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© 2026 Developments Today. All rights reserved.

Veteran KC-135 Base Commander's View Of Epic Fury's Strain On The Tanker Force

Operation Epic Fury is exposing the pressure points in the U.S. tanker fleet

The War Zone says Operation Epic Fury has driven thousands of tanker sorties supporting rapid global military movement.
Retired Colonel Troy Pananon said the operation is stressing aging KC-135s along with maintainers and aircrews.
The interview frames tanker capacity as a broader readiness issue with implications beyond the current conflict.

DE

DT Editorial Team·Mar 29, 2026·via twz.com

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Is The U.S. Dropping Mines To Stop Iranian Missile Launchers?

Images Near an Iranian Missile Site Raise New Questions About U.S. Area-Denial Tactics

Iranian state media claims U.S.-dropped explosive devices killed several people near Shiraz, but the report is unverified.
Images in the reporting appear to show BLU-91/B scatterable anti-tank mines.
Bellingcat geolocated some mines near Kafari, about two kilometers from a reported missile-base entrance.
Such mines would fit a strategy aimed at disrupting the movement of Iranian missile launchers and support vehicles.

DE

DT Editorial Team·Mar 28, 2026·via twz.com

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Hardened Underground Facilities Now Being Sought For Al Udeid Air Base

CENTCOM Seeks Underground Protection at Al Udeid After Repeated Iranian Strikes

CENTCOM and subordinate units issued two requests for information for hardened shelters and underground infrastructure.
The move follows repeated Iranian missile and drone attacks on U.S. facilities in the Middle East.
Since Feb. 28, the report says 13 U.S. troops have been killed and more than 300 wounded.
One request addresses immediate protection while another outlines a longer seven-year effort.

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DT Editorial Team·Mar 28, 2026·via twz.com

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U.S. Is Burning Through Tomahawk Cruise Missile Stockpile At An Alarming Rate: Report

Pentagon Alarm Grows as Tomahawk Use in Iran War Drains Stockpile

Officials said more than 850 Tomahawk missiles have been fired in four weeks of war with Iran.
Only a few hundred Tomahawks are produced each year, raising replenishment concerns.
The Pentagon is weighing what the current burn rate means for future high-end conflicts, especially in the Pacific.

DE

DT Editorial Team·Mar 28, 2026·via twz.com

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Navy's Drone Ship Plans Get Shaken Up Again

The U.S. Navy is changing course again on drone ships with a new marketplace model

The Navy is replacing last year's plan with a new marketplace-style acquisition model for uncrewed surface vessels.
The first competition will focus on medium uncrewed surface vessels that can carry containerized payloads for different missions.
Officials say the model is designed to reward demonstrated performance at sea rather than fund another long prototype cycle.

DE

DT Editorial Team·Mar 27, 2026·via twz.com

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Navy F/A-18's Close Call With An Iranian SAM Highlights Remaining Risks To Epic Fury Aviators (Updated)

New Video of a Near-Miss Over Chabahar Underscores the Air Defense Threat Still Facing U.S. Aircraft Over Iran

Video discussed by The War Zone appears to show a U.S. Navy F/A-18 narrowly avoiding an Iranian missile near Chabahar.
The footage was reported as geolocated to Iran’s southeastern coast near the Pakistan border.
The report says the event highlights the ongoing danger from surviving Iranian air defenses, especially MANPADS.
Some claims about the incident, including the exact date and crash allegations, remain unconfirmed in the source text.

DE

DT Editorial Team·Mar 27, 2026·via twz.com

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Army Scales Back Barriers To Access Its Top Testing Ranges

Army Opens Elite Test Ranges to Speed Defense Experimentation

Army leaders say industry access to key test ranges has been made easier.
The old priority system placed industry at the lowest access tier.
Approval authority has been pushed down to testers and commanders for defense-related use.
The change is part of a broader push to speed experimentation and fielding.

DE

DT Editorial Team·Mar 27, 2026·via twz.com

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M1E3 Next-Gen Abrams Tank Production Could Begin Next Year

Army Says M1E3 Abrams Production Could Start as Soon as 2027

The Army says early M1E3 prototypes should reach operational test units this summer or early fall.
Production could begin within about 12 months if prototype performance supports the move.
The prototype shown publicly features a substantially reworked hull and an uncrewed turret.

DE

DT Editorial Team·Mar 26, 2026·via twz.com

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First Series-Produced KF-21 Fighter Rolled Out In South Korea

South Korea Rolls Out First Production KF-21 Fighter Jet

South Korea rolled out its first series-produced KF-21 Boramae fighter, just five years after the prototype — faster than F-35 or Su-57 development
The 4.5-gen jet features AESA radar, Meteor missiles, and a future roadmap for stealth bays and crewed-uncrewed teaming
ROKAF plans 40 deliveries by 2028 and 120 total by 2032, with export talks underway with Indonesia and others

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DT Editorial Team·Mar 26, 2026·via twz.com

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B-2 Spirits Heading To Iran Appear With Puzzling Features On Their Wings

B-2 Bombers Heading to Iran Show Unexplained Wing Modifications

B-2 bombers on active Operation Epic Fury missions over Iran display white rectangular panels of unknown purpose on wing leading edges
Analysts propose the features could be new sensor apertures, stealth coating upgrades, or test instrumentation
The B-2 is nearing end of service life as its successor, the B-21 Raider, enters operational testing

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DT Editorial Team·Mar 26, 2026·via twz.com

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Drone Attack On Parked U.S. Army Black Hawk In Iraq A Harbinger Of What's To Come

FPV Drone Strike on U.S. Black Hawk in Iraq Signals a New Vulnerability for Parked Aircraft

An Iran-backed militia reportedly used an FPV drone to hit a parked U.S. Black Hawk in Iraq.
The attack may be the first known successful strike of this kind on a U.S. military aircraft.
The incident highlights how cheap drones can threaten parked aircraft and radar systems at bases.

