I - On Defense Podcast - TopPodcast.com

Latest Episodes:

429: Russian President on Ukraine Ceasefire - "We are in favor- but there are nuances" + Interim Syrian President Signs Temporary Constitution + Royal Netherlands Navy Fires Tomahawk Missile from Frigate + More Mar 13, 2025

Show notes

For review:

1. Interim Syrian President Signs Temporary Constitution. The temporary constitution leaves the country under Islamist rule while promising to protect the rights of all Syrians for five years during a transitional phase.

2. A group of around 100 senior figures from among Syria’s Druze are expected to visit the Israeli Golan Heights on Friday, and meet Sheikh Muafak Tarif, spiritual leader of the Druze community in Israel.

3. Russian President Putin on Ukraine Ceasefire - "We are in favor- but there are nuances. A ceasefire should lead to "an enduring peace and remove the root causes of this crisis", the Russian President said.

4. Russian forces have recaptured Sudzha, the largest town that Ukraine once occupied in the Kursk Region. Russia’s top general Valery Gerasimov claimed Wednesday that Russian forces had recaptured more than 86% of the Kursk area taken by Ukraine.

5. Defense Ministers from Estonia and Latvia are concerned that even if Russian President Vladimir Putin agrees to a ceasefire deal, the reprieve may only allow Moscow to further consolidate its military and industrial might, and use it again elsewhere.

6. Royal Netherlands Navy Fires Tomahawk Missile from Frigate. The Netherlands’ Ministry of Defence announced that the Royal Netherlands Navy frigate HNLMS De Ruyter (F804) launched a Tomahawk cruise missile off the coast of Norfolk, Virginia on Tuesday, marking the first time a Dutch warship fired the missile.

7. US Foreign Military Sale to Australia: The US State Department has approved a potential $91.2-million sale of precision-guided munitions to Australia. Canberra will receive 54 x Guided Multiple Launch Rocket Systems-Alternate Warhead (GMLRS-AW) rounds, along with telemetry kits, engineering services, and related support. Lockheed Martin and Lockheed Martin Australia are the principal contractors.

428: Ukraine Will Agree to a 30 Day Ceasefire with Russia - US to Restart Military Aid and Intel Sharing + Iranian President to President Trump: "Do Whatever the Hell You Want" + Latest US Budget News + More Mar 11, 2025

Show notes

For review:

1. Ukraine Will Agree to a 30 Day Ceasefire with Russia - US to Restart Military Aid and Intel Sharing. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio: "We'll take this offer now to the Russians. And we hope that they'll say yes, that they'll say yes to peace. The President's objective here is, number one, above everything else, he wants the war to end, and I think today Ukraine has taken a concrete step in that regard. We hope the Russians will reciprocate."

2. Iranian President to President Trump: "Do Whatever the Hell You Want." Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian said Tuesday that his country would not negotiate with the United States over its nuclear program while being threatened.

3. Israel and Lebanon agreed on Tuesday to open negotiations to delineate the border between the two countries, the Prime Minister’s Office said. Jerusalem and Beirut negotiated a maritime boundary in 2022 — but the two countries have yet to adopt an official land border.

4. Israeli journalists tour IDF posts atop Mount Hermon, on Syrian side of border. The IDF has established nine military posts inside Syrian territory, including two atop Mount Hermon. Three IDF brigades, under the 210th Bashan Regional Division, are deployed to the area.

5. Latest US Budget News: The Republican-led House voted Tuesday to pass a six-month funding bill that would prevent a government shutdown at the end of the week. The measure now heads to the US Senate, where its fate is uncertain.

427: Iran Supreme Leader Not Interested in Talks with "Bullying" Countries + Russian Forces Advance in Kursk Region + Iran - Russia - China Naval Drills in Indian Ocean + More Mar 10, 2025

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For review:

1. Iran Supreme Leader Not Interested in Talks with "Bullying" Countries. Iran's Supreme leader has criticized "bullying" countries in an apparent response to US President Donald Trump's letter demanding negotiations over its nuclear program.

