Raw Intel

Americas The US government has given Lockheed Martin a big job worth up to $2.81 billion to improve the THAAD missile defense system. This work will continue for 10 years, from February 2025 to January 2035. The company will upgrade THAAD’s hardware and software, test these improvements, and start putting them into use.Most of this work will happen in Sunnyvale, California, and Dallas, Texas. THAAD is a powerful weapon that can stop different types of incoming missiles. It works by hitting these missiles directly, destroying them before they can reach their targets. This system is important for protecting areas from missile attack. The US Air Force has given BioFlyte, a c…

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 Sikorsky Aircraft won a $120 million modification, which adds scope to procure additional long-lead time materials to support 21 full rate production, Lot Nine, CH-53K King Stallion aircraft. Work will be performed in Stratford, Connecticut, and is expected to be completed in March 2025. Naval Air Systems Command, Patuxent River, Maryland, is the contracting activity. The US Army has demonstrated the capabilities of nine of its counter-small unmanned aerial systems (C-sUAS) against more than 40 aerial targets. Described by the service as its “most challenging counter-drone systems test to date,” the test aimed to evaluate the command-and-control capabilities of i…

The United States has intensified the use of its tethered aerostat radar system operating out of Lajas, Puerto Rico, expanding persistent airborne surveillance across the Caribbean amid growing regional security concerns. The long-standing system, equipped with the Lockheed Martin–built Tethered Aerostat Radar System (TARS), has been flying more frequently in recent weeks, according to defense […]View the full article

Americas Saab Inc. won an $8 million firm-fixed-price modification to previously awarded contract to exercise options for fiscal 2025 MK 9 production efforts. Work is expected to be completed by March 2027. Fiscal 2025 shipbuilding and conversion (Navy) funds in the amount of $8,097,844 were obligated at the time of award and will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. Naval Sea Systems Command, Washington, DC, is the contracting activity. General Atomics has tested the Gray Eagle Extended Range (GE-ER) drone using the Proliferated Low Earth Orbit (PLEO) satellite network for aircraft communications under a US Army contract. The company has completed two GE-ER …

Japan’s Ministry of Defense announced on Oct. 7 that it has signed two major contracts with Mitsubishi Heavy Industries to begin mass production of a new submarine-launched cruise missile and a ship-launched, extended-range variant of the Type 12 anti-ship missile. The ministry said the first contract, signed Sept. 1 and valued at roughly ¥2.9 billion […] The post Japan develops 1,500 km-range submarine-launched missile first appeared on Defence Blog.View the full article

Americas Canada’s procurement of National Advanced Surface-to-Air Missile Systems (NASAMS) is showing signs of advancement following earlier setbacks. The $406 million purchase, initially announced in January 2023, is now on track for delivery in early 2025, marking a significant step forward in bolstering Ukraine’s defensive arsenal. Defense Minister Bill Blair recently provided an optimistic update on the situation, highlighting that despite initial delays in fund transfer, the procurement process is now moving ahead steadily. The minister emphasized that the four-month lag between the announcement and the execution of funds did not materially impact the overall timelin…

Sikorsky has debuted its new U-Hawk prototype cargo drone, a fully autonomous utility aircraft developed from the UH-60L Black Hawk, at the Association of the United States Army (AUSA) 2025 exposition. The system eliminates the cockpit, expands internal cargo space, and is designed to conduct long-range, uncrewed missions using tablet-based operator control. According to the […] The post Sikorsky cuts cockpit, turns Black Hawk into drone first appeared on Defence Blog.View the full article

BAMS Operation Concept (click to view full) The world’s P-3 Orion fleets have served for a long time, and many are reaching the end of their lifespans. In the USA, and possibly beyond, the new P-8 Poseidon Multi-mission Maritime Aircraft will take up the P-3’s role. While the P-8’s base 737-based airframe offers strong service […]View the full article

