Raw Intel

The United States Navy has awarded General Dynamics Electric Boat a $15.38 billion contract modification to support the Columbia-class ballistic missile submarine program, including design work, lead yard support, and industrial base development. According to the U.S. Department of War, the award covers additional Columbia-class submarine design activities, class lead yard support, sustainment, and integrated […]View the full article

The United States Air Force has successfully demonstrated a new capability to install and upgrade software on the F-22 Raptor in minutes, marking a shift in how mission systems can be updated directly on the aircraft. The effort was conducted by Defense Unicorns in partnership with the Air Force Sustainment Center Software Directorate. According to […]View the full article

The United States Army’s 10th Special Forces Group (Airborne) was spotted using a sniper rifle equipped with a futuristic muzzle device during a validation exercise at the Muscatatuck Urban Training Center in Indiana. According to the official caption accompanying the image, “Green Berets with the 2nd Battalion, 10th Special Forces Group (Airborne) provide security from […]View the full article

Palantir Technologies announced a strategic partnership with Ondas and World View Enterprises to develop and deploy a new generation of AI-enabled intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance capabilities spanning stratospheric, aerial, and ground domains. According to the companies, the partnership combines Palantir’s Artificial Intelligence Platform with Ondas’ autonomous aerial and ground systems and World View’s Stratollite high-altitude […]View the full article

Ukrainian military pilots have again raised concerns that the service life of their flight equipment may expire before the operational lifespan of their aircraft, particularly across MiG-29, Su-27, and L-39 fleets. The issue was highlighted by the “Sonyashnyk” (Sunflower) community, a group closely linked to Ukrainian military aviators, which pointed to ongoing reliance on legacy […]View the full article

The United States Army has received its first AH-64E Apache helicopters for the 1st Armored Division’s Combat Aviation Brigade at Fort Bliss, Texas, with the aircraft arriving on February 12, 2026 as part of an initial delivery to modernize the unit. The deployment comes as the brigade transitions into a Heavy Combat Aviation Brigade, a […]View the full article

The United States Air Force has awarded BAE Systems a contract to support and modernize the AN/ALQ-221 Advanced Defensive System installed on the U-2 Dragon Lady reconnaissance aircraft. According to BAE Systems, the contract was issued by Robins Air Force Base in Georgia and includes ongoing field service support, system repairs, and software updates designed […]View the full article

A delegation from the United States Army recently visited the Czechoslovak Group (CSG) in the Czech Republic to examine potential cooperation and assess the group’s capabilities in ground systems and artillery ammunition. During the visit, the delegation toured production sites, assembly lines, and manufacturing processes, including a demonstration of the Morana 155 wheeled self-propelled howitzer […]View the full article

The Royal Netherlands Navy has acquired 12 V-BAT unmanned aerial systems following operational testing, including trials conducted during the Cold Response exercise off Norway. According to the Dutch Navy, the V-BAT drones are equipped with radar and camera systems designed to conduct reconnaissance and gather intelligence over extended periods. The platform can operate for several […]View the full article

It is always a great day when an alumnus of The Midrats Podcast assumes another position to advance our Navy. A decade after joining the faculty at the Naval War College, Captain Sam Tangredi, USN (Ret.), PhD, has a new line on his CV. From the Summer/Autumn Edition of the Naval War College Review, On a personal note, it is a tremendous honor for me to relieve the watch as editor in chief of the Naval War College Review from Dr. Jon Caverley. Over many years, the Review frequently published my research and analyses. My writing benefited from the assessments and recommendations of great Review editors—including Bob Laske, Frank Uhlig, and Tom Grassey—along with their succ…

Big Japanese defense manufacturer Kawasaki Heavy Industries has confirmed that it is studying the development of two types of collaborative unmanned aircraft, including a missile-like system and an aircraft-type platform. According to comments by Hiroyoshi Shimokawa, president of Kawasaki Heavy Industries’ Aerospace Systems Company, the firm is currently developing a concept known as the Collaborative […]View the full article

Mitsubishi Heavy Industries confirmed it has successfully conducted flight demonstrations of AI-powered mission autonomy for unmanned aerial vehicles, using the Hivemind Enterprise development environment from U.S.-based Shield AI. According to Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, the full development cycle—from AI design and training to installation and flight—was completed in eight weeks. The company stated that the use […]View the full article

The Japan Air Self-Defense Force confirmed it supported the first flight of a new stand-off electronic warfare aircraft, known as the EC-2, developed in cooperation with the Acquisition, Technology and Logistics Agency. The development comes as Japan moves to strengthen its ability to operate in the electromagnetic domain and support air operations without entering contested […]View the full article

A Russian-affiliated analytical channel has published a cost comparison showing how many heavy FPV drones could be purchased for the price of key armored vehicles, highlighting the growing role of low-cost strike systems in modern combat. According to the published data, the analysis is based on an estimated unit cost of about $1,200 per heavy […]View the full article

German defense conglomerate Rheinmetall conducted a live-fire demonstration of its 120mm Ragnarok mortar system and a new Mortar Mission Module during a multinational event in Norway, the company said, showcasing the system under Arctic conditions. The demonstration comes as European militaries seek mobile, rapidly deployable indirect fire systems that can operate in harsh environments while […]View the full article

Russia’s Security Council Secretary Sergei Shoigu said during an off-site meeting in Yekaterinburg that Ukrainian long-range drones now pose a direct threat to regions deep inside Russia, including the Ural industrial area. The statement reflects growing concern within Russia over the expanding range and effectiveness of Ukrainian strike capabilities, which are increasingly targeting infrastructure far […]View the full article

Ukraine’s Pegasus Arms has signed a memorandum of understanding with Germany’s Rohde & Schwarz to jointly develop new airborne reconnaissance and electronic support systems for military drones, the companies announced. According to the companies, the partnership will combine Pegasus Arms’ drone platforms with Rohde & Schwarz technologies to expand the operational capabilities of unmanned systems […]View the full article

Palantir’s Shyam Sankar continues to offer some of the clearest and most precise ideas on how we need to shift our mindset if we want to set the foundation for the next big war. I’m not going to ask too much of your time today. Nope, just a bit over a minute to ponder Shyam’s four Sputnik moments. The 1 minute and 19 seconds is an incredibly powerful boil-down of what should drive a lot of our thinking. Really, we should already be well down the road in acting on it. Here’s the video that starts the bit I’d like folks to ponder on today starting at the 41:05 moment, but if you have time on your commute, give the full interview from the Hudson Institute’s 11 March upload a…

The United States Navy sent the dock landing ship USS Tortuga (LSD 46) to sea trials from Naval Station Norfolk, marking the vessel’s first time underway since 2014 following an extended modernization effort. The trials are intended to verify that the ship’s upgraded systems and engineering improvements are fully operational, as the Navy works to […]View the full article

The United States Navy’s Naval Air Systems Command announced plans on March 16 to pursue a sole-source contract with Boeing for software updates to the Harpoon missile support system, according to a presolicitation notice. The effort focuses on updating the Common Munitions BIT/Reprogramming Equipment Mission Application Program, a system used to support and maintain Harpoon […]View the full article