Raw Intel

SM-2 Launch, DDG-77 (click to view larger) Variants of the SM-2 Standard missile are the USA’s primary fleet defense anti-air weapon, and serve with 13 navies worldwide. The most common variant is the RIM-66K-L/ SM-2 Standard Block IIIB, which entered service in 1998. The Standard family extends far beyond the SM-2 missile, however; several nations still use the SM-1, the SM-3 is rising to international prominence as a missile defense weapon, and the SM-6 program is on track to supplement the SM-2. These missiles are designed to be paired with the AEGIS radar and combat system, but can be employed independently by ships with older or newer radar systems. This article cove…

Americas Lockheed Martin Corp won a $3 billion modification to provide continued logistics support to include ground maintenance activities, action request solution, depot activities, automatic logistics information system operations and maintenance, reliability and maintainability, supply chain management, pilot training, maintainer training, and training system sustainment in support of delivered F-35 Lightning II Joint Strike Fighter Air Systems for the Air Force, Marine Corps, Navy, Foreign Military Sales (FMS) customers, and non-Department of Defense (DOD) program partners . The contract being modified was not competed. Naval Air Systems Command, Patuxent River, Mary…

Americas The US Department of Defense (DoD) has awarded a $982 million contract to 49 defense and technology firms to develop systems for its current and future unmanned surface vehicles (USV). Saab, Anduril Industries, Bollinger Shipyards, Teledyne FLIR, and General Atomics headline the list of chosen contractors. Marinette Marine Corp., Honeywell International, Leonardo Electronics, and Microsoft Corp. are also contract recipients. California Air National Guard’s 144th Fighter Wing (144 FW) recently hosted Marine Fighter Attack Squadron 211 (VMFA-211) for a joint training exercise focused on fighter integration. The F-35B Lightning IIs from Arizona arrived at Fresno Air…

Americas The US Navy has accepted the 72nd Arleigh Burke-class destroyer from Bath Iron Works as part of a deal awarded in 2013. The USS John Basilone is a Flight IIA guided missile destroyer incorporating an advanced mine countermeasure solution, helicopter hangars, blast-hardened bulkheads, and additional electronic and networked systems. A keel-laying ceremony for the ship was held in 2020, followed by its christening two years later. In June 2024, during a joint training exercise at RAAF Base Tindal, Australia, two United States Marine Corps (USMC) F-35B pilots from Marine Fighter Attack Squadron (VMFA) 214 successfully flew Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) F-35A air…

North Korea has unveiled a new generation of military technologies — including weapons systems with integrated artificial intelligence and a previously unseen tracked air defense platform — during a major defense exhibition in Pyongyang. The event, titled “Defense Development 2025,” was reported by the Korean Central Telegraph Agency (KCNA) and featured a speech by North […] The post North Korea unveils new short-range air defense system first appeared on Defence Blog.View the full article

Americas The Mayor of Iwakuni, Yoshihiko Fukuda, has agreed to the US Navy’s deployment of CMV-22 Osprey aircraft at Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni, marking the first stationing of this tilt-rotor variant in his city. The decision aligns with a broader realignment of U.S. military assets in the region, which includes the rotation of aircraft carriers and the introduction of F-35C stealth fighter jets. This deployment will add to the existing Osprey presence in Japan, complementing the Marine Corps’ MV-22s at Futenma air base in Okinawa and the Air Force’s CV-22s operating from Yokota base near Tokyo. Mayor Fukuda’s acceptance comes amid lingering safety concerns surroun…

Americas Airbus and Shield AI have signed an agreement to integrate autonomous pilot technology into the MQ-72C Logistics Connector unmanned aerial system. The teaming includes compatibility trials of Shield AI’s flagship artificial intelligence software “Hivemind” with Airbus’ Helionix advanced avionics suite to operate the MQ-72C. The evaluation will focus on levels of autonomy to deploy the aircraft with minimal human intervention, with the tests to include complex unmanned operations in contested logistics settings. The Golden Dome missile-defense vision is turning up the heat on a long-running fight between the Pentagon and the telecommunications industry for control…

Americas Boeing won a $129.2 million contract for the F-15 Japan Super Interceptor program. This contract provides for the Japan Air Self-Defense Force to incorporate engineering change proposals. Work will be performed in St. Louis, Missouri; Eglin Air Force Base, Florida; El Segundo, California; and Hunt Valley, Maryland, and is expected to be completed by Jan. 31, 2030. The Air Force Life Cycle Management Center, Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio, is the contracting activity. Raytheon won a $185 million delivery order for the repair, upgrade, or replacement of 160 parts in two of the 13 major subsystems of the Aegis Weapon System: the MK99 fire control system, and the Army Na…

