Raw Intel

Americas The Canadian military will be confronted with significant challenges when it begins operating its upcoming MQ-9B Reaper drones in the Arctic. Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF) documents seen by Ottawa Citizen suggest that the icy, -30 Celsius weather in the country’s far north will be a serious test for the Reaper’s ability to conduct its missions. The drones will also have to operate from remote runways in the region where satellite coverage is limited. Lockheed Martin won a $19 million cost-plus-fixed-fee completion contract modification for SemaFor Prototype System. Work will be performed at Cherry Hill, New Jersey, and is expected to be completed by October 11,…

Americas Raytheon won a $13.4 million deal to exercise options for design and engineering support services for the Rolling Airframe Missile on January 25, 2024. Work will be performed in Tucson, Arizona and is expected to be completed by March 2028. The Rolling Airframe Missile (RAM) is a lightweight, quick-reaction, fire-and-forget missile system designed for […]View the full article

Americas General Dynamics was awarded a $10.6 million modification to exercise options under a previously awarded contract (N0003022C1005) for the US and United Kingdom Trident II (D-5) SSBN Fire Control System and SSGN Attack Weapon Control System support. Work will be performed in Pittsfield, Massachusetts (98%); and Rhode Island. Work is expected to be completed […]View the full article

Americas Northrop Grumman Systems won a $18 million modification, which adds scope to provide continued engineering, logistics, support equipment, obsolescence, software, hardware, trade studies, incidental material, impact assessment, risk and program analysis activities support in support of production cut in integration to implement, analyze and evaluate the life cycle software and hardware updates encompassing a broad spectrum of software and/or hardware engineering, design, programming, integration, manufacturing and quality, and test activities with varying levels and periods of intensity for the E-2D Advanced Hawkeye aircraft for the Navy. Naval Air Systems Command…

A United States Air Force MH-139 Grey Wolf executed its first operational mission on January 8 at Malmstrom Air Force Base, Montana, flying alongside convoys from the 341st Missile Security Operations Squadron. The Air Force said the event marks the new aircraft’s initial integration into day-to-day nuclear security operations supporting the nation’s intercontinental ballistic missile […]View the full article

France’s Directorate General of Armaments (DGA) has announced the latest test of the Akeron Long-Range missile, developed by MBDA as part of the Future Tactical Air-to-Ground Missile (MAST-F) program. The test was conducted at the DGA’s land systems technical center using a 280-meter rail platform designed to simulate real-world impact conditions. According to a public […] The post France tests next-gen missile for combat helicopters first appeared on Defence Blog.View the full article

French airborne forces deployed a wide range of unmanned aerial systems during the recent FURY 25 exercise, emphasizing the role of low-altitude drone operations in high-intensity combat scenarios. The 1st Parachute Hussar Regiment (1er RHP) shared a detailed account of the drill, highlighting both operational capabilities and experimental systems. In a statement published by 1er […] The post French paratroopers test combat drones at FURY 25 first appeared on Defence Blog.View the full article

The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) have introduced a new logistics unit designed to deliver supplies, transport equipment, and even detonate enemy infrastructure — all without putting soldiers in harm’s way. The unit, named “Taltan,” integrates drones, robotic vehicles, and autonomous platforms into its operations to support troops in challenging environments. Created just four months ago, […] The post Israel deploys drone unit to supply frontline forces first appeared on Defence Blog.View the full article

Rumors are floating about that, in the words of Brent Sadler, The U.S. Navy is reportedly on the cusp of a new force design plan. OK, then what? Who is ready to hear and act on it? Has the intellectual battlefield been properly prepared? We’ve seen over the last few decades, both political parties and the parade of SECDEFs, SECNAVs, CNOs, Commandants of the Marine Corps issue this vision, that strategy, this design, but they all seem to exist in their own little world, impacting only on the edges (big exception is the USMC’s Force Design 2030 that is still creating friction, for good reason) —but not quite gripping and pulling the multiple lines of control that impact ou…

ER/MP, armed (click to view full) Its initial battles were fought within the Pentagon, but the US Army’s high-end UAV has made its transition to the battlefield. The ER/MP program was part of the US Army’s reinvestment of dollars from the canceled RAH-66 Comanche helicopter program, and directly supports the Army’s Aviation Modernization Plan. The […]View the full article

