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US DoD: No Plans to Relinquish NATO SACEUR Post + US and Iran Nuclear Talks in Oman + President Trump: $1 Trillion Defense Budget (FY26) + More Apr 08, 2025

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1. US DoD: No Plans to Relinquish NATO SACEUR Post. The Pentagon does not have plans to relinquish the post of NATO’s Supreme Allied Commander Europe (SACEUR), said Katherine Thompson, assistant secretary of defense for international security affairs.

2. Suspected US airstrikes pounded the area around Yemen’s Red Sea port city of Hodeida on Tuesday night.

3. US and Iran Nuclear Talks in Oman. Negotiations are to be mediated by Omani Foreign Minister Badr al-Busaidi and led by Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi and US Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff.

4. The US military will deploy long-range surveillance drones (Northrup Grumman MQ-4C Triton) in the Japanese region of Okinawa near Taiwan, Tokyo’s defense minister said Tuesday.

5. US Secretary of Defense Hegseth visits Panama- meets with Panama's President José Raúl Mulino. Secretary Hegseth said the U.S. will not allow China or any other country to threaten the (Panama) canal’s operation.

6. NATO Supreme Allied Commander and EUCOM Commander. General Christopher Cavoli (US Army) told US House of Representative lawmakers that current force levels in Europe should remain.

7. President Trump: $1 Trillion Defense Budget (FY26). Defense Secretary Hegseth seemed to confirm that Trump was referring to the fiscal year 2026 request, saying on X, “COMING SOON: the first TRILLION dollar @DeptofDefense budget.”

8. US Navy's F/A XX program could be last manned fighter. US Navy officials would not say when an announcement on F/A-XX would be made, but it could come soon.

Breaking Defense reported last month that Lockheed Martin had been eliminated from the running for F/A-XX, leaving Boeing and Northrop Grumman as the remaining competitors.

US Sends 2d THAAD Battery to Israel + US Army Mobile 155mm Artillery Effort + US Navy Commissions Virginia-class Attack Submarine (USS Iowa SSN-797) + More Apr 06, 2025

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For review:

1. Iran willing to engage in dialogue with US as equals. Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian: “The Islamic Republic of Iran wants dialogue on equal footing.”

2. US Sends 2d THAAD Battery to Israel. The THAAD, or Terminal High Altitude Area Defense System, is an advanced anti-missile system- capable of hitting targets at ranges of 150-200 kilometers (93-124 miles).

3. Norway plans to nearly double its fleet of self-propelled artillery, proposing to buy an additional 24 K9 Thunder howitzers from Hanwha Aerospace (South Korea). The added 155 mm howitzers will equip a new artillery battalion within the planned Finnmark Brigade.

4. India to procure 100 x South Korean Hanwha Aerospace K-9 Vajira-T 155mm SP Howitzers. The contract calls for more than 60 percent of local (India) materials and parts during manufacture of the systems.

5. US Army Mobile 155mm Artillery Effort.

6. US Navy Commissions Virginia-class Attack Submarine (USS Iowa SSN-797).

US CENTCOM Commander Visits Israel + Russian Envoy: "Some (Ukrainian) security guarantees, in some form, may be acceptable" + US Combatant Command Restructure? + More Apr 04, 2025

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For review:

1. US CENTCOM Commander Visits Israel.

General Michael Erik Kurilla, head of the US Central Command (CENTCOM), held an assessment with IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir, the IDF said Thursday.

2. UK Telegraph Newspaper Report: Iran has reportedly ordered its military personnel to leave Yemen and is pulling back its support for the Houthis amid extensive US airstrikes on the rebel group.

3. Russian Envoy: "Some (Ukrainian) security guarantees, in some form, may be acceptable." Russian negotiator Kirill Dmitriev held two days of talks with American envoy Steve Witkoff, as part of President Donald Trump’s push for a ceasefire and peace deal between Russia and Ukraine.

