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After a lengthy hiatus, the U.S. Air Force has resumed high-altitude drone reconnaissance missions over the Black Sea, signaling renewed American intelligence-gathering activity in one of Europe’s most tense military zones. On October 25, a massive Northrop Grumman RQ-4B Global Hawk, operating under the callsign FORTE 10, was observed conducting surveillance operations over the southern […] The post U.S. spy drone returns to Black Sea patrols first appeared on Defence Blog.View the full article

Textron Aviation is promoting its AT-6 Wolverine as a purpose-built aircraft to counter long-range one-way attack drones, such as the Iranian-designed Shahed-136, which have been used extensively in Ukraine, Israel, and Saudi Arabia. These drones, launched in large numbers, have challenged the effectiveness and economics of existing air defense systems. Military forces in both Ukraine […] The post Textron pitches AT-6 Wolverine as drone interceptor first appeared on Defence Blog.View the full article

Turkish defense firm STM Defense Technologies Engineering has delivered its domestically developed Alpagu loitering munition system to Turkish security forces. Known as a fixed-wing “kamikaze drone,” the Alpagu is part of STM’s broader initiative to supply locally engineered UAVs capable of enhancing national defense capabilities through lightweight, precision-guided strike systems. STM General Director Özgür Güleryüz […] The post Turkish forces field new indigenous kamikaze drone first appeared on Defence Blog.View the full article

The Brazilian Army has conducted field acceptance tests on the second prototype of its upgraded remotely operated weapon system, the UT30BR2, according to the Tecnologia & Defesa. The tests were carried out on October 9 and 16 by personnel from the Army’s Manufacturing Directorate (Diretoria de Fabricação, DF) and the War Arsenal of Rio (Arsenal […] The post Brazilian army evaluates new UT30BR2 turret on Guarani vehicle first appeared on Defence Blog.View the full article

BAE Systems is advancing a new vision for combat air support where autonomous drones fly ahead of helicopters, identify threats, and execute electronic or kinetic strikes — a model the company says could become operational in the near term. In a recent article, Robert Merryweather, Group Technology Director at BAE Systems, outlined the company’s roadmap […] The post BAE Systems maps future where drones lead the fight first appeared on Defence Blog.View the full article

Griffon Aerospace, a U.S. defense firm known for its aerial target systems, is promoting a new variant of its MQM-172 Arrowhead drone configured as a low-cost, one-way strike weapon. While originally developed as a realistic target drone for military training, the company now markets the platform’s adaptability for loitering munition roles with configurable payloads and […] The post Griffon Aerospace pushes low-cost strike drone for U.S. Forces first appeared on Defence Blog.View the full article

General Atomics is developing a new concept for its jet-powered MQ-20 Avenger drone, featuring a rotating high-energy combat laser integrated into the nose section—a design aimed at expanding the drone’s future role in unmanned strike and air defense missions. The image, shared by Naval News contributor Carter Johnston, shows the Avenger equipped with a nose-mounted […] The post General Atomics integrates laser weapon into Avenger drone first appeared on Defence Blog.View the full article

The Chinese People’s Liberation Army Ground Force (PLAGF) has begun fielding a new short-range air defense system, believed to be designated HQ-13, as part of a modernization effort to equip frontline units with mobile, autonomous interception capabilities. Footage released by CCTV shows the system in operational use by an air defense company assigned to the […] The post China fields new short-range air defense system first appeared on Defence Blog.View the full article

Castelion, a U.S. defense startup developing affordable long-range weapons, announced Friday that it has secured integration contracts with both the U.S. Army and Navy for its new hypersonic strike system, known as Blackbeard. In a company statement, Castelion said it will collaborate with both services to integrate the Blackbeard weapon onto operational platforms and conduct […] The post U.S. startup wins contracts for hypersonic strike weapon first appeared on Defence Blog.View the full article

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Hi Subcommander, the very high level is: 1) You access the game data by writing a 32-bit Windows DLL in the language of your choice. @donaldseadog uses Lazarus (FreePascal) and I use a combination of Lazarus and Delphi. 2) You use that game state data to feed your visualization engine. Is there a reason you wouldn't feed the data to TacView itself to save the time of recreating TacView? You would be making a real-time integration to TacView. The basics of that end are outlined at Tacview - Real-time Telemetry . I fleshed out a test of the basic concept long ago by feeding Google Earth rather than Tacview, you can read about it at https://harpgamer.com/harpforum/topic/3048-file-exportdll-googleearth-viewer Ask questions and feel free to join us on Discord (see Discord Chat 'button' towards the top of the forum).

