This week’s LOWDOWN unpacks the shifting balance of power across multiple theaters:

• Russia continues grinding forward in Ukraine with drone-heavy assaults and manpower-driven tactics, betting that Western fatigue will erode support for Kyiv.
• China sharpens its challenge in the Indo-Pacific, revealing new naval and missile capabilities while tightening control over contested seas.
• North Korea positions itself as a critical partner to Moscow and Beijing, deepening cyber and military cooperation.
• Iran faces strikes on its regional proxies and recalibrates alliances as Israel and Gulf partners adapt.
• Meanwhile, U.S. and allied forces bolster defenses, launch major joint drills, and fast-track innovation—from drone-killing drones to AI-driven wargaming—to maintain the edge in contested domains.

In a world where adversaries are coordinating across regions and domains, Washington and its allies are racing to reinforce deterrence and readiness.

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Stay ahead of the week’s most critical national security developments. In this episode of The LOWDOWN, we break down the latest from August 5–11, 2025 — with a sharp focus on China, Russia, Iran, and North Korea.

• China: Political maneuvering, military activity, and strategic influence moves across the Indo-Pacific.
• Russia: War updates, battlefield trends, and evolving diplomatic pressure over Ukraine.
• Iran: Covert nuclear cooperation with Russia, alignment with China’s BeiDou system, currency collapse, and regional power plays.
• North Korea: Expanding cyber “IT mercenary” operations worldwide, demographic challenges for South Korea, and growing ties with Moscow and Beijing.

Get the intelligence you need, organized by priority and free from fluff — a professional-grade OSINT briefing for military, intelligence, and strategic audiences.

📅 Episode date range: August 5–11, 2025
🎙 Your mission: Listen, learn, and stay operationally informed.

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This week on The LOWDOWN, host Josh Patten delivers a hard-hitting OSINT briefing packed with critical updates from the front lines of global conflict. From Russia's nuclear threats and Ukraine’s deep-strike drone campaign to China's secret missile upgrades and Iran's internal unraveling, this episode unpacks how U.S. adversaries are evolving and aligning in real time. Discover how cartels are infiltrating drone schools in Ukraine, what the new “Oreshnik” hypersonic missile means for NATO, and how commercial tech is shaping the future of warfare. Plus: insights on fusion power, North Korea’s political shifts, and why the South China Sea may already be lost ground. Subscribe now for the most strategic 30 minutes in your week.

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In this week’s episode, Russia flexes global reach with its largest naval drills in decades while adapting force generation tactics and pushing armored assaults in Ukraine. North Korea’s frontline role deepens as thousands of DPRK troops and weapons bolster Russia’s war effort. Iran recalibrates post-conflict, navigating internal power shifts and trilateral talks with China and Russia. Meanwhile, China ramps up pressure on Taiwan and the Philippines, tests U.S. resolve in the Indo-Pacific, and leverages rare earth dominance to regain access to banned U.S. AI chips. We break down the top PIR-aligned developments shaping the strategic landscape. 

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This week on The LOWDOWN, we break down the most critical open-source intelligence from July 15–21, 2025, focused on strategic competition with Russia, China, Iran, and North Korea. We cover major developments across the DIMEFIL framework—Diplomatic, Informational, and Military shifts shaping global power dynamics, plus economic sanctions, financial adaptations, espionage arrests, and internal security crackdowns. Whether you're on the watch floor, prepping an intel brief, or grinding through mission planning, this is your weekly situational awareness update.

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In this episode of The LOWDOWN, we break down the direct Israeli strikes on Iranian military and nuclear targets as of June 13, 2025. Using only verified sources, we cover Israel’s air and covert operations, Iran’s drone retaliation, key damage assessments, multidomain effects, and the global reaction. We also report current threat levels to U.S. forces in CENTCOM. This is a concise, tactical OSINT briefing built for warfighters and decision-makers.

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In this episode of The LOWDOWN, host Josh “HOTAS” Patten delivers a hard-hitting analysis of global security threats spanning multiple Areas of Responsibility (AORs). From Russia and Iran’s newly signed 20-year Comprehensive Strategic Partnership Treaty to China’s expanding military cooperation with Moscow, this episode covers how key adversarial nations are aligning to challenge U.S. and allied interests.

Key topics include:

• Russia-Iran Military and Economic Expansion – A deep dive into their joint military exercises, energy collaboration, and financial strategies to bypass Western sanctions.
• China-Russia Strategic Coordination – How Beijing and Moscow are reinforcing their economic and military alliance to counter U.S. influence in Eastern Europe and the Indo-Pacific.
• Ukraine War Escalation – New details on North Korean combat troop deployments to Russian-held territories and the impact of Ukraine’s drone warfare on Moscow’s defenses.
• Iran-Venezuela Drone Threat – The significance of Tehran’s drone production facility in South America and its potential impact on Western Hemisphere security.
• Maritime Axis of Upheaval – A breakdown of joint naval operations between Russia, China, Iran, and North Korea, and their challenge to U.S. naval dominance.

With the Council on Foreign Relations’ "Conflicts to Watch in 2025" report highlighting flashpoints from Taiwan to Syria, The LOWDOWN provides in-depth insights into how shifting alliances and emerging threats could reshape the global security landscape.

Stay sharp, stay informed—this is The LOWDOWN.