4. US Combatant Command Restructure? NBC Report: The Defense Department is considering relinquishing the role atop the NATO chain of command, which has always been held by an American four-star, historically by the head of US European Command, since the alliance’s founding.

5. The Carl Vinson Carrier Strike Group sailed through the Malacca Strait on Friday as it makes its way to U.S. Central Command. The PLA Navy’s Shandong CSG sailed back into the South China Sea on Thursday after participating in drills against Taiwan.

6. Japan's Self-Defense Force to develop new long-range, precision-guided missiles to “prevent and eliminate invading troops.”

7. Australian military leaders are scrambling to cobble together fresh air defense capabilities.

US Sends More F-35s to CENTCOM + IDF Creates New Security Corridor in S. Gaza + Finland to Increase Defense Spending to 3% GDP by '29 + US Army Long-Range Hypersonic Weapon Test in Dec '25 + More Apr 02, 2025

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For review:

1. US Army identifies the four Dogface Soldiers (3d Infantry Division) who perished during training exercise in Lithuania. All assigned to the 1st Armored Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division, they were identified as: Staff Sgt. Jose Duenez; Staff Sgt. Edvin F. Franco; Pfc. Dante D. Taitano; and Staff Sgt. Troy S. Knutson-Collins.

2. US Sends More F-35s to CENTCOM. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth dispatched the extra air wing of F-35 fighters to Jordan.

3. IDF Creates New Security Corridor in S. Gaza. The route, which separates Rafah from Khan Younis to its north, will likely cut off Rafah from the rest of the Strip.

4. Hamas is prepared to release all of the remaining hostages at once in exchange for a permanent ceasefire, a senior Palestinian official familiar with the ongoing truce talks told The Times of Israel on Wednesday.

5. A top Russian official (Kirill Dmitriev) is in Washington this week for meetings with the Trump administration, as negotiations continue on a deal to end the war in Ukraine.

6. US SECDEF Pete Hegseth skips the latest Ukraine Defense Contact Group in Brussels.

7. Finland to Increase Defense Spending to 3% GDP by '29.

8. Greece will spend 25 billion euros ($27 billion) over the next decade to adapt its military to evolving high-tech warfare technologies. The plan also includes new programs such as next-generation soldier gear equipped with sensors and communication systems, and the development of dedicated satellite capabilities to ensure secure communications.

9. US Army Long-Range Hypersonic Weapon Test in Dec '25. The Army is forecasting that the first unit to get the hypersonic capability will begin receiving the rounds at Joint Base Lewis-McChord, in the May time frame.

10. The US State Department has approved a potential Foreign Military Sale of 20 F-16 fighters to the Philippines, with an estimated price tag of $5.58 billion.

The approved package, which covers 16 F-16C Block 70/72 jets and four F-16B Block 70/72 fighters, comes just days after Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth visited Manilla.

IDF Prepares Return to Rafah + Russia Launches Submarine Armed with Hypersonic Zircon Missile + Egypt in Talks for S. Korea's FA-50 Light Attack Aircraft + US Army Contracts Lockheed Martin for Precision Strike Missiles + More Mar 31, 2025

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1. US President Trump threatens Iran with bombing and tariffs over nuclear program. If they (Iran) don’t make a deal, there will be bombing,” President Trump said in a telephone interview. “It will be bombing the likes of which they have never seen before.”

2. In response to US President Trump's threat of bombing and tariffs, Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said on Monday the US would receive a strong blow if it acts on President Donald Trump’s threat to bomb unless Tehran reaches a new nuclear deal with Washington.

3. IDF Prepares Return to Rafah. The Israel Defense Forces issued an evacuation warning on Monday for Palestinians in the entire Rafah area in the southern Gaza Strip, saying the military was “returning to fight with great force to eliminate the capabilities of terror organizations in these areas.”

4. President Trump reportedly "disappointed" in President Putin but thinks the peace negotiations "are making progress, step by step."