Lockheed Martin has secured a $233 million contract to deliver its IRST21 Block II infrared search and track systems, along with initial spares, to the U.S. Navy and Air National Guard. The award supports deployment across multiple fighter platforms and follows the Navy’s recent declaration of Initial Operational Capability for the sensor. The IRST21 Block […] The post Lockheed wins $233M deal for advanced IRST sensors first appeared on Defence Blog.View the full article

India’s Ministry of Defence announced on Wednesday that the Defence Research and Development Organisation has successfully completed user evaluation trials of the Next Generation Akash surface-to-air missile system. According to the Ministry of Defence, the Akash-NG missile system demonstrated high accuracy against a range of aerial threats during the trials. These included high-speed targets, low-altitude […]View the full article

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

U.S. Marines are testing the next generation of battlefield logistics with the Tactical Resupply Unmanned Air System (TRUAS), a heavy-lift cargo drone designed to deliver critical supplies directly to small units in remote and contested environments. Marines with Combat Logistics Battalion 7, Combat Logistics Regiment 1, 1st Marine Logistics Group conducted field trials of the […] The post U.S. Marines push TRUAS drone to its limits in resupply tests first appeared on Defence Blog.View the full article

Americas Canada’s promised $400 million National Advanced Surface-to-Air Missile System (NASAMS) for Ukraine remains grounded, with delivery shrouded in uncertainty. While the Liberal government touted the acquisition in January 2023, National Defence now admits plans are still being worked out with the United States, including crucial details like delivery timelines. Crew Training International won a […]View the full article

Show LinksIan Ellis’s outline of Caribbean U.S. Navy deployment The Melting Point: High Command and War in the 21st Century, by Kenneth F. McKenzie SummaryIn this conversation, Sal discusses various geopolitical issues, including a potential peace deal in Israel and Gaza, the implications of Iran’s weakened position, reflections on General McKenzie’s book… Read more View the full article

Amercias The US Army is exploring a significant acceleration in the production of 3D-printed drones capable of replicating the capabilities and behaviors of enemy systems. The push comes as the army anticipates the rollout of a program aimed at rapidly developing low-cost target drones for training exercises. According to Gen. James Rainey, head of Army Futures Command, there is a critical need to simulate unmanned aerial system (UAS) threats, particularly for preparing platoons to counter drone swarms. Conti Federal has completed the modernization of an F-35 sustainment facility at Naval Air Station Joint Reserve Base (NASJRB) in Fort Worth, Texas. The Maintenance Hangar…

Russia is attempting to renew interest in foreign orders for its Su-57 fighter aircraft, releasing new promotional material showing the jet’s internal weapons bays and air-to-air missiles ahead of the Dubai Airshow 2025. The video was published by United Aircraft Corporation (UAC), part of the Rostec state defense conglomerate, and highlights the Su-57 Felon’s concealed […]View the full article

Americas Northrop Grumman has inked a $244-million deal with the US Space Force (USSF) to build advanced relay ground stations in the US and UK to expand the coverage of critical missile warning and tracking satellites. The ground stations will support the Next-Generation Overhead Persistent Infrared (Next-Gen OPIR) program, which seeks to establish satellite constellations that detect and track missile launches and potential attacks. The US Army has taken delivery of its fourth CH-47F Chinook Block II heavy-lift helicopter from Boeing as part of a contract signed in 2021. The deal, which ordered nine aircraft, is part of the army’s goal to modernize its airborne transpor…

Ukraine has presented a new generation of robotic warfare with the debut of the VATAG heavy uncrewed ground vehicle (H-UGV), unveiled at the Brave1 Defense Tech Valley 2025 summit on September 16. According to Defense Express, the system integrates artificial intelligence and advanced control technologies to perform a wide spectrum of battlefield missions. The VATAG […] The post Ukraine unveils AI-driven heavy ground robot first appeared on Defence Blog.View the full article

Americas Pratt & Whitney won a $9 million delivery order against a five-year basic ordering agreement for F100 engine case diffusers. This was a sole-source acquisition using justification 10 U.S. Code 2304 (c)(1), as stated in Federal Acquisition Regulation 6.302-1. The delivery order end date is December 31, 2027. Using military service is Air Force. […]View the full article

Americas The US Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) seeks to develop quantum sensors for moving military platforms. Quantum sensors use quantum mechanics to sense minute variances in motion and electric and magnetic fields, achieving greater accuracy than conventional sensors. In technical terms, they extract information from individual atoms rather than from a collection of atoms and are less vulnerable to signal jamming and other electromagnetic interference that traditional light- and sound-based data sensors are vulnerable to. The Marine Corps has awarded Forterra a contract to integrate its autonomy package on the Remotely Operated Ground Unit for Exped…