'Iran is calibrating its plans for a major retaliatory strike against Israel to send a message — but not spark a regional war that compels Washington to respond, the U.S. assesses.' w/ Lara Seligman Nahal Toosi politico.com/news/2024/04/1…

Biden’s FY25 defense budget sticks to caps that keep it at $895 billion, a mere 1% increase. But Sen. Roger Wicker told us he will “absolutely” try to “significantly” bust that ceiling in the next NDAA. From today's Morning Defense w/ Connor O'Brien

Oh man

The top US commander in Europe is warning Congress that Russia replaced its battlefield losses in Ukraine, and did it faster than expected.

'The overall message I would give you is [Russia has] grown back to what they were before,' Gen. Chris Cavoli said. politico.com/news/2024/04/1…

Marines take aim at Navy for fumbled firearm photo on social media stripes.com/branches/navy/…

Outstanding work here by the Military.com team of Steve Beynon Konstantin Toropin and Rachel Nostrant. Think of all the ways this could help current and future families

New Investigation: How children are hurt, abused & traumatized at military daycares, and how the services skirt norms, laws and weaponize ignorance to protect itself and keep parents in the dark. with Konstantin Toropin & Rachel Nostrant
military.com/daily-news/202…

NEW: Appropriators made over 1,000 increases to procurement and R&D programs totaling $21.2B in FY24 defense $$ legislation passed last month, according to a new Taxpayers for Common Sense analysis.

That includes $11.6B of hikes where the Pentagon sought $0.

Details in today’s Morning Defense:

'Zelenskyy said Tuesday that he had privately urged Trump through intermediaries to travel to Ukraine and that Trump had expressed interest but had not yet committed to making a trip' politico.com/news/2024/04/0…

'Boxer's inability to go to sea and perform its mission left the Pacific Fleet 'less ready and less capable,' the expeditionary strike group commander wrote in a memo attached to the investigation report.'

Great FOIA work by @AndrewDyer.bsky.social here --->

Meeks says he needs more answers before approving F-15 sale to Israel, via Joe Gould

politico.com/live-updates/2…

Got a photo!

Oops I did it again 🤭

#TotalSolarEclipse

get the popcorn out for this one.

and if you get that reference, holla back

Get ready folks

Great coverage by Paul McLeary Connor O'Brien and Lee Hudson : Navy cancels ship briefings after damning internal report politi.co/3U7xEGt

Dave Brown Kent Nishimura was born in Osaka, Japan on March 1, 2003. When he was five years old, after mentioning that he wanted a guitar of his own, his parents gave him an acoustic guitar for Christmas. With guitar in hand, he began to play and sing along to Japanese rock and pop…

Ty Dave Brown .💙 youtube.com/watch?v=0ZII3C…