Top 5     Iran remains security threat even after airstrikes, CENTCOM warns (Defense News) President Donald Trump’s nominee to serve as the next head of U.S. Central Command warned lawmakers on Tuesday that Iran still has “considerable tactical capabilities” even after recent airstrikes from Israeli and American forces, and will remain a security threat for the foreseeable future.       Ford carrier strike group deploys amid Middle East tensions (The Associated Press) The United States’ most advanced aircraft carrier left its base in Virginia on Tuesday for a regularly scheduled deployment that could position it near Israel after the U.S. inserted itself in Israel’s war to destroy Iran’s nuclear program.       Trump slams Israel, Iran: ‘They don’t know what the f— they’re doing’ (Military Times) President Donald Trump on Tuesday blasted both Israel and Iran for what he said were violations of ceasefire terms that had been agreed upon hours earlier.       Female troops played key roles in B-2, submarine strikes on Iran's nuclear facilities (Military.com) Operation Midnight Hammer, the name of the U.S. military's coordinated strikes against three of Iran's nuclear facilities last weekend, marked the longest B-2 Spirit stealth bomber mission since 2001 and the inaugural use of the 30,000-pound Massive Ordnance Penetrator bomb in combat.       VA staff finished 2M disability claims faster than ever this year (Military Times) Veterans Affairs officials on Tuesday announced staffers had already processed more than 2 million disability benefits claims this fiscal year, the fastest the department has ever reached that mark.   Pentagon     Tech firm uses AI to make Pentagon budget, spending easier to track (Defense News) As lawmakers and Pentagon officials push for reforms to the defense acquisition system, a small tech firm is expanding a data-analysis platform it says could arm Pentagon weapons-buyers with the information they need to more effectively manage the Defense Department’s nearly trillion-dollar budget.       NATO wants a ‘focused’ summit amid wars in Iran and Ukraine (Defense News) As NATO countries gather in The Hague this week, Russia has launched a new offensive in Ukraine, the Pentagon has begun reviewing its spread of forces in Europe and the Trump administration has just conducted unprecedented military strikes against Iran.   Congress & Politics     Congress eyes ammunition plant at former US Naval Base in the Philippines (USNI News) U.S. lawmakers want an ammunition production and storage facility at a former American naval base in the Philippines. The move addresses concerns of the lack of a forward-based manufacturing hub in the Indo-Pacific.       Senators concerned with Navy shipbuilding delays, budget (Military Times) The Navy remains years behind in projected ship deliveries and cannot provide firm timelines for improvement, military officials told the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Defense on Tuesday.       House Republicans advance 2026 Homeland Security funding bill (The Hill) House Republicans advanced legislation on Tuesday laying out funding plans for the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) for fiscal 2026, calling for boosts to immigration enforcement efforts.       Man wrongfully deported to El Salvador must be returned to US, court rules (The Guardian) An appeals court has ordered the Trump administration to return a man wrongfully deported to El Salvador to the US and to explain how it is complying in a ruling apparently designed to break a pattern of apparent government defiance of judicial orders.   Your Military     Military domestic violence convictions skyrocketed after commanders were removed from process (Military.com) The military is bringing significantly more domestic violence cases against service members to court, including an increasing share of senior ranking officers, with conviction skyrocketing in a surge tied to a major overhaul of how serious crimes are prosecuted in the ranks.   Army     Army major convicted on multiple rape, sexual assault charges (Military Times) An Army Ranger was convicted Monday following a three-week trial on two rape charges and more than a dozen other assault charges by a military jury of six men and two women.       US Army enlistment weight requirements (Military.com) Below is the Army's weight minimum and maximum allowable for recruits to enlist. It is broken down by height and then further into age groups.   Navy     USS Tripoli arrives in Japan for new Indo-Pacific duties (Military Times) The U.S. Navy’s newest America-class amphibious assault ship arrived at its new homeport in Sasebo, Japan, on Monday as part of a regularly scheduled rotation of forces aimed at bolstering security in the Indo-Pacific region, the Navy announced.       