Space Force opens secretive space tracking to commercial firms
The U.S. Space Force is integrating commercial data and artificial intelligence into its classified satellite tracking systems. The initiative, part of what the military calls battle management, command and control, aims to improve space domain awareness by distinguishing normal orbital maneuvers from potential hostile intent. Commercial data feeds combined with AI prediction models compress decision timelines ten- to one hundred-fold, allowing operators to assess threats and respond before an attack materializes.
SpaceNews • Mar 1
SURVEILLANCE AI INFRASTRUCTURE
Hackers hit Iranian apps, websites after US-Israeli strikes
Cyber-enabled operations accompanied joint U.S.-Israeli strikes on Iran early Saturday. State-linked Iranian hacking groups conducted data-wiping attacks on Israeli targets, while unidentified actors defaced the BadeSaba religious calendar app—downloaded by over 5 million users—with messages urging Iranian armed forces to disarm. CrowdStrike observed Iranian-aligned threat actors conducting reconnaissance and DDoS attacks alongside physical military operations.
Reuters • Mar 1
SURVEILLANCE CYBERCRIME CYBERWAR
Strikes on Iran will test US cyber strategy abroad, and defenses at home
The federal government's cyber defense agency faces heightened threat levels while operating with significant staffing shortages, cybersecurity experts warn. Iranian-linked groups have historically targeted U.S. financial institutions, infrastructure providers, and industrial control systems through DDoS campaigns, ransomware, and hack-and-leak operations. Former officials anticipate retaliatory operations targeting exposed operational technology and internet-facing PLC hardware.
Defense One • Mar 1
REGULATION CYBERWAR INFRASTRUCTURE
Meta won’t let morality get in the way of a product launch
Meta has introduced "Name Tag," a facial recognition feature for Ray-Ban Meta smart glasses that identifies people in real-time using cameras and AI. The launch comes as ICE expands surveillance operations and the administration weaponizes deportation infrastructure, with the company maintaining close ties to federal authorities. Unlike previous facial recognition controversies that sparked public backlash, this deployment arrives amid normalized surveillance conditions where biometric identification is becoming ambient infrastructure embedded in consumer devices.
The Verge • Mar 1
NEOCORP SURVEILLANCE PRIVACY
US confirms first combat use of LUCAS one-way attack drone in Iran strikes
U.S. Central Command confirmed the first combat deployment of the Low-cost Unmanned Combat Attack System (LUCAS) drone during Operation Epic Fury against Iran on February 28, 2026. The autonomous kamikaze drones, reverse-engineered from Iranian Shahed-136 designs, targeted Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps command facilities, air defense systems, and military infrastructure. The deployment follows Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth's July directive to accelerate acquisition of affordable autonomous systems and establish drone squadrons capable of saturating adversaries with inexpensive, expendable platforms.
Defense News • Mar 1
GEOPOLITICS AUTOMATION CYBERWAR