5. Russia Launches Submarine Armed with Hypersonic Zircon Missile. The Zircon has a reported range of 500 to 1,000 kilometers, depending on its trajectory.

It can fly at Mach 8, making it nearly impossible to intercept with current air defense systems, according to the US-based Missile Defense Advocacy Alliance (MDAA).

6. Egypt in Talks for S. Korea's FA-50 Light Attack Aircraft. Egypt's Ambassador to Seoul, stated that discussions between the two countries are progressing positively after months of negotiations for an initial order of 36 aircraft.

7. US Army Contracts LM for Precision Strike Missiles. With an operational range exceeding 499 kilometers (310 miles), a PrSM launch pod is capable of carrying and firing two missiles.

8. The Army's Lower-Tier Air and Missile Defense Sensor ready for low-rate production.

US Continues Strikes Against Houthis + IDF Strikes S. Lebanon & Beirut in Response to Rocket Fire + Ukraine President Warns - Russia Preparing for Offensive + USMC to Deploy Unmanned Missile System (NMESIS) to Philippine Exercise Balikatan in April + More Mar 29, 2025

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For review:

1. US Continues Strikes Against Houthis. Suspected U.S. airstrikes pounded Yemen overnight into Saturday, as the American military acknowledged earlier bombing a major military site in the heart of Sanaa controlled by the Houthi rebels.

2. Israel receives Hamas Hostage proposal from mediators and returns counterproposal. The Israeli statement came after media reports on Saturday said Hamas had agreed to an Egyptian proposal to release five living hostages in exchange for a 50-day ceasefire in Gaza

3. IDF Strikes S. Lebanon & Beirut in Response to Rocket Attack.

After the rocket attack, Defense Minister Israel Katz warned Friday morning that “the fate of Kiryat Shmona is the same as the fate of Beirut,” in a threat to the Lebanese capital. He said that without peace in Israel’s northern border communities, “there will be no peace in Beirut either.”

4. Ukraine President Warns - Russia Preparing for Offensive. "I can confirm that Putin is trying to get time and is preparing for a spring offensive. We see preparations for this upcoming operation," President Zelensky said on March 27.

5. USMC to Deploy Unmanned Missile System (NMESIS) to Philippine Exercise Balikatan in April. US SECDEF Pete Hegseth pledged anti-ship missile deployments, increased military training and defense industrial base cooperation to the Philippines under steps to “re-establish” deterrence in the Indo-Pacific Region.

6. USS Nimitz (CVN-68) departed San Diego, California for what is expected to be its last deployment. Following the carrier’s deployment, the USS Nimitz is set to shift homeports- from Bremerton, Washington to Naval Station Norfolk, Virginia, in 2026- ahead of its planned decommissioning.

7. USAF Secretary Nominee drills down on Nuclear Modernization during US SASC hearing.

Iran: US Bases not safe if Americans attack + UK and France to Meet in Ukraine to Discuss "Reassurance Force" + US to Fire Mid-Range Capability Missile System During Upcoming Australian Exercise Talisman Sabre + More Mar 28, 2025

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For review:

1. Hamas open to negotiate release of small number of Hostages for a truce during Eid al-Fitr holiday period. The Kan public broadcaster acknowledged that it was still unclear what Hamas will ask in return for those it releases, though it did say that the freed hostages would include American-Israeli IDF lone soldier Edan Alexander.

2. Iran: US Bases not safe if Americans attack. Tehran would strike US bases in the region if Washington follows through on its warning of military consequences for Iran in the absence of a new nuclear deal, the speaker of the Iranian parliament said on Friday.

3. White House Releases: Outcomes of the US-Russia & US-Ukraine Expert Discussions on the Black Sea (23-25 March 2025).

4. UK and France to Meet in Ukraine to Discuss "Reassurance Force". Ukrainian, British and French general staff representatives will hold a meeting in Ukraine within a week to discuss the potential deployment of foreign troops to the country, President Volodymyr Zelensky said on March 28.