Marine nominated as Department of the Navy’s top lawyer (USNI News) President Donald Trump nominated the staff judge advocate to the Marine Corps commandant to serve as the Department of the Navy’s top lawyer, the Pentagon announced Tuesday.   Marine Corps     ‘War Thunder’ continues to live up to its reputation for OPSEC violations (Task & Purpose) On June 21, sensitive information from the flight manual for the AV-8B Harrier and its two-seat trainer, the TAV-8B, was posted on a “War Thunder” forum.       US Marine jailed in Japan over sexual assault (Agence France-Presse) A Japanese court sentenced a US marine to seven years in prison, a spokesperson for the judiciary said Wednesday, in the latest sexual assault case involving American military personnel.   Air Force     GBU-57 Massive Ordnance Penetrator successor in the works (The War Zone) The U.S. Air Force’s first combat employment of 30,000-pound GBU-57/B Massive Ordnance Penetrator (MOP) bunker buster bombs in recent strikes on Iranian nuclear sites draws new attention to work toward a successor.   Space Force     Secretive Space RCO plans to launch first ‘full-up’ satellites soon (Air & Space Forces Magazine) As the Space Force races to embrace its space control mission, its Rapid Capability Office is expanding from simply developing payloads to delivering complete satellites.   National Guard     Guardsmen sent to LA are 130 miles east of the city doing drug busts (Task & Purpose) California National Guard soldiers operating under federal orders helped the Drug Enforcement Agency and other federal personnel carry out a raid on a large marijuana growth operation in the eastern Coachella Valley last week, 130 miles from downtown Los Angeles.   Veterans     Do they or don't they? Secretary won't say whether VA DOGE employees have access to medical records (Military.com) Veterans Affairs Secretary Doug Collins skirted questions Tuesday on whether VA employees assigned to carry out Department of Government Efficiency reviews at the department have accessed veterans' medical records.       VA urges holdouts still receiving veterans benefits by paper check to move to electronic banking (Stars & Stripes) The Department of Veterans Affairs is making a final push to move veterans who receive benefits by paper check to get the money directly deposited to an account after President Donald Trump ordered a shift to electronic banking for federal agencies by Sept. 30.   Cyber, Space & Unmanned     US Space Command’s Gen. Whiting talks Golden Dome, EW and China’s space-based kill chain (Breaking Defense) Gen. Stephen Whiting holds the heavy responsibility of waging war in space for the United States when conflict occurs, from maintaining crucial global communications, to counterspace and offensive space operations to countering jamming and moving America’s military satellites.       Missile Defense Agency’s long-range radar tracks ICBM test target for first time (Breaking Defense) After years of delay, the Missile Defense Agency announced that the Long-Range Discrimination Radar (LRDR) — a foundational system for enabling President Donald Trump’s Golden Dome initiative to build an air and missile defense shield over the homeland — has for the first time tracked an ICBM-like target in a live test.       Hackathon teams race to solve defense tech challenges as Europe boosts military capabilities (the as) Hunched over laptops, the team of four raced to solve a challenge: how to get a set of drones to fly themselves from one place to another when GPS and other signals are jammed by an enemy.       India, Poland, Hungary make spaceflight comeback with ISS mission (Agence France-Presse) India, Poland and Hungary are set to send people to space for the first time in decades on an American commercial mission to the International Space Station that blasts off Wednesday.   Defense Industry     UK F-35 buy paves way for a return to warplane-based nuclear deterrent (Defense News) The United Kingdom will buy 12 F-35A fighter jets, marking a significant boost to the country’s nuclear deterrence posture, Prime Minister Keir Starmer said.       Raytheon says rocket-motor squeeze still constrains missile output (Defense News) United States production of some missiles continues to be constrained by a supply squeeze for rocket motors, Raytheon officials said at the Paris Air Show last week.       Sweden inks $900M IRIS-T air defense deal through European Sky Shield Initiative (Breaking Defense) Sweden has launched a major procurement to bolster air defense capabilities in the Baltic Sea region. The initiative includes medium- and short-range missile systems, radars, command infrastructure and vehicle platforms.       After years-long delay, missile tracking radar test declared a success (Defense News) After a delay of nearly two years, the Missile Defense Agency has declared a successful test of its Long-Range Discrimination Radar’s ability to track a live ballistic missile target.       