A Forecast International blog about the arms trade, geopolitics, defense and security, and military spending.
A recent $87.6 billion supplemental funding request from the White House to pay for the Iran war and other expenses complicates an already tense budget process in Washington. The supplemental …
Iran War Supplemental Deepens FY27 Budget Uncertainty Read More
During the first quarter of 2026, the U.S. government approved over $45 billion in potential Foreign Military Sales (FMS) with the overwhelming majority supporting Middle Eastern allies. Of total global …
War Dividends: Potential U.S. Arms Sales to the Middle East Surge in Q1 2026 Read More
The Context On February 28, 2026, the United States and Israel launched a joint military operation against Iran. The conflict that followed has caused a tremendous strain on the global …
Strait of Hormuz Under Threat of Mines: Are Littoral Combat Ships the Solution? Read More
AI as Organizational Technology In his 2025 book, AI, Automation, and War, Anthony King implores the reader to understand artificial intelligence (AI) as a phenomenon most closely related to organizational …
AI in Iran: It’s Not (Just) About Capabilities Read More
Over the coming weeks, the big story for counter-unmanned aerial systems (C-UAS) procurement and operations will likely remain the U.S./Israeli joint attack on Iran and how military forces and neighboring …
With War in the Middle East, Counter-Drone Responds Read More
With U.S. and Israeli operations expanding in scale, the war in Iran is testing the limits of tactical military success. The ongoing campaign has severely degraded Iranian capabilities, but it …
Tactical Success and Strategic Ambiguity in the Iran War Read More
The Trump administration is racing to contain a spike in energy prices brought about by Iranian attacks on shipping in the Gulf, examining a range of options including escort missions in the Strait of Hormuz and even easing sanctions on Russian oil to ease price pressure.
Oil Price Spike Tests Trump Administration’s Iran Strategy Read More
When Operation Epic Fury began on February 28, 2026, the sky over Iran was filled with a familiar, buzzing silhouette: a delta-winged kamikaze drone. But for the first time in …
Operation Epic Fury is the United States’ Cheap Drone Moment Read More
Context Operation Epic Fury began at 01:15 Eastern time on February 28th, 2026. In the first 24 hours of strikes on Iran, American B-2 bombers, stealth fighter jets, reconnaissance aircraft, …
The Naval Targets – and Implications – of Operation Epic Fury Read More
U.S. and Israeli strikes on Iran have triggered a high-intensity conflict that will test munitions inventories and production lines. In the initial days of the operation against Iran, the U.S. …
War with Iran Puts Pressure on Munitions Inventories and Signals Future Demand Read More