Raw Intel

One of our guests on Episode 3 of Midrats was Bryan McGrath, CDR, USN (Ret.). Over the years he’s returned often, and has even graced us with the pleasure of a few guest posts here. As he’s let people know for years, he was going to retire for good at 60. True to his word, he hung it up a few weeks ago. Earlier this year before he got too focused on his figs and vines, I asked Bryan to come on for a broad-ranging conversation. We go live at 5pm Eastern this Sunday for a full hour with an old friend. You can join us at this link. If you are reading this after the show, check the Substack later on Sunday night and I’ll upload the podcast. A retired Naval Officer, Bryan spen…

The Canadian defense manufacturer Roshel has delivered more than 2,000 Senator armored vehicles to Ukraine since the start of Russia’s full-scale invasion, according to company CEO Roman Shimonov. The confirmation came in a public reply on X, where defense expert Jeff21461 asked Shimonov for an update on delivery figures, referencing a previous count of 1,700 […]View the full article

Six F-16 Fighting Falcons touched down in Argentina on Saturday morning, marking a major milestone in the modernization of the Argentine Air Force and the country’s return to supersonic combat aviation after more than a decade. The arrival was confirmed by the Argentine Air Force, which stated, “Mission accomplished: the F-16s have landed on Argentine […]View the full article

Vantor, a defense-focused geospatial technology firm based in Westminster, Colorado, has revealed a high-resolution 3D reconstruction of China’s Yulin Naval Base just hours after a satellite passed over the site. According to a post from the company, the terrain data was captured at 11:21 a.m. local time and processed into a detailed 3D model within […]View the full article

Russian President Vladimir Putin praised the T-90 tank family in an interview with India Today, calling it one of the best main battle tanks in the world and highlighting India’s domestic production of the platform. “India produces our famous T-90 tanks. Believe me when I say these tanks are considered among the best in the […]View the full article

General Dynamics Land Systems (GDLS) and AeroVironment (AV) have successfully demonstrated the integration of Switchblade loitering munitions into frontline combat platforms using a new modular launcher system known as PERCH. The Precision Effects & Reconnaissance, Canister-Housed (PERCH) system was tested at the U.S. Army’s Machine Assisted Rugged Sapper (MARS) event held at Fort Hood, Texas, […]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 officially selected the LST 100 design from Dutch shipbuilder Damen for its new class of Medium Landing Ships (LSM), a move aimed at accelerating delivery of critical littoral capabilities to naval forces. The announcement was made on December 5 by Secretary of the Navy John C. Phelan and marks a […]View the full article

Airbus and Saab are in early talks to develop an unmanned combat aircraft, according to company executives who spoke with Reuters during a recent European defense industry event. The discussions reflect both the rising interest in drone systems and shifting alliances across Europe’s fragmented defense industry. The project would explore drone aircraft designed to support […]View the full article

Castelion, a fast-moving defense technology firm founded by SpaceX alumni, announced it has raised $350 million in Series B funding to accelerate production of its Blackbeard hypersonic weapon and expand U.S. industrial capacity for next-generation munitions. The company says this funding will support construction of a large-scale manufacturing facility and operational integration with Army and […]View the full article

Chinese state broadcaster CCTV-7 has released footage of a previously unseen air defense system during a recent live-fire training exercise in the Gobi Desert. The system, likely a short-range air defense platform, was shown launching surface-to-air missiles in what appeared to be high-precision strike tests. The new complex features a modular launcher mounted on a […]View the full article

The United States State Department has approved a possible Foreign Military Sale (FMS) to the Government of Lebanon for Medium Tactical Vehicles and associated support, with an estimated cost of $90.5 million. The Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA) formally notified Congress of the proposed sale on December 5, 2025. According to DSCA, the Government of […]View the full article

The United States Navy’s Strategic Systems Programs (SSP) office has announced its intent to award a sole-source contract to General Dynamics Mission Systems (GDMS) for engineering and technical services supporting fire control systems for the nuclear‑armed, sea‑launched cruise missile (SLCM‑N) program. According to a presolicitation notice posted on December 4, the proposed agreement is being […]View the full article

The United States Army is seeking potential U.S.-based producers for a next-generation 155mm artillery projectile designed to replace aging stockpiles of Dual-Purpose Improved Conventional Munitions (DPICM). A sources sought notice, released by the Army Contracting Command-New Jersey on December 5, outlines the service’s effort to identify qualified manufacturers for the XM1208 Advanced Submunitions projectile. According […]View the full article

The State Department has approved two major Foreign Military Sales (FMS) to Denmark, authorizing the transfer of advanced U.S. air-to-air missiles and a ground-based air defense system with an estimated combined value of $3.73 billion. According to a press release from the Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA), Denmark has been cleared to purchase 200 AIM-120C-8 […]View the full article

BAE Systems has secured a new $198.4 million contract modification from the U.S. Army to produce an additional 240 Armored Multi-Purpose Vehicles (AMPVs). The award is a fixed-price-incentive modification to contract W56HZV-23-C-0024, and brings the total value of the agreement to just under $2.48 billion. The Army Contracting Command at Detroit Arsenal, Michigan, is managing […]View the full article

The U.S. State Department has approved a possible $301 million Foreign Military Sale to Italy for advanced long-range cruise missiles and associated support, according to a release from the Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA). Italy has requested to purchase 100 AGM-158B/B-2 Joint Air-to-Surface Standoff Missiles with Extended Range (JASSM-ER), along with encryption equipment, software, spare […]View the full article

Lockheed Martin has received a $1.14 billion contract modification from the Department of the Navy to fund long lead components for future production of F-35 fighter jets under Lots 20 and 21, the Pentagon announced. According to a release, the modification (P00005) to contract N0001925C0070 covers procurement of parts, materials, and components in support of […]View the full article

The State Department has approved a possible Foreign Military Sale to the Republic of Korea for an additional batch of GBU-39/B Small Diameter Bombs (SDB-I) and associated equipment, with a total estimated cost of $111.8 million. According to a press release from the Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA), the Republic of Korea has requested to […]View the full article

Teledyne FLIR Defense, a division of Teledyne Technologies Incorporated, has received a $42.5 million contract from the U.S. Marine Corps Systems Command under Delivery Order 3 of the Organic Precision Fires-Light (OPF-L) program, the company announced this week. According to a press release from Teledyne FLIR, the contract covers the delivery of more than 600 […]View the full article