Raw Intel

Dassault Rafale (click for cutaway view) Will Dassault’s fighter become a fashionably late fighter platform that builds on its parent company’s past successes – or just “the late Rafale”? It all began as a 1985 break-away from the multinational consortium that went on to create EADS’ Eurofighter. The French needed a lighter aircraft that was suitable for carrier use, and were reportedly unwilling to cede design authority over the project. As is so often true of French defense procurement policy, the choice came down to paying additional costs for full independence and exact needs, or losing key industrial capabilities by partnering or buying abroad. France has generally o…

Turkish defense company Uludoğan has completed development of a new nano-class unmanned aerial system, the NanoAlp, designed to deliver close-range reconnaissance in contested environments. With an overall length of just 25 centimeters, the helicopter-type micro drone is scheduled to enter serial production in the third quarter of 2025, the company confirmed. According to Uludoğan, the […] The post Turkish firm develops micro recon drone first appeared on Defence Blog.View the full article

Thailand’s Army has confirmed a direct tank engagement with Cambodian armored forces during recent fighting along the Thai-Cambodian border, after videos circulated on social media showing a Thai M48A5 tank engaging multiple Cambodian T-55 tanks. The footage was first published by Thai sources on social media, showing a Thai Army M48A5 main battle tank firing […]View the full article

As the UK Ministry of Defence prepares to replace its aging SA80 rifle family, Heckler & Koch UK is making the case for its participation in Project Grayburn. In a recent interview with Calibre Defence, company CEO Paul McDonald discussed the firm’s current work supporting the SA80 platform and its readiness to contribute to the […] The post Heckler & Koch pursues British Army rifle contract 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…

Alaskan Command and the Canadian Armed Forces completed a multi-day joint maritime operation in the Bering Sea earlier this month, showcasing the growing importance of bi-national coordination and air-sea integration in the defense of the Arctic region. From September 3 to 5, 2025, U.S. and Canadian forces carried out combined joint maritime operations under the […] The post U.S. and Canadian forces conduct Arctic strike exercise first appeared on Defence Blog.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…

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…

Americas Raytheon won a $1 billion deal to procure and deliver a quantity up to 55 SM-3 Block IB All-Up Rounds that are manufactured, assembled, and tested in accordance with the SM-3 Block IB specifications. The work will be performed in Tucson, Arizona and Huntsville, Alabama with an expected completion date of March 31, 2031. The period of performance is from May 16, 2025, through March 31, 2031. The Missile Defense Agency, Huntsville, Alabama, is the contracting activity. Atlantic Diving Supply, ASRC Federal Facilities Logistics LLC, Culmen International LLC, Fairwinds Technologies LLC, S&K Aerospace LLC and SupplyCore LLC won a $5 billion firm-fixed-price, indef…

South Korea’s Marine Corps is set to introduce its first vessel since the force was founded. The Marine Corps and the Defense Acquisition Program Administration said on the afternoon of the 11th that they will hold a launching ceremony for the High-Speed Combat Boat (HCB-001), named Marlin, at the Gangnam Shipyard in Saha-gu, Busan. According […]View the full article

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

Americas The Swiss Federal Office for Armaments (armasuisse) has started delivery of 22 decommissioned F-5E/F Tiger II fighter jets to the United States. The first aircraft was picked up by the United States Marine Corps (USMC) on March 18 from Emmen Air Force Station aboard a Lockheed KC-130J transport aircraft. The sale, finalized in 2020, […]View the full article

Americas R&M Government Services, Las Cruces, New Mexico, has been awarded a maximum $9.9 million firm-fixed-price, indefinite-quantity contract for KC135 aircraft fastener parts kits. This was a competitive acquisition with two responses received. This is a five-year contract with no option periods. The performance completion date is June 15, 2030. Using military services are Army, Navy and Air Force. Type of appropriation is fiscal 2025 through 2030 defense working capital funds. The contracting activity is the Defense Logistics Agency Aviation, Richmond, Virginia (SPE4A7-25-D-0257). The US Army has contracted American Rheinmetall to supply M1 Abrams main battle tan…

China is developing a new generation of armored vehicle technology that uses augmented reality (AR) headsets to enhance crew awareness and combat performance. The systems, linked to external cameras and sensors mounted on tanks and infantry fighting vehicles, provide crews with a real-time, 360-degree view of the battlefield. According to reports, the AR headsets project […] The post China develops AR headsets for tank crews first appeared on Defence Blog.View the full article

Raytheon Missile Defense has secured a new U.S. Army contract worth more than half a billion dollars to produce Stinger surface-to-air missiles, ancillary equipment, and associated support through 2031. The $578 million agreement, awarded to Raytheon’s facility in Tucson, Arizona, was announced this week by the Department of War. Bids for the program were solicited […] The post U.S. Army places new order for Stinger missiles 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 Northrop Grumman won a $119 million long-term, requirements contract for the repair of 17 weapon replaceable assemblies and shop replaceable assemblies in support of the E-2 aircrafts. Work will take place in Syracuse, New York; Duluth, Georgia; Woodland Hills, California (4%); Burnsville, Minnesota; and Ronkonkoma, New York. No funds will be obligated at time […]View the full article

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…

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…

Americas Raytheon won a $117 million modification to exercise an option and provide funding for manufacturing, assembly, test and delivery of Standard Missile-6 (SM-6) Tactical All-Up Rounds in support of full rate production requirements. Work is expected to be completed by April 2029. Fiscal 2025 weapons procurement (Navy) funding in the amount of $117,066,704 was obligated at 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. The US Space Force announced more than $13.5 billion in launch contracts Friday to SpaceX, United Launch Alliance and Blue Origin for missions that will …