5. US Army considers "sunsetting" the afloat Army Preposition Stock (APS) - 3. If Pentagon leaders ultimately sunset the floating APS, the Army is eyeing plans to distribute the equipment sets throughout the Indo-Pacific region.

APS =Sets of equipment, such as all the tanks and wheeled vehicles of an armored brigade combat team, that are strategically prepositioned in climate controlled facilities worldwide.

6. US Army to deploy mature air and missile defense equipment prototypes to selected locations in Europe and Ind-Pacific.

- Lower-Tier Air and Missile Defense Sensors, or LTAMDS, to Guam

- Indirect Fire Protection Capability (IFPC) platoon with prototype launchers to South Korea

- Integrated Battle Command System (IBCS) capability to Europe to modernize a Patriot air defense battalion

7. US to Fire Mid-Range Capability Missile System During Upcoming Australian Exercise Talisman Sabre in mid-July 2025.

US Airstrikes on Houthi Rebels Continue + Iran Open to "Indirect Talks" with US + Australia Receives First Delivery of M142 HIMARS Launchers + US Senate Confirms John Phelan as SECNAV + More Mar 24, 2025

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1. US Airstrikes on Houthi Rebels Continue. The Houthis described American airstrikes targeting sites around the city of Saada, a Houthi stronghold, the Red Sea port city of Hodeida, and Marib province, home to oil and gas fields still under the control of allies to Yemen’s exiled central government.

2. IDF strikes over 100 white pickup trucks used by Hamas during the 07 October attack as well as propaganda ceremonies for the release of Israeli Hostages.

3. Iran Open to "Indirect Talks" with US. “The way is open for indirect negotiations,” Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said, dismissing the prospect of direct talks “until there is a change in the other side’s approach toward the Islamic republic.”

4. From Riyadh: Monday's talks between the US and Russia lasted 12 hours. Russian news agencies said a joint statement would be released on Tuesday. Ukrainian and US delegations will meet on Tuesday for talks to follow Russia-US negotiations.

5. Estonia to provide Ukraine with $108.4 million in assistance. The assistance will incorporate unmanned aerial and ground systems, watercraft, medical solutions, and related supply sources from Estonian industry partners. Tallinn has not revealed the timeline of the potential donation, quantities, or other specifics due to security reasons.

6. Switzerland joins the NATO Support and Procurement Agency (NSPA) Patriot Support Partnership (PATRIOT SP). The initiative aims to enhance security and improve the availability of spare parts for the country’s Patriot ground-based air defense systems. Bern emphasized that the initiative aligns with its neutrality policy, with the option to withdraw from the partnership if any member country becomes involved in an international armed conflict.

7. Australia Receives First Delivery of 142 HIMARS Launchers. The first two of a planned 42 HIMARS launcher vehicles had already arrived from the US, the government said in a statement, describing the system as a “game changer” that would bolster security in Australia and the region.

8. US Senate Confirms John Phelan as SECNAV.

US-Russia-Ukraine Talks Begin in Riyadh + Iran Deploys Missile Systems on Persian Gulf Islands + US Secretary of Defense to Visit Indo-Pacific + More Mar 23, 2025

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For review:

1. Senior Hamas Political Official killed during IDF Gaza Strike. Ismail Barhoum, a senior member of Hamas’s political bureau, was killed on Sunday evening in a targeted Israeli airstrike on a hospital in the southern Gaza Strip. Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz in a statement hailed the killing of Barhoum, saying he was “the new Hamas prime minister in Gaza, who replaced Issam Da'alis, the previous prime minister who was eliminated a few days ago.”

2. Iran Deploys Missile Systems on Persian Gulf Islands. The weapons were deployed on Greater Tunb, Lesser Tunb, and Abu Musa near the Strait of Hormuz, a globally vital shipping lane.

