Raw Intel

So, what did you do after high school? How long have you had to wait for your full story to be understood? I offer to you Teddy Sheean; On December 1, 1942, Sheean was a gunner’s mate on the corvette HMAS Armidale, when it came under attack during an operation near Japanese-occupied Timor, now the country of Timor-Leste across the Timor Sea from the Australian city of Darwin. ... ...Japanese warplanes swooped in on the Armidale. The Australian corvette was hit by two torpedoes launched by the Japanese planes and quickly began to sink, according to the AWM. An order was given to abandon ship. “Sheean was wounded and, rather than abandon ship, he strapped himself to his Oer…

Smart Shooter, the Israeli defense company that has turned AI-guided fire control into one of the most rapidly adopted infantry technologies of the past five years, signed a new contract with Israel’s Ministry of Defense on May 20 to supply SMASH Hopper lightweight remote-controlled weapon stations valued at approximately NIS 6.7 million ($1.8 million), with […]View the full article

Michigan National Guard soldiers loaded a HIMARS rocket artillery launcher onto a C-130J transport aircraft in Michigan and flew it more than 3,200 km (2,000 miles) to the California desert, where they executed simulated precision strikes before extracting, completing a long-range joint Army-Air National Guard HIRAIN training event as part of the Army’s premier combat […]View the full article

German engineering firm RENK just locked in more than $308 million in future business keeping one of Europe’s newest tracked infantry vehicles actually moving, extending its transmission supply agreement with Rheinmetall for the KF41 Lynx on July 9. The expanded framework agreement, worth more than €270 million ($308.72 million) including options, covers the supply of […]View the full article

Eight robotic vehicles have spent six straight days working around the clock in one of the most punishing deserts on Earth, capping off a month-long deployment, and British soldiers never had to risk their own lives to keep them running. ARX Robotics UK, a defense technology company building autonomous ground vehicles, announced it completed Project […]View the full article

Satellite imagery has confirmed damage to two radar systems, a maintenance facility and an ammunition depot at Russia’s Millerovo airbase in Rostov Oblast, following a Ukrainian drone strike on the night of August 30, according to images published by the Dnipro OSINT. Ukrainian outlet Militarnyi reported that Ukraine’s 1st Separate Center of the Unmanned Systems […]View the full article

The Pentagon’s counter-drone task force has awarded Israeli company Smart Shooter a contract worth up to $150 million for its SMASH rifle sights, which help soldiers shoot down small drones with their regular service weapons. The U.S. Department of War’s Joint Interagency Task Force 401, known as JIATF-401, announced the three-year award on Sept. 29, […]View the full article

British aircraft maker Skyfly Technologies has raised $10 million to turn its two-seat electric vertical takeoff aircraft into Longbow, a hybrid-electric cargo drone designed to carry 200 kg (440 pounds) more than 640 km (400 miles) and take off from ships, fields or forward bases without a runway. The seed round, announced on Oct. 20, […]View the full article

OK, it is the day after May Day ... but that's close enough for government work. As the entire maritime world this week decided to pick up on some Midrats favorites - poaching the Army's budget and making the Taiwanese porcupine a bit more imposing - could there be a better time for another Sal & Eagle One green range? Open topic, open chat room, open phones. We'll cover the waterfront and invite you to come on board for a broad ranging discussion of national and maritime security issues. Join us live if you can and roll in with your preferred topic in the chat room or call the switchboard number right here on the showpage. This Sunday from 5-6pm Eastern come jo…

Americas The Defense Department’s Space Development Agency (SDA) plans to launch an experimental payload, developed together with the Missile Defense Agency (MDA), to study the infrared background created by the Earth. The experiment is called Prototype Infrared Payload or PIRPL and is foundational for developing DoD capabilities to detect and track dim, fast-flying hypersonic missiles, SDA officials said in a briefing last week. The US Army says it’s developed a combat-capable prototype of a high-energy laser weapon. According to an army press release, the laser can be mounted on a Stryker military vehicle and used to defend troops against drones as well as rockets, art…

