Raw Intel

Americas D-J Engineering Inc. won a $30 million deal for machine shop requirements for supplies related to EA-18G and P-8A aircraft components and related platforms/requirements for Naval Surface Warfare Center Crane. Each awardee will be awarded $10,000 obligated at time of award. These contracts include options which, if exercised, would bring the total value to […]View the full article

Senior U.S. Army sustainment leaders visited the Powidz Army Prepositioned Stocks-2 (APS-2) site in Poland on August 18 to review logistics capabilities and strengthen cooperation with Polish partners. According to the Army, top leaders from the 3rd Infantry Division Sustainment Brigade and the 1st Armored Division Sustainment Brigade conducted a site tour and held discussions […] The post U.S. Army reviews prepositioned stocks in Poland first appeared on Defence Blog.View the full article

U.S. Army soldiers from Alpha Company, 2nd Battalion, 3rd Infantry Regiment, 1st Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 7th Infantry Division, demonstrated counter-drone tactics for Japan Ground Self-Defense Force soldiers from the 22nd Rapid Deployment Regiment at Yakima Training Center, Washington, on Oct. 28, 2025. The exchange, which paired Stryker infantry units with partner forces, was presented […]View the full article

Americas Canada is set to embark on a significant military modernization effort, with plans to spend $18 billion on a new fleet of helicopters, according to reporting by David Pugliese of the Ottawa Citizen. A primary impetus behind this substantial investment is the need to respond to potential F-35 fighter jet crashes in the Arctic. Concerns regarding the F-35’s suitability for operations in the far north first emerged in 2010 when critics pointed out that the aircraft is equipped with only one engine, a potential drawback for reliability in the harsh Arctic environment. Northrop Grumman has secured a $267-million contract to produce two additional MQ-4C Triton drones f…

Americas The Georgia Air National Guard has received its first of eight C-130J-30 Super Hercules tactical airlifters from defense giant Lockheed Martin. The new jet builds on a tradition of Hercules operation for the 165th Airlift Wing, which received its first model in 1975 and has been operating many versions of the military transport aircraft […]View the full article

Uzbekistan’s armed forces conducted a live-fire air defense exercise using multiple Chinese-made surface-to-air missile systems. The exercise involved launches from three Chinese systems: the long-range FD-2000B, the medium-range KS-1C, and the short-range FM-90. All missiles were fired as part of an integrated air defense target practice aimed at training crews in detection, tracking, and engagement […]View the full article

A T-90MS main battle tank that once stood on display at the International Defence Exhibition (IDEX) in the United Arab Emirates has now been deployed to the battlefield in Ukraine, according to a statement from the manufacturer. The tank, originally painted in desert camouflage for its appearance at IDEX 2025, was returned to Russia, repainted […] The post Russia sends exhibition T-90MS tank to frontline first appeared on Defence Blog.View the full article

China’s state-owned land systems manufacturer Norinco has developed a compact, lightweight Yitian air-defence vehicle built on a 4×4 off-road Yema chassis. The system pairs an armored vehicle for the crew compartment with launchers modified for TY-90–type missiles intended to intercept low- and ultra-low-altitude helicopters, unmanned aircraft and high-speed cruise missiles. The Yitian is designed for […] The post China develops new lightweight air defense vehicle first appeared on Defence Blog.View the full article

The Japan Air Self-Defense Force (JASDF) hosted Indian Air Force (IAF) Su-30MKI pilots at Komatsu Air Base. According to a post by the JASDF’s Public Affairs Office, the visiting Indian pilots participated in professional exchanges with Japan’s Air Tactics Development Squadron pilots and took part in an orientation flight aboard a JASDF F-15 fighter. The […]View the full article

SummaryIn this conversation, Chris Brose, President and Chief Strategy Officer of Anduril, discusses the company’s mission to revolutionize defense technology by integrating commercial innovations into military applications. He emphasizes the need for mass-producible military capabilities, the importance of adaptability in modern warfare, and the challenges posed by the current U.S. acquisition system. Brose also highlights the significance of collaborative combat systems and international partnerships, particularly through the Ghost Shark program with the Australian Navy. He expresses optimism about the future of U.S. defense, advocating for a shift towards a more agile …

Despite acquiring hundreds of M1 Abrams main battle tanks over the past two years, Poland currently lacks the infrastructure to maintain the fleet’s gas turbine engines—a critical shortfall that defense officials now acknowledge was not fully addressed during the procurement process. In an interview with Gazeta Prawna, Dr. Jacek Goszczyński, Director of Military Aviation Plant […] The post Poland faces Abrams engine maintenance gap first appeared on Defence Blog.View the full article