2. Israel on Sunday prepared to send a delegation to Doha for further talks on the Gaza truce.

3. Israel’s Energy Minister on Sunday instructed the Israel Electric Corporation to immediately cut off the supply of electricity to the Gaza Strip, in an apparent bid to pile pressure on Hamas, where 24 hostages presumed to be alive, and the bodies of 35 more, are still held.

4. Russian Forces Advance in Kursk Region. Russian forces on Sunday recaptured three more settlements in Russia's western Kursk region, the Defence Ministry said (Russian), as part of an operation to evict Ukrainian troops holding chunks of territory seven months after a cross-border incursion.

5. Norway will more than double its aid to Ukraine in 2025 to bring the annual total to $7.8 billion, Prime Minister Jonas Store announced Thursday.

6. France on Friday began handing over military bases in Senegal, as part of a withdrawal of troops from the west African nation where it has had a presence since 1960. The withdrawal follows the departure of French forces from Mali, Burkina Faso, Niger, Chad and Ivory Coast in recent years.

7. Iran - Russia - China Naval Drills in Indian Ocean. The drills “will begin on Tuesday in the port of Chabahar,” located in southeast Iran on the Gulf of Oman, the Tasnim news agency said, without specifying their duration. Azerbaijan, South Africa, Oman, Kazakhstan, Pakistan, Qatar, Iraq, the United Arab Emirates and Sri Lanka will attend as observers.

8. The U.S. military’s classified mini-space shuttle- the X-37B- returned to Earth on Friday after circling the world for 434 days. The space plane blasted into orbit from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in December 2023 on a secret mission. Launched by SpaceX, the X-37B vehicle carried no people, just military experiments.

426: President Trump Sends Letter to Iran Supreme Leader + US & Ukraine to Discuss Peace in Saudi Arabia + France - Germany - Italy - UK - Support Arab Rebuild Plan for Gaza + More Mar 08, 2025

Show notes

For review:

1. President Trump Sends Letter to Iran Supreme Leader. US President Donald Trump said he wants to negotiate a nuclear deal with Iran and sent a letter to its leadership this week suggesting talks with the Islamic Republic.

2. New Syrian government consolidating security against Pro-Assad forces in the Alawite Minority. A Syria war monitor reported on Saturday that over 530 civilians from the Alawite minority had been killed in recent days by security forces, as authorities clash with militants loyal to the former government of Bashar al-Assad. The civilian deaths bring the overall toll to 745 people, including 93 members of the new government’s security forces and 120 pro-Assad fighters.

3. France - Germany - Italy - UK - Support Arab Rebuild Plan for Gaza. “The plan shows a realistic path to the reconstruction of Gaza and promises – if implemented – swift and sustainable improvement of the catastrophic living conditions for the Palestinians living in Gaza,” the ministers said in a joint statement.

4. US & Ukraine to Discuss Peace in Saudi Arabia. From Ukrainian President Zelenskyy: "Next Monday, I have a visit planned to Saudi Arabia for a meeting with the Crown Prince. After that, my team will stay in Saudi Arabia to work with our American partners," Zelenskyy wrote in a post on X. "Ukraine is most interested in peace."

5. Singapore announced a 12.4% defense budget hike on 03 March, with major new equipment on order. The FY2025 defense budget is slated to reach US $17.4 billion.

6. USAF Collaborative Combat Aircraft prototypes (two variants) receive series designations: General Atomics designation: YFQ-42A; & Anduril designation: YFQ-44A. (Y = Prototype; F = Fighter; & Q = Drone.)

7. US Army selects Textron Ripsaw M3 as promising Robotic Combat Vehicle prototype for development.

425: US Pauses Intelligence Sharing with Ukraine + New IDF Chief of Staff: 2025 - A Year of War + US Unfreezes $95 Million Aid Package to Lebanese Armed Forces + More Mar 06, 2025

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For review:

1. New IDF Chief of Staff: 2025 - A Year of War. New IDF Chief of Staff Lieutenant General Eyal Zamir stated that 2025 would be “a year of war” with a focus on the Gaza Strip and Iran.