Americas AAR Supply Chain Inc.won a $46 million contract for V-22 Osprey Black Hawk aircraft repair and replacement parts. This was a sole-source acquisition using justification 10 US Code 3204 (a)(1), as stated in Federal Acquisition Regulation 6.302-1. This is a three-year base contract with three three-year option periods. The performance completion date is June 29, 2027. The contracting activity is the Defense Logistics Agency Aviation, Richmond, Virginia. Sierra Nevada won a $11 million for a firm-fixed-price, spares delivery order under a previously awarded basic ordering agreement for the purchase of four communication interface units used in support of the F/A-18 …

In a first-of-its-kind operation, the U.S. Air Force and Marine Corps successfully sling loaded an F-35B Lightning II airframe using a CH-53K heavy lift helicopter. The mission, carried out on August 27, involved transporting the non-flyable F-35B—known as BF-1—over 500 miles from Naval Air Station Patuxent River to Marine Corps Air Station Beaufort, South Carolina. […] The post U.S. Air Force, Marines team up for F-35B recovery test first appeared on Defence Blog.View the full article

Israel-based defense company Rafael Advanced Defense Systems introduced the IRON BEAM 450 high-energy laser weapon system Tuesday at the opening of the DSEI defense exhibition in London. The system is designed to intercept and destroy a wide range of aerial threats with precision, near-zero per-interception cost, and minimal collateral impact. According to Rafael, the new […] The post Rafael unveils next-gen laser weapon at DSEI first appeared on Defence Blog.View the full article

Americas Boeing won a $2 billion modification for E-7A Rapid Prototyping. The modification is for the definitization of the UCA. Work will be performed in Tukwila, Washington, and is expected to be completed by August 28, 2029. There are no funds being obligated at the time of award. Hanscom Air Force Base, Bedford, Massachusetts, is the contracting activity. The deal represents a significant milestone for both parties, who have been working to finalize terms since an initial agreement was signed in 2023. The path to contract finalization was fraught with challenges. The Air Force initially faced difficulties in aligning its requirements with those of the United Kingdom, …

Americas General Dynamics Mission Systems Inc., based in Pittsfield, Massachusetts, has been awarded a $31.3 million contract modification to provide design and maintenance services for the US Navy’s Independence-variant Littoral Combat Ships. The work will include engineering, lifecycle sustainment, and system upgrades for these ships, with operations taking place in San Diego, California. The project is expected to be completed by March 2027. Funding for the contract comes from various Navy budgets. The fiscal 2025 procurement funds amount to $8,513,491, which is 78% of the total. Fiscal 2025 operation and maintenance funds contribute $1,537,260, or 14%. Additionally, t…

Hypersonic missiles are forcing a rethink of global air defense, and Israel is urging South Korea to join the next phase of technological development. Yuval Baseski, Vice President of Israel’s Rafael Advanced Defense Systems, told the South Korean outlet Maeil Business Newspaper that both North Korea and Iran are investing heavily in hypersonic missile programs. […] The post Israel pushes Korea to join hypersonic defense development first appeared on Defence Blog.View the full article

Americas The State Department has approved Canada’s request to gain access to the Mobile User Objective System service and procure associated logistics and program support services from the US government under a potential $138 million foreign military sales agreement. General Dynamics will serve as the principal contractor in the proposed FMS deal, which covers the provision of […]View the full article

Americas Boeing won a $10 million modification, which adds scope to procure ancillary support for three Navy P-8A aircraft and one retrofit kit for the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) P-8A aircraft with Increment Three Engineering Change Proposal Six Capabilities. Work will be performed in Jacksonville, Florida (79.6%); San Antonio, Texas (10.9%); and Mesa, Arizona […]View the full article

Americas Elbit Systems of America has scored a major win with the US Air Force, securing an Indefinite Delivery/Indefinite Quantity (ID/IQ) contract with a ceiling of $89 million for replacing outdated Head-Up Displays (HUDs) in the service’s F-16 Block 40/42 fleet. The contract, announced on November 21, calls for the installation of Elbit’s Wide-Angle Conventional Head-Up Display (WACHUD) in place of the existing Diffractive Optic HUDs currently in use. The first delivery order, worth over $57.5 million, was placed in September 2024, with work scheduled to be carried out at Elbit America’s Talladega, Alabama facility and systems expected to be delivered by September 202…

Americas The US and Luxembourg have conducted a ground-breaking ceremony to expand the Warehouses Service Agency complex in Sanem. The initiative seeks a deployable air base system support and storage facility at the site for the US Department of Defense. The complex is currently the US Air Forces in Europe’s (USAFE) largest military depot. On […]View the full article