Lithuania warns Europe against making ‘big mistake’ of breaking off from US defense industry (Breaking Defense) Europe should continue to make investments in the US weapons industry instead of breaking away from its transatlantic partner, according to senior Lithuanian and Estonian lawmakers.       Airbus is bullish on ‘dronized’ warship helos that can defy rough seas (Defense News) Airbus Helicopters sees a large market for its unmanned VSR700 rotorcraft in intelligence gathering as well as for tasks that are “dull, dirty and dangerous,” the head of unmanned aerial systems at the world’s biggest helicopter maker told Defense News at the Paris Air Show.       Boeing failed to provide training to prevent MAX 9 midair emergency: NTSB (Al Jazeera) Boeing failed to provide adequate training, guidance and oversight to prevent a midair cabin panel blowout of a new 737 MAX 9 flight in January 2024, which spun the planemaker into a major crisis, the United States National Transportation Safety Board has said.   Israel-Gaza-Iran     Turbulent start to Iran-Israel ceasefire but it’s holding, at least for now (The War Zone) There was an angry outburst from U.S. President Donald Trump earlier today after signs that the ceasefire he had helped broker between Israel and Iran was about to collapse.       Middle East unrest drives conversation on US troop presence (Defense One) With the war in Ukraine well into its third year and the Middle East on tenuous ground as Iran and Israel trade missile salvos—and the U.S. throwing its hat in the ring on Saturday—any conversation about reducing U.S. troop presence in U.S. Central or European Command appears to be on hold.       Early US intelligence report suggests US strikes only set back Iran’s nuclear program by months (The Associated Press) A U.S. intelligence report suggests that Iran’s nuclear program has been set back only a few months after U.S. strikes and was not “completely and fully obliterated” as President Donald Trump has said, according to two people familiar with the early assessment.       UN agency slams US-backed Gaza aid effort as 'a death trap,' as health officials say dozens killed (CBS News) The head of the United Nations agency supporting Palestinian refugees has condemned a controversial U.S. and Israeli-backed humanitarian organization operating in Gaza, calling it "an abomination" and "a death trap costing more lives than it saves."   Ukraine     ‘Stressful and difficult summer’ ahead for Ukraine, NATO official warns (Defense One) NATO officials predict that Russia will continue to make slow gains in Ukraine this summer despite taking high casualties—a situation that remains bleak with few signs of a breakthrough for either side.       ‘You’ll get the bill soon’: Ukraine warns Africa over Russia’s embrace (The Africa Report) As Russia deepens its presence across Africa through arms deals, military deployments and diplomatic overtures, Ukraine is sounding the alarm.       Starmer to give missiles to Ukraine paid for with $95M interest on Russian assets (The Guardian) Keir Starmer has announced a fresh package of military aid for Ukraine – this time paid for using the UK’s interest haul from frozen Russian assets.   International     Japan conducts first domestic missile test (Defense News) Japan’s army announced Tuesday that it conducted a missile test for the first time on Japanese territory, as the country accelerates its military buildup to deter increasingly assertive China.       Trump arrives at a NATO summit facing an alliance shaped to his liking (The Associated Press) President Donald Trump on Wednesday is meeting with members of a NATO alliance that he has worked to bend to his will over the years and whose members are rattled by his latest comments casting doubt on the U.S. commitment to its mutual defense guarantees.       America ‘isn’t going anywhere,’ US ambassador tells NATO summit (Breaking Defense) The US ambassador to NATO today sought to reassure European allies that America is still committed to their security, despite earlier suggestions from him that Washington will begin discussions to draw down its military presence in the continent.       Canada, EU sign defense pact that could enable joint weapons work (Defense News) Canada and the European Union have signed an ambitious defense pact involving deeper cooperation on cyber, maritime, and space security, paving the way for joint weapon procurement between the two allies.       Estonia’s Foreign Affairs chair to spotlight security cooperation aims during upcoming US visit (DefenseScoop ) The chairman of the Estonian parliament’s Foreign Affairs Committee, Marko Mihkelson, is heading to Washington in early July, where he’ll meet with his American counterparts and reinforce commitments to the nations’ bilateral security partnerships and the NATO alliance.       