Ukrainian long-range strike drones hit targets overnight at the Smolensk Aircraft Plant (SmAZ), Russia’s major producer of air-launched precision-guided munitions. According to Ukrainian defense sources, the attack was carried out by long-range unmanned aerial vehicles operated by the Ukrainian Defense Forces. The strike reportedly targeted facilities within the Smolensk Aircraft Plant complex, which is operated […] The post Russian missile plant damaged in drone attack first appeared on Defence Blog.View the full article

Americas HDT Global has confirmed the selection of its Hunter Wolf 6×6 unmanned ground system for trials under the US Army’s Small Multipurpose Equipment Transport (S-MET) program. S-MET is an ongoing effort to integrate modern autonomous platforms into service, decreasing risks to warfighters deployed in austere environments. Austal USA has launched the construction of a new submarine module production center in Mobile, Alabama, to further support the US Navy’s submarine programs. The future indoor facility will support the US Navy’s plan to obtain one Columbia-class and two Virginia-class submarines annually, according to the company. It will encompass 369,600 square fe…

Americas Insitu Inc. won a $84 million modification, which increases the contract ceiling to procure six RQ-21A and 20 ScanEagle unmanned air vehicles (UAS) including payloads and turrets; support equipment; spares and special tooling. Additionally, this modification procures services to include training, site surveys, engineering and technical and repair of repairable in support of the […]View the full article

Austal Team Trimaran LCS Design (click to enlarge) Exploit simplicity, numbers, the pace of technology development in electronics and robotics, and fast reconfiguration. That was the US Navy’s idea for the low-end backbone of its future surface combatant fleet. Inspired by successful experiments like Denmark’s Standard Flex ships, the US Navy’s $35+ billion “Littoral Combat Ship” program was intended to create a new generation of affordable surface combatants that could operate in dangerous shallow and near-shore environments, while remaining affordable and capable throughout their lifetimes. It hasn’t worked that way. In practice, the Navy hasn’t been able to reconcile w…

Americas Mercury Mission won a $14 million modification, which exercises an option for the production and delivery of 121 high-definition video recorders (109 for the Navy and 12 for Australia), in support of F/A-18C-F and EA-18G aircraft retrofit efforts. Work will be performed in Torrance, California, and is expected to be completed in July 2027. The contract being modified was not competed. Naval Air Systems Command, Patuxent River, Maryland, is the contracting activity. Lockheed Martin won a $16 million modification, which increases the contract ceiling to provide overrun funding for diminishing manufacturing sources non-recurring engineering and associated materials …

The Senate Armed Services Committee has published the advance policy questions, with answers, for the nominee for appointment to be our next Chief of Naval Operations, Admiral Daryl L. Caudle, USN. If you want to know where he stands or where the center-mass of consensus thinking on topics are, this is about as good of a source as any. Yes, there is a fair bit of boilerplate, but there are some solid answers as well. Even better, it is a serious set of questions. I did word searches for some of the socio-political garbage previous CNOs invested their personal capital in, and none of it is there. To keep things short, I do have a list of Top-5 quotes for you to consider.…

Americas The US Navy together with Raytheon successfully test fired another round of Excalibur N5 munitions, the company announced on Monday. The Raytheon Excalibur N5 is a 5-inch or 127mm artillery projectile intended for use by surface warships utilizing 127mm cannons such as the Mk 45 naval gun system. The N5 is the naval variant […]View the full article

Russian defense manufacturer Uralvagonzavod (UVZ) has released new footage of its BMPT Terminator armored fighting vehicle in action. The promotional video, intended to highlight the platform’s firepower, instead reignited controversy after viewers noticed visible vibration in the twin 30mm 2A42 autocannons during firing, prompting questions about accuracy and stabilization. The Terminator, developed to support tanks […]View the full article

Americas Lockheed Martin won a $25 million modification to keep working on the AEGIS system for ships. This work includes keeping the system running well, making sure all parts work together, writing instructions and helping people use it. The Navy office in Washington, D.C. that handles ship-related contracts gave them this extra work on January 30, 2025. Lockheed Martin got $383 million to make a new version of the Trident II D5 for the US Navy. This new missile, called D5LE2, is supposed to work until 2084. It will be used on new submarines called Columbia-class, which will replace older Ohio-class submarines. Jerry Mamrol, Lockheed Martin VP, said this upgraded missil…