Raw Intel

GE Aerospace and BETA Technologies have announced a strategic partnership and $300 million equity investment aimed at accelerating the development of hybrid electric propulsion systems for next-generation aviation platforms. The collaboration, pending regulatory approval, is focused on producing a hybrid electric turbogenerator that could support long-range vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL) aircraft and other Advanced […] The post GE and BETA to build next-gen hybrid electric aircraft first appeared on Defence Blog.View the full article

The U.S. Army has taken delivery of its first mobile laser weapon systems designed to counter unmanned aerial threats, according to a release issued September 3 by AeroVironment, Inc. The company confirmed the handoff of two prototype Laser Weapon Systems (LWS) under the Army’s Multi-Purpose High Energy Laser (AMP-HEL) program, a directed energy initiative managed […] The post U.S. Army gets first laser-armed squad vehicles first appeared on Defence Blog.View the full article

Americas The US military is looking for new ways to navigate without using GPS. A company called Xona might have a good solution. Xona just got $4.6 million from the Air Force to show how their navigation system could help the military. Xona’s system, called PULSAR, uses small satellites that orbit close to Earth. It can help with navigation when GPS doesn’t work or when someone is trying to block GPS signals. Saab has secured a contract to equip the Colombian Navy’s new frigate with advanced systems. The deal includes Saab’s 9LV Combat Management System, 9LV Fire Control System, and cutting-edge sensors and radars like the Ceros 200 radar and Sea Giraffe 4A radars. The f…

Katwijk-based aerospace company Destinus has announced the successful field test of its Hornet Counter-Drone System during the TEC2 Exercises in Viator, Almería, organized by the Spanish Army under its 2025 Tactical Experimentation Campaign. According to the company, the Hornet successfully demonstrated its capability to autonomously intercept an aerial target during a Concept Demonstration Exercise led […]View the full article

Americas L3Harris Technologies Communication Systems has received a $10.99 million modification to a previously awarded contract to develop, test, produce, and support the AN/SRQ-4 Radio Terminal Set Common Data Link Hawklink for surface combatants. The modification also increases funding for engineering labor. If all options are exercised, the total contract value could reach $163.29 million. The contract supports both the US government (91%) and Spain (9%) under the Foreign Military Sales program. Work will be performed in Salt Lake City and is expected to be completed by April 2026, or by April 2028 if all options are exercised. At the time of award, $5.76 million from…

Americas Bath Iron Works was tapped for shipbuilder engineering and design analysis in order to produce design products in support of the Guided Missile Destroyer (DDG(X)) preliminary design and contract design. The modification to the contracts will be awarded without full and open competition pursuant to 10 U.S. Code 2304(c)(3), Industrial mobilization; engineering, development, or […]View the full article

As the regulars know, my love of the naval gun is unmatched. Not just the ones we should have had. That is why I’ve enjoyed the tempest of the last few weeks about “bringing back battleships” that I fully credit to our friend John Konrad, with a little help recently from President Trump. As for me, in the end I am trending towards a rather cold analysis of the situation. We are well past the point of reactivating the IOWA Class BB for a whole host of reasons. I won’t summarize them here, they are too numerous. I also don’t think we can build new ones, even if there were the money and will to so so. To be blunt, we would first have to build a foundry to make the barrels. N…

Germany’s Defense Ministry has outlined procurement plans worth more than €350 billion ($409 billion) through 2041, reflecting Chancellor Friedrich Merz’s pledge to make the Bundeswehr Europe’s strongest conventional military force. According to the draft of the 2026 federal budget submitted to parliament on Monday, defense planners have mapped out a multi-decade framework for new weapons, […] The post Germany unveils $409B defense procurement plan first appeared on Defence Blog.View the full article

Americas Leidos has received a $331-million contract to optimize the US Army’s Global Unified Network (AGUN). AGUN is the service’s standard network capability used to relay classified and unclassified data, voice, video, and other information assets across bases and deployed forces. Under the contract, Leidos will deploy the AGUN to individual sites to maintain a standardized network infrastructure that is “accessible, trusted and interoperable” internationally. The US military carried out a significant airfield seizure exercise on the island of Palau as part of the Joint Pacific Multinational Readiness Center 25-01. The exercise, which took place from October 10–11, inv…

