Raw Intel

The United States Air Force has awarded Boeing a ceiling $900 million contract to sustain and support the T-38C Talon avionics system, extending support for one of the service’s core pilot training aircraft through March 31, 2036. The contract, awarded to Boeing’s St. Louis, Missouri, operations on March 31, 2026, covers total life-cycle support for […]View the full article

British radar company Blighter said on April 2 it will make its debut at FIDAE 2026 in Santiago, Chile, as it moves to expand its presence in the Latin American defense and security market. The company said it will exhibit at the International Air and Space Fair from April 7 to 11 within the UK […]View the full article

Russia and Ukraine sharply increased long-range strike operations in March, with both sides expanding drone and missile attacks deep beyond the front lines, according to a new assessment provided by ACLED senior analyst Witold Stupnicki. The data points to a sustained rise in strike intensity, highlighted by what ACLED described as a record 948-drone Russian […]View the full article

A public dispute broke out in Ukraine over a reported assault near Pokrovsk after volunteer, blogger, and Defense Ministry adviser Serhii Sternenko accused commanders of the 425th “Skelia” Assault Regiment of sending troops into an operation that left Ukrainian soldiers exposed to drone strikes and caused multiple casualties. Sternenko said the assault involved armored vehicles […]View the full article

Ukraine has approved the Sky Devil fixed-wing reconnaissance drone for serial production, bringing a new domestically developed intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance platform into military service. The drone, developed by Ukrainian defense technology company SkyAtom, has also received a NATO code, making it the company’s first system to complete formal military approval and enter mass production. […]View the full article

The United States Army has awarded a four-year contract to Global Military Products to assume facility management and new product development responsibilities at the Quad Cities Cartridge Case Facility (QCCCF) at Rock Island Arsenal in Illinois, according to an April 1 announcement. The government-owned site, which has operated for more than a century as part […]View the full article

We’ve returned to this topic often over the last two decades. A recent example was this back in 2022. In 2023/24, as we saw expenditures in the Red Sea grow, we discussed the inventory of SM-3, SM-6, and missiles in general. Things were worrisome then. As we approach the one month anniversary of Operation Epic Fury, the numbers must be…well…mind-numbing. Production of these exquisite missiles cannot be accelerated on a dime. This takes time and it takes money. The decades of rule by the cult of efficiency and the despotism of the accountancy and consulting class has left us—and most of our allies—with an almost criminally underarmed Navy. I have not seen updated Standard …

The United States Army has awarded DRS Sustainment Systems (DRS SSI) a $44.98 million contract modification for the procurement of 20 Joint Assault Bridge (JAB) systems and associated spares, according to a contract notice released this week. The procurement is directly tied to one of the Army’s core operational requirements: ensuring armored formations can continue […]View the full article

The United States Navy, acting through Naval Air Systems Command, has awarded Collins Elbit Vision Systems LLC (CEVS) a $585 million contract for the production and delivery of Lot 18 and Lot 19 F-35 helmet-mounted display hardware, covering U.S. services, international program partners, and Foreign Military Sales customers. The contract, announced on 31 March, covers […]View the full article

U.S. arms maker Lockheed Martin opened a new Rapid Fielding Center designed to accelerate the development, testing, and prototype production of next-generation defense systems for U.S. government customers, the company said in a statement. The new center integrates engineering, prototyping, and manufacturing functions in a single modular environment. The facility is directly linked to the […]View the full article

The United States Navy has awarded Lockheed Martin Space a $1.36 billion contract modification to support missile and launch platform production for the Conventional Prompt Strike (CPS) hypersonic weapon program. The March 31 award covers engineering development, systems integration, long-lead materials, testing, and specialized tooling required for continued production of the missile and its launch […]View the full article

The U.S. Department of State has approved a possible $340 million Foreign Military Sale to Japan for equipment and services supporting the country’s indigenous upgraded Hyper Velocity Gliding Projectile (HVGP) capability, according to a notification released on March 25, 2026. The proposed package centers on test preparation, range support, transportation, and associated logistics services for […]View the full article

California-based Bulwark Dynamics said it has completed the maiden unmanned resupply demonstration of its Caravel autonomous landing vessel, a 15-foot platform designed for contested littoral logistics missions in regions such as the First Island Chain. The company disclosed the test this week in a public statement, saying the vessel moved from initial concept to open-water […]View the full article

A Russian military An-26 transport aircraft was crashed in occupied Crimea on Tuesday evening after communication with the aircraft was severed during a scheduled flight, according to statements from Russia’s Ministry of Defense and military-linked sources. The fate of the crew and passengers remains unknown, with search-and-rescue teams dispatched to the suspected crash area. The […]View the full article

The Lebanese Armed Forces received 39 VAB armored personnel carriers donated by France during a ceremony held Tuesday at the Port of Beirut, according to an official statement from the army. The handover took place on March 31 and was attended by French Minister Delegate for Veterans and Armed Forces Affairs Alice Rufo, Lebanese Chief […]View the full article

Azawad rebel forces said they carried out a drone and missile strike on a military compound in Anefis, in Mali’s Kidal region, on March 30, targeting positions used by the Malian Armed Forces (FAMa) and Russian personnel from Africa Corps. The reported attack appears to be part of a continued escalation in northern Mali, where […]View the full article

Northrop Grumman on March 31 showcased the autonomous mission capabilities of its Lumberjack Group 3 uncrewed aircraft system during the United States Army 101st Airborne Division’s Operation Lethal Eagle exercise. According to NG, the Lumberjack drone demonstrated full autonomous mission control through the U.S. Army’s Maven Smart System, allowing Army personnel to test how the […]View the full article

The United States Army has conducted evaluation testing of a lightweight one-way attack drone known as the Hornet DE-2 in Germany. According to the 7th Army Training Command, the demonstration took place at its Grafenwoehr Training Area and focused on how artificial intelligence-enabled one-way attack systems can integrate with Army fires formations. In an official […]View the full article

As the United States moves to rebuild parts of its nuclear fuel supply chain amid competition with Russia and China, privately backed technology firms are increasingly entering a field long dominated by government programs. The shift is drawing attention from defense and security observers because U.S. uranium enrichment capacity underpins naval propulsion, advanced reactor fuel, […]View the full article

As a guy who used to give two-week operational planning seminars at war colleges around Europe, I can literally talk for two weeks about how you take an idea from a POLMIL Good Idea Fairy and turn it into a 143-slide PPT-deck and about an inch-thick decision brief printed on A4, with a few handy charts on A3. If you’re nice, I’ll put the cool chart on A2. Over the last couple of weeks, the memo went out, apparently, that “there is no plan!” Sure, some of the people saying that are just ignorant and over-caffeinated. Some well-meaning, some raging with Orange Man Bad. Those people deserve something between a polite sigh and eye-roll. Little more. Others saying such things …