Raw Intel

Russia’s Kalashnikov Concern has delivered a batch of newly developed electric transport vehicles to a military unit for use in the combat zone, the company announced. According to the company, the shipment included Izh-Enduro electric motorcycles and Izh-ScootWay electric scooters produced in-house and equipped with universal trailers for cargo transport. All vehicles were supplied with […]View the full article

China has placed its top operational military commander, General Zhang Youxia, under investigation for serious violations of discipline and law, a move that is expected to disrupt command continuity and delay any near-term plans for a military operation against Taiwan, The Telegraph reported. China’s Ministry of National Defense confirmed on Saturday that Zhang, vice chairman […]View the full article

Several Pakistan Air Force Ilyushin Il-78 aircraft were spotted at an airfield in China’s Sichuan province on January 19–20, according to photographs that surfaced online and were reviewed by regional observers. The aircraft, including one carrying the registration number R11-003, were seen on the ground and during departure from the base, indicating a temporary presence […]View the full article

China has launched an investigation into two of its most senior military officials, Zhang Youxia and Liu Zhenli, on suspicion of serious violations of discipline and law, the Chinese government announced on Saturday, in a move that reaches the highest levels of the People’s Liberation Army command structure. According to the official announcement, Zhang Youxia, […]View the full article

No need to force yourself to head outside in this horrible weather—unless you are in the Free State of Florida where the high is expected to hit 80F or so. Let not your heart be troubled—we’ve got you covered. Catch up on all your maritime and national security concerns this Sunday afternoon from 5-6pm Eastern with a LIVE Midrats Podcast. From Davos to the Friday Defense Strategy dump to whatever comes over the transom, we’ve got you covered. You can join LIVE at this link. If you are reading this after the show, no problem. Just refresh the Substack later Sunday night for the podcast upload. This Substack is reader-supported. To receive new posts and support my work, con…

The United States is preparing Misawa Air Base in northern Japan to support the future deployment of F-35A stealth fighter aircraft, as part of a broader effort to modernize U.S. air power in the western Pacific. According to the report by Newsweek journalist Ryan Chan, the Pentagon plans to deploy 48 F-35A Lightning II jets […]View the full article

The United States Navy’s Independence-variant littoral combat ship USS Cincinnati (LCS 20) arrived at Cambodia’s Ream Naval Base for a temporary port visit on January 24, 2026, marking the first visit by a U.S. warship since the base was expanded with Chinese support. According to the U.S. Navy, USS Cincinnati docked at the base in […]View the full article

Russia has replaced the leadership of its strategic aircraft manufacturer Tupolev, appointing 37-year-old Yuri Ambrosimov as chief executive to replace 76-year-old Aleksandr Bobryshev, according to a report by Defense Express citing Russian industry sources. The personnel change took place roughly one year after the previous round of management rotations at Tupolev in 2024 and comes […]View the full article

Ukrainian forces have destroyed an Iranian-made Shahed-107 attack drone using a STING interceptor drone during active combat operations, according to a report by the Ukrainian defense outlet Militarniy. The interception was carried out by fighters from the Sky Wars unit of the 47th Mechanized Brigade “Magura,” who used the STING drone interceptor to shoot down […]View the full article

Royal Navy warships and aircraft were activated to shadow Russian naval vessels during a two-day operation in the English Channel, the UK Ministry of Defence confirmed, as Russian forces transited waters near Britain en route to the North Sea. Portsmouth-based patrol ships HMS Mersey and HMS Severn were deployed alongside a Wildcat helicopter from 815 […]View the full article

Japan confirmed that a Russian IL-20 intelligence-gathering aircraft conducted a surveillance flight near the country’s western approaches on January 23, according to Defense Minister Shinjiro Koizumi. In a statement released on Friday, Koizumi said the Russian aircraft flew from the continental direction into the Sea of Japan, proceeded southwest, then changed course off the coast […]View the full article

The United States has delivered the first MC-55A Peregrine aircraft to the Royal Australian Air Force, L3Harris Technologies confirmed on January 24, 2026. The aircraft was handed over by the U.S. Air Force following completion of integration and mission system testing, according to the company. The delivery is part of Australia’s Peregrine program, which is […]View the full article

The United Kingdom has selected seven defense companies to develop prototype uncrewed aircraft that will operate alongside Apache attack helicopters, advancing a British Army program aimed at integrating autonomous systems into frontline aviation operations. The UK Ministry of Defence confirmed that the companies were invited to the next stage of Project NYX, a program designed […]View the full article

China has shipped a batch of Type 59 130mm towed artillery systems to a foreign customer, with images confirming the weapons loaded aboard a cargo vessel and prepared for export, according to open-source visuals recorded during offloading operations. Footage circulating on social media shows multiple Type 59 artillery pieces secured on wheeled carriages and covered […]View the full article

Russia used Tu-22M3 Backfire-C bombers to launch a salvo of heavy Kh-22/Kh-32 cruise missiles toward the Kyiv region on January 24, marking the first recorded use of these weapons against targets near the Ukrainian capital. Ukrainian air defense forces reported that Russia fired 12 Kh-22 or Kh-32 missiles toward a target on the outskirts of […]View the full article

United States missile manufacturing is failing to keep pace with the tempo of modern warfare, raising concerns about how quickly the military can replace precision weapons in a high-intensity conflict. To examine where the bottlenecks lie and how they affect readiness, Defence Blog sought comment from John Borrego, Senior Vice President of Aerospace and Defense […]View the full article

Russia has used export-version surface-to-air missiles intended for foreign customers to strike ground targets in Ukraine, according to an investigation published Friday by Defense Express. Fragments recovered after recent strikes show that Russia fired 48N6E2 missiles, an export variant of the long-range interceptor used by the S-300PMU2 Favorit and S-400 air defense systems. As reported […]View the full article

Though the Americans are now in the fight, still on every front; desperation. At every morning brief, more ships sunk. The enemy surrounds you as you starve. Your ships and aircraft sit idle for lack of fuel and parts. Through waves of attacks, a relief convoy comes ... and you wait. Do they know your desperation? Will they make it? What can be done? Well, in comes, Captain Dudley Mason - the master of the former U.S. and now U.K. tanker SS Ohio - and his crew and convoy. For the details, let’s look at the citation for his George Cross and the award to two of his crew, Frederick August Larsen, Jr., Junior Third Officer and Francis A. Dales, Deck Cadet-Midshipman on…

The UK Ministry of Defence has awarded BAE Systems a £453.5 million ($613 million) contract to begin full production of the ECRS Mk2 radar for Royal Air Force Typhoon aircraft. The contract follows a completed program of testing and evaluation and represents the next phase of the UK’s long-term investment in Typhoon capability. The Ministry […]View the full article

The Italian Army has received its first new-generation SAMP/T NG and GRIFO air defense systems, marking the initial deployment of Italy’s modernized layered air and missile defense architecture, the defense outlet Militarnyi reported on Friday. The handover includes the first SAMP/T NG (New Generation) medium- and long-range air defense systems as well as GRIFO short-range […]View the full article