2. US Unfreezes $95 Million Aid Package to Lebanese Armed Forces.

3. US Pauses Intelligence Sharing with Ukraine. Comments from top Trump administration officials suggest the decision is part of the broader negotiations between President Trump and Ukrainian President Zelenskyy to negotiate a peace deal with Russia, and that intelligence could begin flowing to Ukraine again soon. CIA Director John Ratcliffe called the suspension a “pause".

4. Denmark picked Norwegian ammunition maker Nammo to restart a shuttered ammo plant for production of small- and large-caliber ammunition, the country’s defense ministry said. Nammo will produce 155 mm and 120 mm shells at the Elling plant, as well as 5.56 mm and 7.62 mm caliber cartridges.

5. As development continues, the USAF is fielding inquiries on Foreign Military Sales for new MH-139 Grey Wolf Helicopter. The MH-139 Fleet is primarily tasked with supporting nuclear security, as well as ferrying VIPs in the Washington, DC-area.

424: Arab Leaders Adopt Egypt's Gaza Reconstruction Plan + Ukraine President Proposes Partial Ceasefire + EU Ready to Spend $843 Billion to Rearm Europe + Lockheed Out of Navy's F/A XX Competition + More Mar 05, 2025

Show notes

For review:

1. Arab Leaders Adopt Egypt's Gaza Reconstruction Plan. The Egyptian plan, called “Early Recovery, Reconstruction, Development of Gaza,” is based on “preserving the rights, dignity and humanity of the Palestinian people, and on the horizon of a two-state solution.”

2. Ukraine President Proposes Partial Ceasefire. Ukraine is proposing to Russia a “truce in the sky” – that is, a halt to mutual long-range drone and missile strikes against civilian infrastructure and, above all, against their respective energy industries.

3. EU Ready to Spend $843 Billion to Rearm Europe. Unveiling the plan, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, was blunt, saying, “We are in an era of rearmament. And Europe is ready to massively boost its defense spending.” “This is Europe’s moment, and we must live up to it,” she added.

4. During an address to a Joint session of Congress, President Trump announced the creation of a shipbuilding office in the White House centered on revitalizing the nation’s commercial and naval shipbuilding industry.

5. 20 Additional Missile Silos emplaced at Fort Greely, AK. Boeing has finished building 20 x new silos for the Ground-Based Midcourse Defense System at Fort Greely, Alaska, growing the number of interceptors that can be emplaced there from 40 to 60.

6. Lockheed Martin Out of Navy's F/A XX Competition- leaving Northrop Grumman and Boeing in the running to replace the F/A-18 and E/A-18 with a new air superiority fighter.

423: US Pauses Military Aid to Ukraine + Egypt Prepares Plan for Gaza Reconstruction + UK & France Want to Lead "Coalition of the Willing" in Ukraine Peace Agreement + More Mar 04, 2025

Show notes

For review:

1. Israel PM thanks US for recent Foreign Military Sales of weapons to "finish the job" against Iran and their terror proxies. On Saturday, US Secretary of State Rubio said he had signed a declaration to expedite around $4 billion in military assistance to Israel, adding that a partial arms embargo imposed under former administration had been reversed.

2. Egypt Prepares Plan for Gaza Reconstruction. Egypt’s vision will be presented at an Arab League summit on Tuesday.

3. US Pauses Military Aid to Ukraine. US President Donald Trump suspended military aid to Ukraine on Monday, a White House official said, sharply escalating pressure on Kyiv to agree to peace negotiations with Russia.

4. UK & France Want to Lead "Coalition of the Willing" in Ukraine Peace Agreement. British Prime Minister Kier Starmer announced the proposal on Sunday during a meeting of 18 European leaders in London.

5. The UK placed an order worth as much as $2 billion with Thales to supply more than 5,000 air defense missiles for Ukraine, the government said.

6. US President Donald Trump’s administration is loosening restrictions on military airstrikes by giving Commanders more autonomy to make lethal decisions, according to a U.S. defense official.