Americas At a combat zone, a US Air Force MQ-9 drone has successfully perform an Automatic Takeoff and Landing Capability (ATLC) without the need for a ground-based Launch and Recovery Element (LRE) for the first time. The feat was accomplished during Exercise Oktober Fist, a training exercise conducted by the 332d Air Expeditionary Wing. “The ability to autonomously launch and recover MQ-9s from austere locations without a recovery crew is a leap in operational potential. This is essential in creating a dynamic weapon system that will out-maneuver our adversary,” said Lt. Col. Jonathan Barber, 332d AEW A2/3/5 Directorate Deputy. Lockheed Martin has opened its 85,000-squ…

Americas Northrop Grumman won a $15.6 million deal for the repair and overhaul of 270 power amplifier modules in support of the E-2D aircraft used in the Naval Supply Systems Command (NAVSUP) Weapon Systems Support (WSS) Integrated Weapon Support Team’s program. The delivery order does not include an option period. Work will be performed in […]View the full article

Americas Lockheed Martin Aeronautics in Fort Worth, Texas, has been awarded a $22.5 million contract change to continue its support for international partners in the F-35 Lightning II fighter jet program. The funding will go toward operating and maintaining special labs used by Australia, Canada, and the United Kingdom to reprogram their F-35 systems. This includes providing supplies and on-site technical support. Most of the work (80%) will be done in Eglin, Florida, with the rest (20%) in Fort Worth, Texas. The project is expected to finish by April 2026. The full amount is being funded by the participating countries, not the US Department of Defense. The contract was a…

The U.S. State Department has approved a potential $160 million Foreign Military Sale to Canada for Joint Light Tactical Vehicles (JLTVs) and associated equipment, the Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA) announced. The agency has delivered the required certification to Congress, clearing the way for the proposed transfer. According to the DSCA, the Government of Canada […] The post U.S. approves $160 million sale of JLTVs to Canada first appeared on Defence Blog.View the full article

Azerbaijan is moving to expand its long-range strike capabilities with interest in acquiring Slovakia’s AM-120 automated mortar system and the 155 mm EVA self-propelled artillery system, according to Baku-based policy analyst Fuad Shahbazov. “In 2024, Azerbaijan and Slovakia agreed to establish joint manufacturing facilities with investments,” Shahbazov said, noting that cooperation has advanced beyond purchases […] The post Azerbaijan looks to buy Slovak rapid-fire mortar first appeared on Defence Blog.View the full article

The Royal Saudi Air Force (RSAF) has reached a new operational milestone with its fleet of Chinese-built Wing Loong II drones, logging 5,000 flight hours as of May 2024, according to the Defense Arab. The Wing Loong II, manufactured by China’s Aviation Industry Corporation (AVIC) and exported through its subsidiary, the China National Aero-Technology Import […] The post Chinese combat drones log over 5,000 flight hours in Saudi Arabia first appeared on Defence Blog.View the full article

The Philippine Marine Corps publicly revealed its first operational BrahMos shore-based missile battery during a ceremony marking the service’s 75th anniversary, underscoring Manila’s continued effort to strengthen coastal defense as tensions persist in the South China Sea. The system, positioned in Zambales, is located within range of Scarborough Shoal. The location was shown in footage […]View the full article

Orqa, a Croatian manufacturer of FPV and unmanned aerial systems, has expanded its production facility in Osijek to support an annual output of up to 280,000 NDAA-compliant drones. In a statement on December 1, the company said the new capacity allows it to meet growing global demand for defense-grade drones free of Chinese components. The […]View the full article

The United States Navy has issued a new Sources Sought Notice seeking industry input for low-cost Small Unmanned Aircraft Systems intended for the United States Marine Corps, publishing the request on January 6, 2026, through Naval Air Systems Command (NAVAIR). The announcement invites companies to submit detailed information on commercially available sUAS platforms with First […]View the full article

An independent U.S. analyst has rejected reports that Ukrainian long-range missiles struck Russia’s Kapustin Yar missile test range, saying satellite imagery cited as evidence shows no damage to the facility. The response follows recent reporting by Ukrainian and regional defense outlets claiming that Ukraine’s domestically developed FP-5 “Flamingo” cruise missile was used in a strike […]View the full article