Trump says whether he’ll commit to NATO mutual defense guarantee ‘depends on your definition’ (The Associated Press) President Donald Trump on Tuesday injected some uncertainty over whether the U.S. would abide by the mutual defense guarantees outlined in the NATO treaty as he headed to its summit — comments that could revive long-standing concern from European allies about his commitment to the military alliance.       UK aircraft carrier in Indo-Pacific on rare deployment (BBC) A British aircraft carrier has docked in Singapore on a rare Indo-Pacific deployment which will see it call on Australia, Japan, Korea and take part in several multinational exercises.       China calls them fish farms. South Korea fears they have another use. (New York Times) China has installed large steel cages and a former oil drilling rig in the Yellow Sea, raising concerns in South Korea that they could be used for military purposes.       Vietnam abolishes death penalty for spying, anti-state activities (Agence France-Presse) Vietnam has abolished the death penalty for eight crimes including espionage, graft and attempting to overthrow the government, state media said Wednesday.       WHO says attack on Sudanese hospital killed more than 40 civilians (The Guardian) The head of the World Health Organization has condemned an attack on a hospital in Sudan that he said had killed more than 40 civilians, as the country’s civil war, which has caused the world’s largest humanitarian crisis, rages on.       At least 120 children have been abducted by insurgents in Mozambique, rights group says (The Associated Press) At least 120 children have been kidnapped by jihadist insurgents in northern Mozambique in recent days, Human Rights Watch said Tuesday, warning of a rise in abductions in the country’s troubled Cabo Delgado province.       Uganda's long-serving President Museveni to seek reelection, official says (Reuters) Uganda's President Yoweri Museveni will seek reelection for another term in polls due early next year to extend his nearly four-decade rule, according to a senior official from the ruling party.   Video     ‘They don’t know what the f— they’re doing’: Trump slams Israel, Iran (Military Times) ‘They don’t know what the f— they’re doing’: Trump slams Israel, Iran       The state of cyber defense — C4ISR Conference highlights | Defense News Weekly Full Episode 6.21.25 (Military Times) Experts from across the defense sector weigh in on the evolving nature of command and control software and technology in highlights from 2025 C4ISR Conference.       How to launch a torpedo from a plane, Aussie-style (Military Times) How to launch a torpedo from a plane, Aussie-style   Commentary & Analysis     Europe can’t do it alone on defense (Defense News) At the 2018 NATO summit, President Donald Trump threatened to withdraw from the alliance if the Europeans didn’t step up their defense spending. Given the anti-Europe comments that have emanated from members of Trump’s second administration, the summit now being held will likely be both more fractious and more consequential.       Why Saturday's strike on Iran was perfectly timed (Defense One) For more than two decades, the United States has employed every tool short of direct military action to prevent Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons.       A strategy for peaceful Golden Dome development (SpaceNews) President Trump’s recent bombing of Iran’s nuclear sites marks a major turning point in the maintenance of global security. With war again erupting in the Middle East, the United States now faces the very real possibility of simultaneous crises across multiple theaters. Iran may retaliate through proxies, cyberattacks or missile strikes. Meanwhile, China and Russia are watching closely — and may seize the moment to advance their own ambitions. In particular, the likelihood of a Chinese invasion of Taiwan within the 2020s has significantly increased.       Artificial Intelligence, cloud computing can provide big cybersecurity boost (Defense Opinion) After years in which the U.S. military has primarily focused its “zero trust” approach to cybersecurity on protecting information technology systems from attack, it is now expanding focus to include protecting operational technology (OT) systems.       We need a Marine Corps, Part III: A Corps recentered (War On The Rocks) Commandant Eric Smith clearly articulated his vision for the future of the Marine Corps: While retaining focus on the China threat, the service will recenter on global crisis response. This means getting more marines — and more of their combat gear — on ship and deployed around the world. Smith believes marines should be America’s premier 9-1-1 force, just like they were before the “Global War on Terror.” But as I pointed out in the first two parts of this series, he faces some daunting challenges. Recentering the Marine Corps on crisis response will require more than just “re-bluing,” or getting marines back on globally deployed Navy ships.