Rumors surrounding China’s next-generation missile defense system have materialized into reality. During rehearsals for an upcoming military parade in Beijing, launch vehicles carrying the newly designated HQ-29 were observed for the first time. Until now, the HQ-29 existed only in speculation, fueled by scattered photographs and analysis on Chinese social media. A week ago, images […] The post China debuts HQ-29 “Satellite Hunter” system first appeared on Defence Blog.View the full article

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.…

At U.S. Marine Corps Base Quantico last week, Global Military Products and Polaris Government and Defense joined a live-fire event showcasing the Scorpion Light mobile mortar system, also known internationally as the Alakran. The demonstration took place during the Marine Gunners Symposium and was observed by a group of Marine gunners. The Scorpion Light system, […] The post U.S. Marine Corps tests Scorpion light mortar system first appeared on Defence Blog.View the full article

Americas Lockheed Martin won an $11 million modification for continued flight testing in support of the F-16 Singapore upgrade program. Work will be performed in Fort Worth, Texas, and is expected to be completed by January 29, 2027. FMS funds in the amount of $11,162,208 will be obligated at the time of award. The Air Force Life Cycle Management Center, Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio, is the contracting activity. Textron Aviation has secured a contract to deliver seven Beechcraft King Air 260 multi-engine aircraft for the Royal Canadian Air Force’s (RCAF) Future Aircrew Training (FAcT) program. The planes will replace the military’s Beechcraft King Air C-90B fleet…

The U.S. Army has awarded Dynetics Inc., based in Huntsville, Alabama, a new $264.6 million contract to advance its Indirect Fire Protection Capability (IFPC) weapon system, which is designed to counter a growing range of aerial threats including drones, cruise missiles, and rocket attacks on U.S. and allied infrastructure. According to a release from the […] The post US Army awards Dynetics new contract for IFPC air defense system first appeared on Defence Blog.View the full article

The Falkland Island War. 1982. HMS COVENTRY (D118) from peacetime to sinking. First things first; don't let the fact this was 43 years ago fool you. Even though it is as far away from today as the events below were to the start of WWII in Europe, from a technology standpoint, the fundamentals are the same and the challenge is greater. There are two big takeaways from this story that still require our attention today. From the outstanding Sea of Fire that you will find at the bottom of the post, this story should be seen by anyone who goes to sea. I want you to focus on two things though. Two things, IMAO, that get fairy-dusted, happy-talked, best-cased, and downright i…

Russia is increasingly fielding its Su-57 Felon stealth fighter jets in combat operations against Ukraine, according to multiple sources, including the aviation-focused community “Sonyashnyk,” which is closely linked to Ukrainian military observers. The reports suggest a shift in both the intensity and sophistication of Su-57 employment. Russian forces are reportedly refining armament options and testing […] The post Russia expands use of Su-57 fighter in Ukraine first appeared on Defence Blog.View the full article

Americas Boeing won a $27.6 million modification to a cost-plus-fixed-fee-order against a previously issued basic ordering agreement. This modification exercises an option to procure three retrofit A-Kits for 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 (9.5%), and is expected to be completed October 2026. Naval Air Systems Command, Patuxent River, Maryland, is the contracting activity. Lockheed Martin has been awarded a $130-million contract modification to ramp up the production of Joint Air-to-Surfa…

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

Americas RTX subsidiary Pratt & Whitney has been awarded a $1.3 billion contract to continue maturing the F135 Engine Core Upgrade. The contract includes ”design, analysis, rig testing, engine test preparation, developmental hardware, test asset assembly, air system integration, airworthiness evaluation, and product support planning,” a Department of Defense contract notice stated. Work is expected to be completed in March 2028. The US Navy has contracted Raytheon to develop an upgraded Next Generation Jammer Mid-Band (NGJ-MB) system. The NGJ-MB Expansion (NGJ-MBX) will provide a greater frequency range to counter additional threats. The $192-million development contr…

The U.S. Army has completed the retirement of its legacy aerial intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance turboprop fleet, ending more than five decades of continuous service as it pivots toward a jet-based future built around the High Accuracy Detection and Exploitation System, or HADES. For more than 50 years, aircraft such as Guardrail, Airborne Reconnaissance Low-Multifunction […]View the full article