spending, $8 billion more than the President requested.

US Seizes Second Venezuelan Sanctioned Tanker + US Strikes 70 ISIS Targets in Syria + Russia & France Consider Dialogue + Chinese Aircraft Carrier Fujian 18 Sails Thru Taiwan Strait Dec 21, 2025

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For review:

1. US Seizes Second Venezuelan Sanctioned Tanker.

2. US Strikes 70 ISIS Targets in Syria.

The attack was conducted using F-15 Eagle jets, A-10 Thunderbolt ground attack aircraft and AH-64 Apache helicopters, the U.S. officials said. F-16 fighter jets from Jordan and HIMARS rocket artillery also were used.

3. NBC Report: Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will present plans for a possible fresh attack on Iran to US President Donald Trump during his upcoming visit to Washington. According to the report, Israel is growing increasingly concerned that Iran is rebuilding and even expanding its ballistic missile production in the wake of the nations’ 12-day war in June.

4. Russia & France Consider Dialogue.

5. Chinese Aircraft Carrier Fujian 18 Sails Thru Taiwan Strait.

US Secretary of State: We Need to Clarify ISF Mandate Before We Can Expect Countries to Contribute Troops + Report: Turkey to Return S400 System to Russia to Allow F-35 Purchase + Potential US FMS to Taiwan Worth $11 Billion + More Dec 19, 2025

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For review:

1. President Donald Trump said Thursday that he is leaving the possibility of a war with Venezuela on the table.

2. US Secretary of State: We Need to Clarify (ISF) Mandate Before We Can Expect Countries to Contribute Troops.

3. Report: Turkey to Return S400 System to Russia to Allow F-35 Purchase.

4. European leaders on Dec. 19 approved a $105 billion interest-free loan for Ukraine.

5. Potential US Foreign Military Sales (FMS) cases for Taiwan- estimated $11 billion include:

· 82 High Mobility Artillery Rocket System (HIMARS), 420 ATACMS systems and other strike weapons, valued at up to $4.05 billion

· 60 M109A7 Self-Propelled Howitzers valued at up to $4.030 billion

· Altius Autonomous Air Vehicles valued at up to $1.1 billion

· Tactical Mission Network Software valued at up to $1.01 billion

· 1,050 Javelin Missiles valued at up to $375 million

· 1,545 TOW 2B Missiles valued at up to $353 million

· AH-1W Helicopter spare and repair parts valued at up to $96 million.

“China firmly opposes and strongly condemns it,” said a spokesperson for China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

President Trump Orders Blockade of Sanctioned Venezuelan Oil Tankers + Six Countries Join (Gaza) Board of Peace + US Senate Passes $901 Billion 2026 NDAA; Next Stop President's Desk + More Dec 17, 2025

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For review:

1. President Trump Orders Blockade of Sanctioned Venezuelan Oil Tankers.

2. Speaking at an annual meeting with top military officers, Russian President Putin said Moscow would prefer to achieve its goals and “eliminate the root causes of the conflict” by diplomatic means, but he added that “if the opposing side and its foreign patrons refuse to engage in substantive dialogue, Russia will achieve the liberation of its historical lands by military means.”

3. Six Countries Join (Gaza) Board of Peace. The US has secured commitments from Egypt, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, the United Kingdom, Italy and Germany to have their leaders join US President Donald Trump on the Board of Peace.

4. The United States Central Command hosted a conference in Qatar on Tuesday with dozens of partner nations to discuss plans for an International Stabilization Force for the Gaza Strip.

Egypt, Indonesia, Qatar, Jordan, the UAE, Italy, France, the UK, and Azerbaijan were among the attendees.

Other countries at the summit included Cyprus, Georgia, Canada, Germany, Netherlands, Jordan, Japan, Greece, Singapore, the EU, Saudi Arabia, Poland, Hungary, Bulgaria, Pakistan, Uzbekistan, Kuwait, Morocco, Bahrain, Bosnia, Finland, Kosovo, Kazakhstan, Indonesia, Spain, and Yemen.

