Raw Intel

Honeywell International has received a $45 million contract modification to advance modernization of the powerplant used in the M1 Abrams family of main battle tanks, according to a March 30 contract announcement. Honeywell was awarded a $45,033,279 modification for Program Seven Year Engineering Work Directives, including the development and qualification of the J8 digital electronic […]View the full article

RTX has been awarded a $3.81 billion contract modification to produce F135 propulsion systems for Lot 18 and Lot 19 F-35 Lightning II aircraft, according to a March 30 contract announcement. The award supports continued production of engines for the Joint Strike Fighter program at a time when demand remains high across U.S. services, international […]View the full article

Japan’s Ground Self-Defense Force (JGSDF) on Tuesday confirmed the first operational deployment of domestically developed stand-off missiles, formally fielding the newly designated Type-25 surface-to-ship missile and Type-25 hyper velocity gliding projectile (HVGP) as part of the country’s evolving counterstrike capability. According to the JGSDF statement, the systems previously known as the upgraded Type-12 surface-to-ship guided […]View the full article

Varjo has been selected as the extended reality technology provider for an immersive armored vehicle training program now being deployed for the Ukrainian Armed Forces, as part of a Nordic defense technology collaboration with Norway’s Fynd Reality. The system is already being fielded in Ukraine and is designed to support familiarization, procedural training, and maintenance […]View the full article

Rheinmetall and Boeing Australia have entered into a strategic partnership to offer the MQ-28 Ghost Bat as a collaborative combat aircraft solution for the Bundeswehr. The agreement centers on Germany’s emerging requirement for collaborative combat aircraft (CCA), a class of autonomous unmanned systems designed to operate alongside manned fighter aircraft as force multipliers in contested […]View the full article

France has deployed Tiger attack helicopters to counter drone threats in the Middle East, French Army Chief of Staff General Pierre Schill said in an interview published Monday. The deployment comes as armed forces across the region continue to face persistent threats from unmanned aerial systems, including one-way attack drones and other low-cost aerial platforms. […]View the full article

Israel Weapon Industries (IWI) said Monday that it has delivered a new batch of X95 Micro-TAVOR rifles to the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) in coordination with the Israeli Ministry of Defense. The delivery is intended to support immediate force readiness and sustain infantry equipment requirements under ongoing operational conditions. According to IWI, “IWI supports IDF […]View the full article

The European Defence Agency (EDA) will coordinate a new Joint Ammunition Qualification (JAQ) program backed by €50 million ($57.5 million) in European Commission funding under the European Defence Industry Programme (EDIP), with an initial focus on 155 mm artillery ammunition. The initiative is aimed at streamlining how artillery ammunition is tested and approved across participating […]View the full article

Airbus said Monday that its Bird of Prey counter-drone interceptor completed its first demonstration flight at a military training area in northern Germany. The test used a Mark I air-to-air missile developed by defense startup Frankenburg Technologies, marking the first public demonstration of the system in a realistic military scenario. Airbus said the demonstration was […]View the full article

A United States Air Force F-15EX Eagle II assigned to Eglin Air Force Base, Florida, flew a training mission over the southeastern U.S. on March 23, 2026, as the service continues developmental and operational testing of its newest fighter platform. The flight is part of an ongoing test campaign led by the 96th Test Wing […]View the full article

It has long been a dirty little secret that we made a decision to “accept risk” in defending our bases from attack. That momentary bet became a habit…and then part of the environment. The Army, especially during GWOT, didn’t just underfund air defense in general and treat it as a secondary career field—it never even considered what was needed to defend bases. The USAF? No better…and they relied on the Army for air defense. It was only 18 months or so ago they started to experiment with base defense. In the halls of the Pentagon, the military historians and Red Teams lost the argument to the accountants and the pet theories of The Smartest People in the Room™. When things …

Ukrainian drone manufacturer General Chereshnya and U.S.-based Wilcox Industries have announced the creation of a joint venture to produce FPV drones and interceptor drones in the United States, according to Militarnyi. The partnership centers on establishing localized drone production on U.S. soil, with an initial focus on the American defense market and Pentagon orders, while […]View the full article

Japan’s Ministry of Defense said on March 28 that the Air Self-Defense Force scrambled fighter aircraft after a Chinese military patrol aircraft flew over the East China Sea. The ministry said one aircraft was detected flying southwest of Okinawa and that Air Self-Defense Force fighters were urgently scrambled in response. The flight path, released in […]View the full article

Taiwan’s Army is preparing to establish dedicated JUMP 20 unmanned aerial vehicle units within its aviation brigades as part of a force restructuring plan that would gradually replace the long-serving OH-58D Kiowa Warrior fleet, according to a report by United Daily News. The report states that the 601st, 602nd, and 603rd Aviation Brigades are each […]View the full article

Japan’s Ministry of Defense said early Friday that the Maritime Self-Defense Force Kongo-class guided-missile destroyer JS Chokai has formally acquired the ability to launch Tomahawk cruise missiles. The announcement was released by the Ministry of Defense and the Acquisition, Technology and Logistics Agency on March 27, and provides the most detailed official account to date […]View the full article

The Ecuadorian Army launched a military operation near the Colombian border targeting an illegal mining complex tied to organized criminal groups, deploying AMX-13 light tanks, mortars, and armed helicopters in a coordinated ground-and-air assault. The operation took place in the El Chical area of Carchi province in northern Ecuador, a region close to the Colombian […]View the full article

Having trouble keeping up with the world around you? Head swirling with too much? You’re not alone. Good news…we’ll get you all caught up and set right. Returning to the Midrats Podcast this Sunday LIVE from 5-6 PM Eastern will be Blake Herzinger. You can listen live at this link. If you’re reading this after the show, refresh the Substack page later Sunday evening and the podcast will be uploaded and linked. Leave a comment Share This Substack is reader-supported. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. View the full article

Ukrainian forces destroyed a unit of Russian heavy multiple launch rocket systems in occupied Crimea using a long-range one-way strike drone, according to Militarnyi. The strike targeted Russian rocket artillery systems before they could be employed against Ukrainian positions. According to Militarnyi, the attack took place near the settlement of Karakul in Russian-occupied Crimea and […]View the full article

The United States Navy commissioned the Virginia-class fast-attack submarine USS Massachusetts (SSN 798) during a ceremony held on March 28 in Boston Harbor. According to the Navy, USS Massachusetts is the seventh Block IV Virginia-class submarine and was built under a teaming agreement between General Dynamics Electric Boat and HII-Newport News Shipbuilding. The submarine was […]View the full article

The United States Navy has issued a request for proposals for its Undergraduate Jet Training System (UJTS), seeking a new jet trainer aircraft and associated training systems for Navy and Marine Corps aviators, according to a March 26 solicitation from the U.S. Department of War. Proposals are due by June 29, 2026. The program is […]View the full article