DE

DT Editorial Team·Mar 25, 2026·via twz.com

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25th ID helping the Army smooth out the wrinkles in its next-generation C2

Army’s Next-Generation Command System Gets a Reality Check From Soldiers in Hawaii

The 25th Infantry Division is helping shape the Army’s Next Generation Command and Control effort through Lightning Surge exercises.
Soldiers reported data overload and a lack of filtering controls, prompting rapid updates between exercise iterations.
The Army still needs better handling of classified versus unclassified data and more automation in communications management.

DE

DT Editorial Team·Mar 25, 2026·via defenseone.com

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Netherlands plans $1.1 billion rush order for extra Patriot system

Netherlands Moves to Lock In Patriot Order Before March 31 Deadline

The Netherlands says it has until March 31, 2026, to sign a firm Patriot order.
The government warned that missing the slot could delay delivery to 2033.
Dutch officials linked the purchase to NATO priorities and wars in Ukraine and the Middle East.

DE

DT Editorial Team·Mar 25, 2026·via defensenews.com

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Deadly Iran school strike casts shadow over Pentagon’s AI targeting push

Iran School Strike Exposes Cracks in Pentagon's AI Targeting Push

A Tomahawk strike generated by Maven Smart System killed 168 people at an Iranian school due to a stale targeting database
Maven's overall accuracy is approximately 60%, well below the 84% achieved by human analysts under similar conditions
The Pentagon is pressing ahead with a mandatory Maven rollout across all military branches by September despite the investigation findings

DE

DT Editorial Team·Mar 25, 2026·via defensenews.com

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Poland eyes benefits of joining GCAP sixth-generation fighter project

Poland Eyes Membership in the GCAP Sixth-Generation Fighter Program

Poland is exploring potential participation in the UK-Italy-Japan GCAP sixth-generation combat aircraft program
Polish officials have held discussions with Italian and Japanese stakeholders, though no formal negotiations have been announced
Membership would give Poland technology access and defense industrial participation beyond its current F-35 customer relationship
Poland's defense spending commitment and growing Indo-Pacific security partnerships create natural pathways into the program
GCAP membership negotiations would involve complex work share, funding, and governance questions given Poland's relative budget scale

DE

DT Editorial Team·Mar 24, 2026·via defensenews.com

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The US Army is already ditching its most powerful laser weapon yet

US Army Abandons Its Most Powerful Laser Weapon Before It Reaches Full Deployment

The US Army will not advance its 300-kilowatt IFPC-HEL laser system to a program of record
The weapon reached the power threshold for defeating missiles and drones but failed to meet operational requirements
Beam quality, atmospheric degradation, thermal management, and fire control integration challenges contributed to the decision
Lower-power 50-kilowatt directed energy programs continue to advance with more realistic near-term fielding prospects
The cancellation underscores the persistent gap between lab laser performance and battlefield readiness

DE

DT Editorial Team·Mar 24, 2026·via defensenews.com

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US and UK teaming up to destroy underwater drones

US and UK Launch Joint Program to Counter Underwater Drones

US and UK launch joint program to detect and neutralize autonomous underwater vehicles near critical infrastructure
Current sonar systems cannot reliably detect battery-powered mini-subs that evade legacy detection thresholds
Three technology tracks: distributed sensor nets, acoustic disruptors, and hunter-killer counter-drones

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DT Editorial Team·Mar 24, 2026·via defensenews.com

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The Pentagon wants to field laser weapons at scale within 3 years

Pentagon Sets 36-Month Deadline to Field Laser Weapons

The Pentagon has set a 36-month deadline to field high-energy laser weapons at scale, driven by the cost asymmetry of shooting $3M Patriot missiles at $20K Iranian drones
All US military branches have active laser weapon programs accelerating toward the deadline, including a joint Army-Navy Golden Dome program
Israel's Elbit Systems simultaneously revealed plans to mount airborne lasers on fighter jets to overcome limitations of ground-based systems

DE

DT Editorial Team·Mar 24, 2026·via c4isrnet.com

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Germany marks April deadline to rescue FCAS fighter project from collapse: Reports - Breaking Defense

Germany Sets April Deadline to Save FCAS or Face Collapse

Germany has set an April deadline for resolving the Airbus-Dassault workshare dispute that has paralyzed FCAS for years
The core conflict: Dassault claims fighter design primacy (Rafale expertise), Airbus claims system integration leadership
Failure could prompt Germany to explore GCAP as an alternative — a shift that would fundamentally reshape European air power politics

DE

DT Editorial Team·Mar 23, 2026·via breakingdefense.com

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Gulf nations ‘trying to reach out’ for Ukrainian counter-drone capability - Breaking Defense

Gulf Nations Seek Ukraine's Battle-Tested Counter-Drone Expertise

Gulf states are seeking Ukraine's battle-tested counter-drone systems and operational know-how
Ukraine has the most mature operational experience countering Iranian Shahed-type drones anywhere in the world
Iranian drone proliferation to Houthi and Hezbollah proxies makes Gulf states natural customers for this expertise

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DT Editorial Team·Mar 23, 2026·via breakingdefense.com

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