President Trump On Iran's Nuclear Ambition: "I'll solve that problem" + New Ukraine Capability Coalition: Electromagnetic Warfare + Armor Not Dead: US M1E3 Tank Variant in 24 - 30 Months + More
For review:1. President Trump On Iran's Nuclear Ambition: "I'll solve that problem." US President Donald Trump vowed Monday to “solve” the issue of Iran’s nuclear ambitions, even if it means taking “very harsh” actions to thwart them.2. Israel - Hams Hostage Negotiations. The Haaretz daily, citing Palestinian sources involved in the talks, reported that Cairo and Doha are working with the US toward a potential additional stage of the ceasefire-hostage release deal reached in January that would also include talks to end the 18-month war. 3. New Ukraine Capability Coalition: Electromagnetic Warfare. The goals include protection of friendly communication and disruption of the enemy’s, persistent reconnaissance, drone defense, and effectiveness of weapon systems. 4. Ukraine troops provide feedback on German weapons employed in war with Russia. 5. Switzerland plans to buy four or five IRIS-T SLM medium-range air-defense systems from Germany’s Diehl Defence, as part of the European Sky Shield Initiative.6. Armor Not Dead: US M1E3 Tank Variant in 24 - 30 Months. Desired characteristics for the new variant included making it lighter, better protected and giving it an autoloader. 7. President Trump on April 9 signed into law, a policy aimed at revitalizing the American shipbuilding industry. Navy officials in March 2024 stated the service’s goal is to grow the fleet of battle force ships to 381 over the next 30 years.
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US & Iran Talks in Oman: "Productive and Positive" + Germany & UK-led Ukraine Defense Contact Group Pledges $23.8 Billion + US Senate Confirms New Chairman of Joint Chiefs of Staff + More
For review:1. US & Iran Talks in Oman: "Productive and Positive". Both countries agreed to hold a second round next week.2. Rafah cut-off from rest of Gaza between two IDF Security Corridors. The IDF said Rafah was now surrounded by its forces, with the 36th Division holding the Morag Corridor and the Gaza Division operating in the Philadelphi Corridor along the Egypt-Gaza border area.3. US Envoy Steve Witkoff met in St. Petersburg with Russian President Putin for more than 4 hours on Friday. Russian special envoy Kirill Dmitriev as described the talks as "productive". 4. Former US intelligence official (unnamed) told Reuters that Chinese military officers have been present behind Russian lines with Beijing’s approval to observe and draw tactical lessons from the war.5. Germany & UK-led Ukraine Defense Contact Group Pledges $23.8 Billion.6. US Senate Confirms New Chairman of Joint Chiefs of Staff. General Dan Caine's experience includes numerous roles in the special operations community, director of joint operations and training on the Joint Staff, and — most recently — three years as the CIA’s associate director for military affairs before his retirement in 2024. General Caine is also a former F-16 pilot.7. US Secretary of Navy John Phelan pledges a focus on shipbuilding and expanding the industrial base.8. Upcoming US Navy Submarine and Aircraft Carrier efforts are facing delays.The lead Columbia-class submarine vessel (USS District of Columbia SSBN-826), is 12-18 months behind schedule.The future aircraft carrier (USS Enterprise CVN-80), is estimated to be 28 months behind schedule, with delivery now anticipated to be in the 2028-29 timeframe.
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Aircraft Carrier USS Carl Vinson (CVN-70) Arrives in CENTCOM AOR + Israeli and Turkish Delegations Meet in Azerbaijan to Discuss Syria Deconfliction + President Trump's Executive Order Calls for Modernization Review of Programs & Processes + More
For review:1. Aircraft Carrier USS Carl Vinson (CVN-70) Arrives in CENTCOM AOR. The USS Carl Vinson — which is armed with F-35C stealth warplanes — is now working alongside the USS Harry S. Truman in the region, US Central Command says.2. The Commander of Iran’s Army Ground Force revealed plans to set up the new unmanned-focused facilities in country's border regions.3. Israeli and Turkish Delegations Meet in Azerbaijan to Discuss Syria Deconfliction.4. France and UK Co-lead "Coalition of the Willing" Discussion in Brussels.5. France to develop tactical (150 kilometer range) rocket artillery system and test by mid-2026.6. Speaking at SASC Hearing on Thursday, US Forces Korea Commander (Army General Xavier Brunson) supports current US Troop levels on the Korean Peninsula.7. President Trump's Executive Order Calls for Modernization Review of Programs & Processes.
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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
For review: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.
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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
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).
France