5. Senators voted 77-20 on a bipartisan basis to send this year’s National Defense Authorization Act to the desk of President Donald Trump, who has indicated he will sign the bill.

The 2026 NDAA authorizes $900.6 billion in defense funds, or about $8 billion more than the White House’s request.

US Agrees to Unspecified Security Guarantees for Ukraine; Talks to Continue + Trinidad & Tobago Allow US Military Access to Airports + Estonia Begins Installing Concrete Bunkers on Border with Russia Dec 15, 2025

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For review:

1. US Agrees to Unspecified Security Guarantees for Ukraine; Talks to Continue.

2. Estonia Begins Installing Concrete Bunkers on Border with Russia. The initial batch represents the first phase of the Estonian 600-bunker network as part of the Baltic Defense Line project- coordinated with Lithuania and Latvia.

3. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Monday met with the US Ambassador to Turkey and Special Envoy to Syria and Lebanon Tom Barrack, amid concerns that Israel could launch a major military offensive against Hezbollah if Beirut does not step up its campaign to disarm the terror group.

4. The US is hosting a conference in Doha tomorrow aimed at offering potential donor countries more details on how the ISF will operate in a bid to move ahead with the initiative that has appeared to stall since the UN Security Council backed its formation roughly a month ago.

5. Tom Barrack (US Ambassador to Turkey), said there were “ongoing discussions with Türkiye regarding their desire to rejoin the F-35 program and their possession of the Russian-made S-400 air defense system.”

6. Trinidad & Tobago Allow US Military Access to Airports.

Only 7 miles (11 kilometers) separate Venezuela from the twin-island Caribbean nation at their closest point. It has two main airports: Piarco International Airport in Trinidad and ANR Robinson International Airport in Tobago.

Joint US-Syrian Patrol Ambushed; Two US Soldiers Killed; President Trump Vows Serious Retaliation + IDF Strike Eliminates #2 Hamas Leader in Gaza + US and Ukraine Talks in Berlin on Sunday Dec 13, 2025

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For review:

1. Joint US-Syrian Patrol Ambushed; Two US Soldiers Killed; President Trump Vows Serious Retaliation.

2. WSJ Report: A US special operations team in the Indian Ocean raided a ship headed to Iran from China last month and seized military-related articles.

3. The Israel Defense Forces on Saturday issued a warning to residents of the southern Lebanon town of Yanouh ahead of planned airstrikes against Hezbollah infrastructure, but postponed the strike after Lebanese troops went to search the site.

4. On Friday, Lebanese Officials received warnings from Arab and international parties that Israel is preparing for a wide-scale military operation against Hezbollah.

5. Top Hamas commander Raad Saad was killed by an Israeli airstrike in Gaza City on Saturday afternoon, the Israel Defense Forces said.

6. International troops could be deployed in the Gaza Strip as early as next month to form a UN-authorized stabilization force, two US officials told Reuters, but it remains unclear how the Palestinian terror group Hamas will be disarmed.

7. US and Ukrainian negotiators are set to meet for high-stakes peace talks in Berlin on December 14 as disagreements persist over territorial control and security guarantees.

8. Switzerland has decided to cut an order of 36 Lockheed Martin F-35A fifth-generation fighter jets due to a price increase of roughly $610 million enforced by the US government.

US Proposes "Free Economic Zone" in E. Donbas as part of Ukraine Withdrawal + Report: Taiwan's Foreign Minister Visits Israel + Armor Not Dead: Croatia to Procure Leopard 2A8 Tanks + More Dec 11, 2025

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For review:

1. US President Donald Trump’s administration is reportedly planning to appoint an American two-star general to command the International Stabilization Force (ISF) in Gaza.

2. Taiwan’s high-profile Deputy Foreign Minister Francois Wu made a previously unpublicized visit to Israel recently, three sources familiar with the trip told Reuters, at a time when Taiwan is looking to Jerusalem for defense cooperation.

3. Iran’s foreign minister, Abbas Araghchi, said on Thursday that he would travel to Beirut for talks after his Lebanese counterpart had declined a day earlier to visit Tehran.