China has unveiled a concept model for what is described as the world’s largest unmanned cargo drone at the 7th China Helicopter Exposition in Tianjin. The heavy-lift drone, referred to as the Ibis Shadow 60, is based on the airframe of the Shaanxi Y-9 military transport aircraft and features a take-off weight exceeding 60 tons. […] The post China unveils 60-ton unmanned cargo aircraft concept first appeared on Defence Blog.View the full article

China has developed a next-generation 25mm handheld grenade launcher featuring programmable airburst munitions, a compact electronic fire control system, and modular construction, according to an article published in the military magazine Ordnance Knowledge. The report introduces a new experimental 25mm airburst grenade launcher designed for individual use, combining advanced fuze programming with a high level […]View the full article

Remember my 2017 article about the then “Seven Act Play” that was the effort in Afghanistan? Well, we’re going to visit part of Act-3: Act 3: Buyer’s Remorse – By late 2006, the NATO-sceptics’ critique started to break above the happy-talk. AFG was more serious than NATO and the USA were saying, and most of the alliance members were not up to the challenge, and if they were – their staying power was brittle at best. If you had to draw the line somewhere, it would have been the summer of 2007 when NATO failed to fill the rotary-wing aviation bridging force. At the last minute, a combination of US military and civilian contractors filled the gap. After that goat rope, it …

It’s time to catch up on the latest issues on the maritime and national security front and get out of the summer heat. Midrats goes LIVE today at 5pm Eastern in our free-for-all format. Hop in the show chat room and offer your topics and question…or observations of the topics we’ll discuss. You can join live at this link, but if you are reading this after the show, just check this Substack post later Sunday when I’ll update this page with the podcast. COME JOIN US! 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

Echodyne, a radar technology company based in Washington state, announced today that California-based Zone 5 Technologies has selected its radar system for integration into the Paladin Low Collateral Effects Interceptor (LCEI), an autonomous counter-drone solution. The Paladin is the first drone of its kind to be added to the Department of War’s Blue UAS Cleared […]View the full article

Americas The US Marine Corps has created the Marine Corps Attack Drone Team (MCADT) to enhance combat effectiveness by integrating advanced drone technology into its operations. This team will focus on training Marines to use first-person view (FPV) drones, which are increasingly important in modern conflicts. MCADT will also act as a hub for expertise in drone tactics, helping the Marine Corps develop new capabilities and refine requirements for unmanned systems. Based at Weapons Training Battalion in Quantico, Virginia, the team will collaborate with the Marine Corps Warfighting Laboratory to ensure Marines remain agile and effective in evolving battlefields. The initia…

A procurement effort by the Indian Army to acquire first-person-view (FPV) drones and loitering munitions has unraveled into controversy after all bidders in both tenders were disqualified in the technical evaluation phase. According to official procurement documents, a total of 32 companies participated in the tender for 720 FPV drones, while another 14 companies submitted […] The post Indian Army scraps entire FPV drone tender first appeared on Defence Blog.View the full article

Russia has begun fielding a previously unseen type of drone over Ukraine, featuring an unusual ring-wing design likely aimed at improving aerial endurance and strike capabilities, according to a Ukrainian military electronic warfare specialist. Serhiy Beskrestnov, also known by his callsign “Serhiy Flesh,” said in a public statement that Russian forces have started using drones […] The post Mysterious Russian drone spotted in combat zone first appeared on Defence Blog.View the full article

Castelion, a U.S. defense startup developing affordable long-range weapons, announced Friday that it has secured integration contracts with both the U.S. Army and Navy for its new hypersonic strike system, known as Blackbeard. In a company statement, Castelion said it will collaborate with both services to integrate the Blackbeard weapon onto operational platforms and conduct […] The post U.S. startup wins contracts for hypersonic strike weapon first appeared on Defence Blog.View the full article

M1A2 SEP (click to view full) America’s M1 Abrams tanks come in a number of versions. In addition to the M1A1 that is now standard, the US Army is beginning to field its M1 TUSK for urban warfare. It also operates the M1A2 System Enhancement Program (SEP), currently the most advanced standard variant. This Spotlight […]View the full article

Kazakhstan has revealed plans to launch domestic production of a light tank based on the Tulpar infantry fighting vehicle after President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev visited defense manufacturing facilities in Astana, including the Besqaru plant. During the visit, Tokayev toured production workshops at Besqaru, a company engaged in the production and technical maintenance of wheeled and tracked […]View the full article