Right before I first posted this six years ago, after I once again lamented that we no longer have a ship with the name USS Shangri-La, Bill Schultz reminded me that there is a simply awesome video available of a unique and under-appreciated time in naval aviation; the early 1960s. What an incredible time of change and advancement ... and a time yet warped by the war that would dominate the rest of the decade. So, let’s take a moment to give tribute to those Sailors of the early-60s ... in glorious technicolor, on the USS Shangri-La (CV 38), circa 1962, somewhere in the Mediterranean Sea. Crusaders, Skyrays, Skyhawks, Skyraiders, Marines doing PT on deck ... just glorious. From the film Flying Clipper, (1962). Narration by Burl Ives. Share Leave a comment This Substack is reader-supported. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. View the full article

A new photograph circulating on Chinese social media shows what appears to be a next-generation 155mm self-propelled howitzer—believed to be the PLZ-051B—covered in camouflage netting and being transported on a flatbed trailer. The image, reportedly taken in China and posted on Weibo, offers a rare glimpse at one of the People’s Liberation Army’s most advanced […] The post New Chinese self-propelled gun caught on camera first appeared on Defence Blog.View the full article

The Oklahoma National Guard confirmed Thursday that an OA-1K Skyraider II attack aircraft crashed during a routine training flight in southeast Oklahoma City. The aircraft, which had recently entered service with the U.S. Air Force, was carrying one civilian contractor and one Air Force member at the time of the incident. According to the Oklahoma […] The post U.S. Air Force newest attack aircraft crashes near Oklahoma City first appeared on Defence Blog.View the full article

On Oct. 22, the Republic of Korea Navy and the Defense Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA) unveiled the first Changbogo-III Batch-II class submarine, the Jang Yeong-sil (SS-087), at Hanwha Ocean’s Geoje Shipyard, and displayed the Haeseong‑5 anti‑ship missile as a central part of the ceremony. The missile, shown alongside the new submarine, is presented as a […] The post South Korea unveils new supersonic anti-ship missile first appeared on Defence Blog.View the full article

A British-designed air defense system developed specifically for Ukraine has successfully intercepted four Russian cruise and guided missiles, including Kh-59 and Kh-101 types, Ukrainian forces said. The Raven system, assembled from existing UK defense components in a four-month accelerated program, continues to exceed expectations in operational use. According to a public statement from Ukraine’s Air […] The post UK-built Raven downs Russian four cruise missiles in Ukraine first appeared on Defence Blog.View the full article

French airborne forces deployed a wide range of unmanned aerial systems during the recent FURY 25 exercise, emphasizing the role of low-altitude drone operations in high-intensity combat scenarios. The 1st Parachute Hussar Regiment (1er RHP) shared a detailed account of the drill, highlighting both operational capabilities and experimental systems. In a statement published by 1er […] The post French paratroopers test combat drones at FURY 25 first appeared on Defence Blog.View the full article

U.S. Forces Korea (USFK) has issued a statement condemning North Korea’s latest round of missile launches, calling them “unlawful and destabilizing actions” that defy United Nations Security Council resolutions. The response came hours after Pyongyang’s state media claimed it had successfully tested a new hypersonic weapon system on October 22. “We are fully aware of […] The post U.S. vows readiness after North Korea hypersonic test first appeared on Defence Blog.View the full article

Kratos Defense & Security Solutions has been awarded a $68.3 million contract under the Department of War’s Industrial Base Analysis and Sustainment Program to design and construct a next-generation facility for testing hypersonic materials, the company announced Thursday. The new facility—internally known as Project Helios—will feature a mid-tier arc jet system coupled with a high-powered […] The post Kratos wins $68M deal for hypersonic test site first appeared on Defence Blog.View the full article

South Korea showcased a new variant of its indigenous wheeled armored vehicle, the 8×8 “Tigon” MCV-105, at the 2025 Seoul International Aerospace & Defense Exhibition (ADEX), underlining the country’s efforts to expand its ground systems portfolio for both domestic use and export. The MCV-105, developed by Hanwha Defense, features a 105mm tank gun mounted in […] The post South Korea tests export waters with new wheeled tank first appeared on Defence Blog.View the full article

South Korean Hanwha Aerospace has signed a new agreement with GE Aerospace to acquire T700 and F404 engine kits for assembly and testing in South Korea, the companies announced. The engines will be used in Korea’s Surion helicopters and the T-50 family of trainer and light combat aircraft, including the TA-50 and FA-50. Under the […] The post Hanwha to build GE Aerospace engines for Korean aircraft first appeared on Defence Blog.View the full article

A Chinese turbojet engine has been recovered from the wreckage of a new Russian glide bomb used against Ukrainian positions, confirming that Russia is actively modifying its air‑dropped munitions to extend their stand‑off range. The discovery, first reported by Militarnyi, provides direct physical evidence of turbojet integration into the latest Russian bomb designs. According to […] The post Russia’s new glide bomb uses Chinese-made turbojet engine first appeared on Defence Blog.View the full article

hello all, i am looking for help to create a open source tacview like program for Harpoon. all units are shown in 3D, and are fully animated, and the program can run alongside Harpoon itself! but i really need some help on how to do it!

AeroVironment, Inc. announced on October 22, 2025, that it has been selected to deliver the U.S. Army’s Next-Generation C-UAS Missile (NGCM). According to a company press release, AeroVironment (AV) was also awarded a $95.9 million contract for the U.S. Army’s Long-Range Kinetic Interceptor (LRKI) program. This contract was awarded through the U.S. Army Combat Capabilities […] The post U.S. Army taps AV for new drone interceptor missile first appeared on Defence Blog.View the full article

Thales Defence announced on October 23 that Australia’s StrikeMaster missile launch system successfully fired an anti-ship missile test munition in Norway. The test involved the launch of Kongsberg’s Naval Strike Missile (NSM) from a platform based on Thales Australia’s Bushmaster Protected Mobility Vehicle (PMV). In a statement, Thales Australia said, “The Bushmaster now has fangs.” […] The post Thales and Kongsberg test new strike system first appeared on Defence Blog.View the full article