Raw Intel

It would be an understatement to say that I am not all that pleased with where we are in January 2026 with the Greenland question. This would not have been the productive path I would have recommended because, in the end, this is a very serious issue. Sure, in the first few months of 2025, the meme-ish nature of it all was fun and funny…but only to a point. In 2026, Denmark is not going to sell or otherwise transfer Greenland to the USA like they did with the now-U.S. Virgin Islands a bit more than a century ago. However, before we go further, if you have a knee-jerk reaction to support or oppose anything or any topic because DJT is involved, please repress that feeling u…

India publicly showcased its new Suryastra multiple launch rocket system during rehearsals for the Army Day parade in Jaipur, marking the first public appearance of the indigenous long-range rocket artillery platform. The system was displayed on a wheeled launcher carrying two 370mm Predator Hawk missiles and four 306mm extended-range rockets, highlighting its ability to fire […]View the full article

The United States Air Force has continued intensive reconnaissance flights near Venezuela’s coastline, deploying RC-135V/W intelligence aircraft over the Caribbean at activity levels comparable to those recorded in early January, according to open flight tracking data and regional monitoring reports. On the latest mission, an RC-135W Rivet Joint aircraft, tail number 64-14848, operated from Homestead […]View the full article

The United States Navy has awarded Collins Aerospace a $20.3 million contract modification to produce and deliver three high-power transmit set modernization kits for the E-6B “doomsday plane,” according to a Department of the Navy contract announcement. The award was issued to Rockwell Collins Inc., operating as Collins Aerospace Government Systems, under a firm-fixed-price and […]View the full article

The United States has reached a framework agreement with Lockheed Martin to sharply expand annual production of PAC-3 Missile Segment Enhancement interceptors, increasing output from about 600 missiles per year to roughly 2,000 over the next seven years, the company said. In a statement released on social media, Lockheed Martin said the agreement with the […]View the full article

U.S. forces used one-way attack drones during strikes on Caracas on January 3 as part of Operation “Absolute Resolve,” marking the first confirmed large-scale combat employment of kamikaze-style drones by the United States, according to sources and newly published visual evidence from Venezuela. Local residents in Caracas released videos recorded during the strikes that captured […]View the full article

Ukrainian Air Force pilots operating F-16 fighter jets were forced to revise NATO-taught air combat tactics after returning from training abroad, as the methods proved unsuitable for the realities of combat near the front line in Ukraine, according to a report published by Militarnyi citing official Air Force video footage. In comments shown in the […]View the full article

Denmark’s Defence Acquisition and Logistics Organization has procured eight unmanned ground vehicles for testing by the Danish Army, marking the country’s first structured trial of robotic land systems for operational use. According to a statement published by Forsvarsministeriets Materiel- og Indkøbsstyrelse (FMI), the vehicles will be delivered to the Army’s Combat Troops Branch in Slagelse, […]View the full article

Israeli Elbit Systems has secured new contracts worth a combined $150 million to supply its Iron Fist Active Protection System for integration on CV90 infantry fighting vehicles operated by European NATO member states, the company confirmed. According to a press release from Elbit Systems, the contracts were awarded by BAE Systems Hägglunds, the producer of […]View the full article

The United Kingdom expects to have taken delivery of its 75th F-35 Lightning aircraft by the end of 2033, the British government confirmed in a written parliamentary response published on January 5, 2026. In a response to a question from Lord West of Spithead, Defence Minister Lord Coaker said “the Department expects to take delivery […]View the full article

Thai tank crews operating the VT-4 main battle tank have raised sharp criticism over the platform’s reliability during real-world operations, citing repeated mechanical failures and design shortcomings encountered during active use, according to multiple accounts from serving personnel. Soldiers and officers familiar with the tank’s operation report that the VT-4 has suffered from frequent malfunctions […]View the full article

If you didn’t get a chance to listen to Sunday’s Midrats Podcast with Mark and me, give it a listen to hear a broader discussion with some additional detail thrown in. Today is going to be a bit different. We are still just ~72-hours from the events, so there is an order of magnitude more of what we don’t know than we do, but some items are breaking out from the fog. On yesterday’s podcast, I briefly mentioned a framework for discussion that I think is helpful to flesh out here—an addendum to my comments on the podcast, so to speak. As we stand here the Monday after the events of Friday night/Saturday morning, what are some clear items of consideration at the Tactical, Op…

Turkey has completed the acceptance test firing for a SİPER-1 air defense battery, confirming readiness of the nationally developed long-range air and missile defense system, according to official information released after the test conducted at the Sinop Test Center in northern Türkiye. The battery-level acceptance firing was carried out under a demanding operational scenario that […]View the full article

Elbit Systems Ltd. has been awarded new contracts worth a combined total of approximately $150 million to supply its Directed Infrared Countermeasures systems to European aircraft fleets, the company announced on January 5, 2026. According to a press release from Elbit Systems, the contracts include equipping the aircraft fleet of an unnamed European country with […]View the full article

China’s state broadcaster has revealed new footage showing People’s Liberation Army ground forces training with the Type 19 8×8 wheeled fighting vehicles, confirming their operational deployment within frontline units of the Western Theater Command. The footage was released by China Central Television and shows training activities conducted by the 149th Medium Combined Brigade of the […]View the full article

Japan’s Ministry of Defense confirmed that Chinese military aircraft, including H-6 bombers, J-16 fighters, and a Y-9 intelligence-gathering aircraft, flew between Okinawa Island and Miyako Island into the Pacific Ocean on December 29, prompting an emergency response by the Japan Air Self-Defense Force. According to a statement released by the Japan Ministry of Defense through […]View the full article

President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has called for Turkish re-entry into the U.S.-led F-35 fighter jet program, saying the move would strengthen NATO security and help repair ties with Washington, according to written comments provided to Bloomberg. Erdogan said he raised the issue directly with Donald Trump during a White House meeting in September, describing Turkey’s […]View the full article

Russia’s Aerospace Forces received two modernized Tu-160M Blackjack strategic missile-carrying bombers in late 2025, ending a multi-year delay in the program, according to a statement by Russia’s defense minister reported by Ukrainian outlet Militarnyi. The delivery was disclosed during a year-end meeting of the Russian defense ministry, where Defense Minister Andrey Belousov confirmed the handover […]View the full article

North Korea has launched serial production of a new generation of high-precision guided missiles, according to a statement published by state media, confirming the start of large-scale manufacturing for a modern anti-tank missile complex. The announcement was released by Korean Central News Agency, which said the guided missiles are now entering mass production and form […]View the full article

Ukrainian military have found a Russian Shahed-type one-way attack drone equipped with a man-portable air-defense system, marking the first confirmed observation of such a configuration. Serhii Beskrestnov, known by the call sign “Flash,” said the modified drone was identified on January 4. He reported that Russian forces mounted the portable surface-to-air missile system on the […]View the full article