🕵️ CIA Launches New High-Stakes Recruitment Push Targeting Chinese Officers

📬 In Today’s Defense Brief

🕵️ CIA Launches New High-Stakes Recruitment Push Targeting Chinese Officers

🎯 Israel Elevates David’s Sling Firepower to Counter Emerging Hypersonic and Multi-Domain Threats

🧠 AI Tool ‘Claude’ Reportedly Assisted U.S. Military in Raid to Capture Maduro

☢️ Departments of War and Energy Partner to Deploy Transportable Nuclear Reactors to Military Bases

🦅 U.S. Forces Execute ‘Relentless’ Operation Hawkeye Strike Against ISIS Remnants in Syria

🎱 Plus 16 other news stories you may like

📰 Full Breakdown

🕵️ CIA Launches New High-Stakes Recruitment Push Targeting Chinese Officers — Read More

• The Central Intelligence Agency has intensified its efforts to penetrate the Chinese military by releasing a cinematic Mandarin-language recruitment video. The campaign specifically targets mid-level officers within the People's Liberation Army who may feel disillusioned by widespread corruption and the intensifying political purges under President Xi Jinping. This marks a bold shift toward "open" digital recruitment to exploit internal instability within the Chinese defense establishment.

• The recruitment materials provide explicit, secure instructions for potential informants to contact the agency via the dark web and Tor hidden services to ensure their safety. CIA officials emphasized that this digital outreach is designed to reach those who have "valuable information on high-ranking leaders" or the military's advanced technology programs. The agency is positioning itself as a secure alternative for those seeking a "brighter future" outside the CCP’s surveillance apparatus.

• Beijing has responded with a sharp condemnation, labeling the campaign a "naked political provocation" and vowing to take all necessary measures to safeguard national security. Despite the "Great Firewall," U.S. intelligence believes these videos are reaching their intended audience. The push follows reports of a generational challenge in gathering human intelligence within China, as the Pentagon seeks more granular data on the PLA's strategic decision-making and operational readiness.

🎯 Israel Elevates David’s Sling Firepower to Counter Emerging Hypersonic and Multi-Domain Threats — Read More

• Israel’s Ministry of Defense and Rafael Advanced Defense Systems have successfully completed a comprehensive upgrade to the David’s Sling air defense system. The latest test series focused on expanding the system's "firepower envelope" to intercept advanced cruise missiles and short-range ballistic threats with higher precision. These enhancements are built on operational lessons learned from recent conflicts, during which the system demonstrated its ability to protect critical national infrastructure.

• The system now features improved algorithms and a more responsive multi-mission radar, allowing it to better distinguish between decoys and high-threat projectiles in cluttered environments. By integrating more seamlessly with the Arrow and Iron Dome layers, David’s Sling provides a robust mid-tier defense that can neutralize "scenarios of extreme saturation." This update ensures the system remains effective against the increasing speed and maneuverability of regional adversary missile inventories.

• Beyond immediate defensive upgrades, officials highlighted the system's growing importance for international partnerships, particularly with the United States and European allies. The co-developed SkyCeptor interceptor variant is being positioned as a cost-effective, hit-to-kill solution for nations looking to bolster their own medium-range defenses. This latest certification confirms that David’s Sling is now fully optimized for the "multi-domain threats" expected on the modern, high-intensity battlefield.

🧠 AI Tool ‘Claude’ Reportedly Assisted U.S. Military in Raid to Capture Maduro — Read More

• A groundbreaking report indicates that Anthropic’s AI model, Claude, played a significant role in the U.S. military operation that resulted in the capture of Nicolás Maduro earlier this year. The AI was reportedly deployed via a partnership with Palantir Technologies, whose software is deeply integrated into the Department of War and federal law enforcement networks. The tool was utilized for real-time intelligence synthesis and logistics planning during the high-stakes mission in Caracas.

• The use of the model has sparked an internal feud between the Pentagon and Anthropic, as the company’s public safety policies strictly prohibit the use of its technology for facilitating violence or conducting surveillance. However, military officials have pushed for "agentic security systems" that can operate in classified environments without standard commercial restrictions. The incident underscores a growing tension between the ethical guardrails of AI developers and the operational requirements of national security.