4. The United States has suggested creating a “free economic zone” in parts of the eastern Donbas region from which Ukraine would withdraw under a negotiated peace with Russia, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said Thursday.

5. The Croatian Ministry of Defense has placed an order for 44 Leopard 2A8 tanks, a deal valued at almost €1.5 billion ($1.8 billion).

6. Russian and Chinese bombers conducted a joint patrol Tuesday, flying over the East China Sea and Western Pacific, prompting Seoul and Tokyo to scramble fighter aircraft to monitor the flights.

7. — South Korea’s Hanwha is set to invest in a new $1 billion plant in the United States to produce Modular Charge Systems (MCS) for 155mm howitzer ammunition.

8. The House passed the fiscal 2026 defense policy authorization bill, setting up passage in the Senate before Congress goes on holiday break.

Lawmakers voted 312-112 to advance the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), which authorizes $900.6 billion in defense funds, or about $8 billion more than the White House’s request.

President Trump Scolds European Leaders: "They talk, but they don't produce" + Armor Not Dead: Australian Army's 3d Brigade (Armored) Transformation Dec 09, 2025

Show notes

For review:

1. Latest in Ukraine/US/European negotiations to end war.

2. A Hamas source told The Times of Israel on Sunday that the group will only agree to give up its weapons through negotiations that result in the establishment of a Palestinian state.

3. Armor Not Dead: Australian Army's 3d Brigade (Armored) Transformation.

The first tranche of the new AS9 Huntsman SP 155mm howitzers is set to reach the 3d Brigade by the end of 2027,.

Other new kit heading the brigade’s way includes M1A2 SEPv3 Abrams tanks, AS21 Redback infantry fighting vehicles, several types of Abrams-based combat engineering vehicles, and Boxer 8x8 combat reconnaissance vehicles.

Ukrainian President to Meet with E3 Leaders in London + US Envoy Kellogg Says Deal Close; Sticking Points include Donetsk and Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Plant + Hamas Ready to Discuss "Freezing or Storing" Weapons Dec 07, 2025

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For review:

1. Ukrainian President to Meet with E3 Leaders in London to discuss last week's US Negotiations (Miami).

2. US Envoy Kellogg Says Deal Close; Sticking Points include Donetsk and Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Plant.

3. The Russian and Chinese militaries conducted joint anti-missile drills in on Russian territory in early December as part of scheduled military exercises, China's Defense Ministry said on Dec. 6.

These drills followed joint artillery and anti-submarine exercises that were conducted in the Sea of Japan in August.

4. Hamas is ready to discuss “freezing or storing” its arsenal of weapons as part of its ceasefire with Israel, a senior official says, offering a possible formula to resolve one of the thorniest issues in the US-brokered agreement.

5. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Sunday that the first phase of the ceasefire in Gaza is “almost” complete, and that he expects to move on to its second phase soon.

6. Qatari Prime Minister Mohammed Abdulrahman Al Thani suggested Sunday that his country will not foot the bill for rebuilding Gaza, despite speculation that it would be the main backer of reconstruction.

“We are not the ones who are going to write the check to rebuild what others destroyed,” Al Thani said during an onstage interview at the Doha Forum, an annual diplomatic conference.

7. During a visit to the Gaza Strip on Sunday, IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir said that the Yellow Line, demarcating where the Israeli military withdrew to under the terms of the ongoing ceasefire, is “a new border line.”

“We will not allow Hamas to reestablish itself. We control large parts of the Gaza Strip and stand along [strategic] lines. The Yellow Line is a new border line, a forward defensive line for the communities and an offensive line.”

8. Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro has called for stepped-up military recruitment after the United States deployed a fleet of warships and the world’s largest aircraft carrier to the Caribbean.

9. President Javier Milei on Saturday hailed the arrival of Argentina’s first six F-16 jets purchased from Denmark, describing them as “guardian angels” that will strengthen the South American country’s armed forces.

The US-built aircraft are among the 24 fighters bought last year from Copenhagen for roughly $300 million.

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