422: President Trump & President Zelensky Oval Office Meeting + US FMS to Israel Worth $3 Billion + Poland Leases AH-64 Apache Helicopters before Full Fleet Delivery + More Mar 01, 2025

Show notes

For review:

1. US Foreign Military Sale to Israel Worth $3 Billion- includes $295 million for Armored D9 Caterpillar bulldozers and related equipment. Deliveries are expected to begin in 2027.

2. President Trump & President Zelensky Oval Office Meeting. (You have to listen to the whole meeting.)

3. European Leaders react to the President Trump & President Zelensky Oval Office Meeting. Italy’s Premier Giorgia Meloni, proposed “an immediate summit” between the United States and European allies “to speak frankly about how we intend to face today’s great challenges, starting with Ukraine.”

4. Wall Street Journal Report: Ukraine has enough weapons to sustain fighting until Summer without further US aid.

5. In response to President Donald Trump's "America First" Policy- Germany (and Europe) will increase defense industrial capacity to gain military materiel independence.

6. Poland Leases AH-64 Apache Helicopters before Full Fleet Delivery.

The Polish Ministry of National Defence has signed a $300 million deal to lease 8 x Boeing AH-64D Apache helicopters from the United States. The contract comes in anticipation of the deliveries of 96 x AH-64E helicopters Poland ordered in August 2024.

421: IDF Probe on 7 Oct Hamas Attack + US & Russian Diplomats Meet in Istanbul + Poland & Slovakia Collaborate on Defense Materiel + Senate Confirmation Hearings for Top Pentagon Positions + More Feb 27, 2025

Show notes

For review:

1. IDF Probe on 7 Oct Hamas Attack. Israeli reporters were presented with the investigations conducted by the Southern Command, Operations Division, Israeli Air Force, and Israeli Navy.

2. US & Russian Diplomats Meet in Istanbul. A U.S. Embassy official in Ankara confirmed that the Istanbul talks focused on the issues affecting the operation of respective diplomatic missions.

3. South Korea's National Intelligence Service (NIS) said that North Korea appears to have sent additional troops to Russia, after its soldiers deployed on the Russian-Ukraine fronts suffered heavy casualties.

4. Poland & Slovakia Collaborate on Defense Materiel. Poland and Slovakia have signed a letter of intent to jointly produce ammunition and cooperate on the procurement of armored vehicles, tank, and air defense weapons.

5. Senate Confirmation Hearings for Top Pentagon Positions.

- John Phelan (President Trump's Nominee for the Secretary of the Navy) testified today before the Senate Armed Services Committee. Mr. Phelan told lawmakers he’d be focused on correcting the course of problematic shipbuilding programs as well as replenishing dwindling munitions stockpiles.

- Stephen Feinberg (President Trump's Nominee for Deputy Defense Secretary) listed shipbuilding, aircraft development, nuclear modernization, cyber defense, hypersonics, counterspace capabilities and counter-drone platforms as key technology “shortages” needed to beat China, which he called the biggest and most challenging threat the United States.

420: Israel & Hamas Agree on Hostage - Prisoner Release as Phase I Closes + US to Field Long-Range Hypersonic Weapon in '25 + US Senate Confirms new SECARMY + More Feb 26, 2025

Show notes

For review:

1. Israel & Hamas Agree on Hostage - Prisoner Release as Phase I of Deal Closes. The first phase of the deal, which includes the ongoing ceasefire, ends on Saturday.

2. French President Macron visits White House- "feasible" to talk about a truce in the war and the start of negotiations for a sustainable peace within weeks.

3. Ukraine President Zelenskyy to visit Washington this week and possible agree on rare earth and mineral deal with US- in exchange for continued US support to Ukraine.

4. Competing resolutions in UN highlight daylight between US and European Leaders.

5. Norway continues aid to Ukraine with $312 million allocation of military equipment support.

6. Latest Estonian military aid package to Ukraine is worth $104 million- including 10,000 rounds of artillery ammunition.

7. US to Field Long-Range Hypersonic Weapon in '25.

8. US Senate Confirms new Army Secretary- confirmed on a 66-28 vote.