Naval Commander of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps: “We are capable of attacking enemy bases, vessels, and assets in the region. The new systems can completely destroy any target within 600 kilometers (370 miles).”

3. US-Russia-Ukraine Talks Begin in Riyadh. The talks — with American representatives mediating — are expected to iron out details of a possible limited cease-fire in what could be a crucial step toward a full cessation of hostilities in the war.

4. Turkish Defense Firm (Aselsan), claims successful test of mobile laser weapon system designed to track and kill (hard & soft) First Person View Drones. The firm distributed a video showing the system- composed of a laser system, and camera (Thermal)- mounted on a vehicle and eliminating multiple types of drones.

5. Australia procures MK-48 heavy torpedoes in deal worth $125 million. Manufactured by Lockheed Martin and SAIC, the MK-48 is a joint program between the Royal Australian Navy (RAN) and United States Navy. The weapons can be used and maintained both by nations’ maritime services.

6. US Secretary of Defense to Visit Indo-Pacific- first visiting the Philippines. Secretary Hegseth will be in Manila on March 28-29 to meet his Philippine counterpart, Gilberto Teodoro, and President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.

7. The U.S. Army will not conduct a live-fire operation of its Mid-Range Capability missile system during exercises in the Philippines this spring. The Mid-Range Capability consists of a vertical launch system that uses the Navy’s Raytheon-built Standard Missile-6 and Tomahawk missiles, and can strike targets in the 500- to 2,000-kilometer range. The complete system has a battery operations center, four launchers, prime movers and modified trailers.

Boeing Wins USAF Next-Gen Air Dominance Fighter (F-47) Contract + US Sec Def Extends USN Carrier USS Harry Truman (CVN-75) in CENTCOM AOR; USS Carl Vinson (CVN-70) Enroute + IDF Strikes Airfields in Central Syria + More Mar 21, 2025

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For review:

1. Boeing Wins USAF Next-Gen Air Dominance Fighter (F-47). Boeing has won the contract to develop the first ever sixth-generation fighter, dubbed the F-47, President Donald Trump announced today. The fighter will be expected to operate with the service’s forthcoming fleet of drone wingmen known as Collaborative Combat Aircraft (CCA). General Atomics Aeronautical Systems and Anduril are in competition for the separate CCA contract.

2. US Sec Def Extends USN Carrier USS Harry Truman (CVN-75) in CENTCOM AOR; USS Carl Vinson (CVN-70) Enroute. The Truman will stay in CENTCOM AOR for another month, according to a U.S. official. The Carl Vinson, which was operating in the East China Sea this week, has been tasked to the Middle East region to make for an overlapping two-carrier presence as the Trump administration ramps up its aggression against the Yemen-based Houthis.

3. IDF Strikes Airfields in Central Syria. The IDF confirms carrying out airstrikes on the Palmyra military airport and the nearby T-4 airbase in central Syria. The strikes targeted “remaining strategic military capabilities” at the two sites.

4. Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz announced on Friday that Israel would annex areas of the Gaza Strip should the terror group Hamas refuse to release the remaining hostages it is still holding. It was unclear if Israel would follow through on its threat to annex parts of Gaza, a move that would likely draw a massive international backlash.

5. Iran’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei said Friday that the Houthis act on their own motivations, after US President Donald Trump said he would hold Tehran accountable for the group’s actions.

6. EU releases joint statement on Ukraine- minus Hungary.

"The European Council reaffirms its continued and unwavering support for Ukraine's independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity within its internationally recognized borders," leaders wrote in a statement signed off by 26 countries.

7. UK Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer comes off ground troops in Ukraine- stresses air and sea power instead.

Speaking to journalists at Northwood UK Military HQ, Sir Keir insisted the priority had to be to support Ukraine in defending itself, “They’ve got the capability, they’ve got the numbers and they’ve got the frontline experience. So we’re not talking about something that replaces that capability — we’re talking about something that reinforces that and then put around it capabilities in relation to air, water and sea and land.”

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