Raw Intel

Let’s catch up to an old topic we had a pleasant return to back in July, thanks to our friends the Japanese. Every little step gets you closer. According to ATLA, the railgun, mounted on the JMSDF’s test ship Asuka, successfully carried out long-range firings and the shooting at a target ship during the trials. The tests of the gun were conducted with the cooperation of the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force (JMSDF). The photos show the moment of the target ship being aimed at, as well as that of the railgun firing, using the Asuka. The fire control system is also visible next to the railgun. ATLA said details of the tests will be reported at its “ATLA Technological Sympos…

The U.S. Army has deployed its C100 unmanned aircraft system (UAS) during Joint Pacific Multinational Readiness Center (JPMRC) 26-01 in Hawaii, highlighting efforts to integrate next-generation reconnaissance drones into complex multinational training operations across jungle and archipelagic terrain. The C100, assigned to the Multi-Functional Reconnaissance Company of the 2nd Battalion, 27th Infantry Regiment, was launched […]View the full article

Polish defense company Mesko, in partnership with France’s Eurenco, has announced the start of production of modular propelling charges for 155 mm artillery. The new assembly line is located in Pionki, Poland, and is expected to produce up to 100,000 charges annually. The development was reported by Adam Swierkowski of Defence24. The project began in […] The post Poland begins 155mm artillery charge production first appeared on Defence Blog.View the full article

Americas North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) conducted a series of intercepts involving Russian and Chinese military aircraft operating within the Alaska Air Defense Identification Zone (ADIZ) on July 24. Two Russian Tu-95MS and two Chinese H-6K aircraft were detected, tracked, and intercepted by NORAD fighter jets from the United States and Canada. While operating in international airspace, their presence within the ADIZ necessitated a response from NORAD which dispatched F-16, F-35 and CF-18 fighter aircraft. Raytheon won a $325 million ceiling increase modification for the StormBreaker® Small Diameter Bomb Increment II (SDB II, GBU-53/B). The modification …

British unmanned systems developer Evolve Dynamics has introduced a new tethered drone solution designed to deliver continuous, jam-resistant aerial surveillance for up to 48 hours. The new system, called Infinity Tether, is compatible with the company’s Sky Mantis 2 and Wolfe unmanned aerial systems (UAS) and is engineered to provide persistent overwatch, perimeter security, and […] The post UK drone maker introduces jam-resistant surveillance system 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…

Americas Northrop Grumman Systems won a $25.7 million modification to previously awarded contract to manufacture and provide target systems for Intermediate Range Ballistic Missiles (IRBM) and Intercontinental Ballistic Missiles (ICBM), including the necessary execution, analysis, services and support thereof. Under this modification, this period will include the completion and execution of flight tests, planning and analysis for new test object development, and integration of the IRBM/ICBM targets and integrated logistics support. The work will be performed in Chandler, Arizona; and Redstone Arsenal, Alabama. The performance period is from Jan. 1, 2026, to Sept. 30, 2026…

Show LinksGaza COA Decision Brief, 11 October, 2023 We're Burning Another Amphib: this time the USS New Orleans (LPD 18) The Melting Point: High Command and War in the 21st Century, by Kenneth F. McKenzie Longstreet: The Confederate General Who Defied the South Hardcover, by Elizabeth Varon (Author) SummaryIn this episode, Sal discusses various pressing top… Read more View the full article

Americas The US Missile Defense Agency has successfully conducted its first flight test of the Long Range Discrimination Radar (LRDR) at the Clear Space Force Station in Alaska, around two years after its original schedule. In the Flight Test Other-26a (FTX-26a), the LRDR and the Upgraded Early Warning Radar tracked a live intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) representative target that traveled over 2,000 kilometers (1,243 miles) off Alaska’s southern coast. Saab has selected Anduril to produce solid rocket motors (SRMs) for the Ground-Launched Small Diameter Bomb (GLSDB), a system developed in partnership with Boeing. Anduril’s new solid rocket motor will replace t…

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…

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…

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…

Japan’s Defense Minister Shinjiro Koizumi has suggested that Tokyo may move toward easing restrictions on the export of defense equipment to nations involved in armed conflicts, signaling a potential policy shift in the country’s long-standing arms transfer framework. Speaking on October 27 during a YouTube program titled “Sokomade Kikitai!!” hosted by Osamu Sorimachi, Koizumi said, […]View the full article

BIRD Aerosystems has secured a new contract from the Israeli Ministry of Defense to develop and deliver an upgraded Airborne Missile Protection System (AMPS) for integration onto the Israeli Air Force’s AH-64 Apache attack helicopters, the company announced on September 8. The contract, issued through the Directorate of Defense Research & Development (DDR&D), includes development, […] The post Israel to equip Apache helicopters with new missile defense system first appeared on Defence Blog.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

Americas Bell Boeing Joint Project Office in Amarillo, Texas, has received an $18.3 million contract change to support additional repairs and upgrades for the Marine Corps’ MV-22 Osprey aircraft. The work is part of a program to modernize and maintain the aircraft’s readiness. Repairs will be carried out in Ridley Park, Pennsylvania, and are expected to finish by July 2026. The funding includes money from both the Navy’s 2024 and 2025 aircraft procurement and operations budgets. A total of $226,800 from this year’s budget will expire if not used by the end of the fiscal year. The contract was awarded without competition by the Naval Air Systems Command in Patuxent River, …

Americas The US Army has chosen Picogrid’s Legion software to address a persistent challenge on the battlefield: connecting military systems that struggle to communicate effectively with one another. The platform ingests data from a range of sources, including legacy equipment, modern sensors, and weapon systems, and integrates it into tools like the Tactical Awareness Kit (TAK), the army’s primary coordination app. This results in a more complete, real-time view of the battlefield that supports both faster decision-making and tighter coordination among dispersed units. In a bid to fast-track the deployment of battlefield-ready AI, Lockheed Martin has launched a virtual p…

Electronic Warfare (EW) has become one of the most decisive tools in modern drone warfare, with jamming now shaping battlefields from Ukraine to Israel’s borders. Aviv Bar Zohar, a leading counter-UAS expert, told Defence Blog that while current EW systems disrupt or disable most GPS-based drones, new navigation technologies are beginning to challenge that advantage. […] The post Expert: Jamming dominates, but drones adapt first appeared on Defence Blog.View the full article

With more news breaking since our BB-in-the-News Substack last week, we might as well start the week on the topic. In case you missed it, in Friday’s WSJ, Lara Seligman and Alexander Ward let us know there is more in the wind than just our friend John Konrad’s pleadings. Senior White House and Navy officials are in early discussions to replace the current mix of warships … The new fleet would comprise a number of large warships outfitted with more powerful long-range missiles, along with smaller ships such as corvettes, the people said. The Navy has 287 ships in its current inventory, mostly destroyers, cruisers, aircraft carriers, amphibious ships and submarines. A new …

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