CBS News
Pentagon officials have made detailed preparations for deploying U.S. ground forces into Iran, multiple sources briefed on the discussions told CBS News. Senior military commanders have submitted specific requests aimed at preparing for such an option as President Trump weighs moves in the U.S.-Israel-led conflict with Iran, the sources said.
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The Wall Street Journal
When Iranian missile crews rolled two of their largest weapons out of hiding and launched them at the U.S.-U.K. Diego Garcia military base 2,500 miles away, they revealed the Islamic Republic had longer-range missiles than many analysts had realized—and a leadership that was no longer interested in hiding them.
The Hill
U.S. Central Command chief Adm. Brad Cooper said March 21 that the Pentagon’s operation in Iran has struck more than 8,000 targets since the start of the Middle East conflict.
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The Washington Post
U.S. forces struck a “low profile” vessel March 19 in the Eastern Pacific transiting a common smuggling route, according to a post on social media by U.S. Southern Command, which oversees the ongoing boat strike campaign against alleged smugglers in Latin America. The strike was the 46th since early September, officials said, totaling 159 people killed.
DefenseScoop
The Defense Department and its federal partners issued a warning March 20 to drone operators, threatening to impose massive fines, imprisonment, and other measures on those who illegally fly unmanned aerial systems in restricted airspace.
Breaking Defense
Israel’s Elbit Systems recently revealed it has received a contract from the Israeli Ministry of Defense to put its high-powered laser system on military aircraft. Company President and CEO Bezhalel Machlis disclosed the deal, inked in late 2025, during discussion of the company’s 2025 year-end results, which included slides describing a fixed-wing-mounted system called XCalibur and a version for helicopters called Sting.
The Mitchell Institute for Aerospace Studies
The Air Force must ensure that its command-and-control air battle management, or C2ABM, enterprise is postured for success. Current C2ABM capabilities are in major need of a reset. Heather “Lucky” Penney and Doug Birkey explore this topic with air battle managers Lt. Col. Alex “Big Bobby” Wallis and Lt. Col. Grant “SWAT” Georgulis.
Task & Purpose
The Army officially received its first version of a new Black Hawk helicopter, one modified to allow it to fly without a pilot if soldiers want. On March 20, the Army said it took possession of the new modified Black Hawk, designated the H-60Mx. The helicopter is pilot optional, or as the military calls it, an “Optimally Piloted Vehicle.”
Breaking Defense
The Space Force’s effort to develop a complex Space Data Network of military and commercial satellites is beginning to move from concept to reality, in part due to its foundational role for enabling the Trump administration’s planned Golden Dome missile-defense shield.
The Associated Press
A federal judge agreed March 20 to block the Trump administration from enforcing a policy limiting news reporters’ access to the Pentagon, agreeing with The New York Times that key portions of the new rules are unlawful.
NBC News
An elite Air Force medical unit is using a simulator to train treating critical care patients while in flight. NBC News' Dr. John Torres visits the team and learns how the training will eventually be able to save a solder injured in battle.
One More Thing
Military.com
Chuck Norris, the martial artist, celebrated Air Force veteran, and action movie star who became a defining figure in 1980s military-themed films and the long-running TV series Walker, “Texas Ranger,” has died at 86.