• While the exact tactical contributions of the AI remain classified, analysts suggest it likely processed vast streams of satellite imagery and intercepted communications to identify the precise window for the raid. The Pentagon is now reassessing its relationship with safety-focused AI labs, with some officials arguing that the U.S. must have partners willing to help "win any war" by applying advanced machine learning unrestrictedly on the battlefield.

☢️ Departments of War and Energy Partner to Deploy Transportable Nuclear Reactors to Military Bases — Read More

• The Department of War and the Department of Energy have launched a historic joint initiative to modernize military energy infrastructure using advanced microreactors. The partnership reached a major milestone with the transport of a next-generation reactor, the Ward 250, via C-17 aircraft to Hill Air Force Base for rigorous testing. This program aims to provide "strategic independence" by ensuring military installations can operate entirely off the civilian power grid.

• The 5-megawatt reactor is designed to be mobile and resilient, capable of powering critical missions—such as AI data centers and directed-energy weapons—that are increasingly energy-intensive. By moving toward a "commercial-first" approach with partners like Valar Atomics, the administration hopes to accelerate the deployment of safe, carbon-free nuclear power. Officials stated that three such reactors are expected to be "critical" and operational by July 4th of this year.

• This initiative aligns with executive orders to reshape America’s nuclear landscape, focusing on "energy dominance" and reduced reliance on vulnerable supply chains. In overseas operations, these reactors would eliminate the need for dangerous fuel convoys, providing a persistent energy source for expeditionary forces. The War Department frames this as a fundamental shift in how the military sustains long-term readiness in contested environments where traditional fuel supplies are at risk.

🦅 U.S. Forces Execute ‘Relentless’ Operation Hawkeye Strike Against ISIS Remnants in Syria — Read More

• U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) announced that it has conducted ten precision strikes against more than 30 ISIS targets in Syria over the last two weeks. The mission, dubbed Operation Hawkeye Strike, was launched in direct retaliation for a December ambush that killed three Americans near Palmyra. These strikes targeted critical infrastructure, weapons storage facilities, and communication nodes used by the terrorist network to facilitate regional attacks.

• The operation has reportedly killed or captured over 50 ISIS militants and destroyed more than 100 infrastructure targets since its inception. CENTCOM Commander Admiral Brad Cooper emphasized that there is "no safe place" for those who target U.S. warfighters, noting that the military will maintain "relentless pressure" despite the changing geopolitical landscape in Syria. The strikes highlight the U.S.'s persistent resolve to prevent the group from reconstituting its operational capabilities.

• Alongside the kinetic strikes, the U.S. military successfully completed the transfer of over 5,700 ISIS detainees from Syrian prisons to Iraqi custody. This transfer marks a significant pivot as the U.S. coordinates more closely with Baghdad to ensure these suspects stand trial. The move also comes as U.S. forces completed their withdrawal from the Al-Tanf Garrison, shifting the counter-ISIS framework toward a transition handled by regional government forces.

🌏 Other Important News

✈️ Air

• Airbus Spain integrates Inshield DIRCM system onto A400M for enhanced missile protection — Read More

• Indian Air Force instructors deploy to RAF Valley for fast jet training exchange — Read More

• Industry source warns FCAS may survive but next-gen fighter negotiations are "all but dead" — Read More

• Belgium pushes for additional F-35s to be "as European as possible" in industrial offset — Read More

• GA-ASI’s Wingman drone achieves milestone autonomy flight in collaborative combat tests — Read More

🛡️ Land

• Leonardo and British Army test new artillery tracking tech for enhanced counter-battery fire — Read More

• Hensoldt and Europa partner on advanced drone intelligence suites for land forces — Read More

• Israel field-tests tactical headsets with organic drone detection for elite infantry units — Read More

• L3Harris expands VAMPIRE anti-drone line with six new specialized mission variants — Read More

🌊 Sea

• USS Gerald R. Ford extension in Middle East could break modern deployment records — Read More

• Destroyer USS Mason Commanding Officer removed from command following investigation — Read More

• Trump administration details "Make Shipbuilding Great Again" plan in new executive action — Read More

• Saab and Babcock bank on Arrowhead 120 design for Sweden’s next-generation frigates — Read More

🛰️ Space

• Czech drone manufacturers integrate satellite-independent navigation for contested environments — Read More

• Dronamics resurrects Bulgaria's "Black Swan" for autonomous regional cargo logistics — Read More

🏭 Industry

• Finland secures "Rearm Europe" funding to boost national defense production sector — Read More

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