Raw Intel

The U.S. Air Force’s newest light attack and reconnaissance aircraft, the OA-1K Skyraider II, is undergoing developmental testing at Eglin Air Force Base as part of its path toward operational service within Air Force Special Operations Command (AFSOC). According to the Air Force, the aircraft is being evaluated by the 96th Test Wing in partnership […] The post U.S. Air Force tests new Skyraider II attack aircraft first appeared on Defence Blog.View the full article

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The Swedish Air Force says its quick-reaction alert fighters identified a group of Russian long-range aircraft flying over the Baltic Sea on Thursday, as Moscow carried out a training mission involving Tu-22M3 bombers and escorting fighters. In a post published by the Swedish Air Force, the service stated: “Swedish QRA identified Russian Tu-22 bombers escorted […]View the full article

A new leak by the hacker group Black Mirror has exposed internal Russian documents detailing persistent technical problems with the Zhuk-ME radar system installed on the Indian Navy’s MiG-29K and MiG-29KUB carrier-based fighter jets. The document — titled “Report on the Reliability and Performance of the Zhuk-ME Radar in MiG-29K/KUB Aircraft of the Indian Navy” […] The post Leak exposes radar failures in India’s MiG-29K fighters first appeared on Defence Blog.View the full article

There is no better way to stay out of the summer heat than to take an hour to join us for a Midrats Podcast melee! Mark has my list of maritime and national security issues he wants to chat about, I have mine, and while we’re live you can join us in the chat room and propose your own. The best hour in national security returns live at 5pm Eastern this Sunday. You can join us at this link. If you miss the live show, check this page later Sunday on Substack and I’ll update with the podcast audio. See you soon! Leave a comment Share This Substack is reader-supported. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. View the full article

Americas Lockheed Martin Aeronautics in Fort Worth, Texas, has been awarded a $22.5 million contract change to continue its support for international partners in the F-35 Lightning II fighter jet program. The funding will go toward operating and maintaining special labs used by Australia, Canada, and the United Kingdom to reprogram their F-35 systems. This includes providing supplies and on-site technical support. Most of the work (80%) will be done in Eglin, Florida, with the rest (20%) in Fort Worth, Texas. The project is expected to finish by April 2026. The full amount is being funded by the participating countries, not the US Department of Defense. The contract was a…

The United States Air Force has issued a request for white papers to support the development of a new Counter-Air Missile Program, known as CAMP, seeking industry input to help shape a future acquisition plan. The announcement was posted by the Air Force Life Cycle Management Center’s Armament Directorate and is described as a planning […]View the full article

The Norwegian Armed Forces has signed a $4 million, four-year contract with Non-stop dogwear to supply specialized equipment for its military working dogs and handlers. The agreement will be executed through the company’s Non-stop professional division, which focuses on solutions for military, law enforcement, search and rescue, and other working professionals. According to a company […] The post Norway signs $4M deal for military dog gear first appeared on Defence Blog.View the full article

The Japanese Ministry of Defense is exploring the potential for low-cost, easily mounted drone munitions as part of a broader effort to expand its unmanned capabilities and accelerate the deployment of scalable, mass-produced strike systems. According to an October 14 announcement by the Ground Staff Office, the Ministry has issued a formal Request for Information […] The post Japan eyes cheap drone bombs for mass deployment first appeared on Defence Blog.View the full article

Russia has unveiled its newest multiple launch rocket system, the Sarma, a 300mm heavy launcher mounted on the KamAZ-63501 armored chassis. The system was displayed by the Motovilikha Plants during a recent visit by Vladimir Putin. According to information released at the event, the Sarma MLRS was developed as an evolution of the earlier KAMA […] The post Russia unveils new heavy rocket launcher first appeared on Defence Blog.View the full article

Gabler, a German defense company best known for its submarine technologies, has introduced concepts for two new uncrewed surface vessels (USVs) designed for torpedo tube launch. The announcement came on the opening day of the 27th DWT Naval Workshop in Dobbin-Linstow, where the company also revealed its updated corporate identity. The platforms, developed in partnership […] The post Gabler develops torpedo-tube launched uncrewed vessels first appeared on Defence Blog.View the full article

It has been six weeks since we started striking drug boats, and as we hit more, so are the objections rising to the surface. That is good. A free people should discuss and argue the point. Let’s pick up from the post linked to above. Before we start, I think we need to bring an item to the center of the conversation. It is the background to all that follows and a touchstone to all arguments. This, of course, does not include the deaths caused in the drug trade, the murder, torture, kidnapping, random violence and associated companion criminal enterprises both inside and outside the USA by those who feed the demand for drugs. So far this century, over 1 million Americans …

Germany is preparing to expand its future fleet of F127-class frigates, with current planning now pointing to as many as eight ships. Until recently, the expectation had been to procure five vessels with an option for a sixth. According to reporting from hartpunkt, sources familiar with the program now say eight ships are being considered. […] The post Germany set to buy eight new F127 frigates first appeared on Defence Blog.View the full article

Americas Sikorsky won a $375.9 million modification to provide full funding for UH-60M and HH-60M aircraft. Work will be performed in Stratford, Connecticut, with an estimated completion date of Dec. 31, 2027. Fiscal 2025 aircraft procurement, Army funds in the amount of $375,937,755 were obligated at the time of the award. Army Contracting Command, Redstone Arsenal, Alabama, is the contracting activity. Lockheed Martin has announced that its new Tactical Satellite, dubbed “TacSat,” will be launched in 2025 aboard a Firefly Aerospace Alpha rocket. The company plans to test TacSat in several exercises scheduled for next year, evaluating its performance for rapid deployment…

Americas Marvin Land Systems won a $14.7 million deal for M1 Abrams tank auxiliary power units. The ordering period end date is September 19, 2024. Using military service is Army. Type of appropriation is fiscal 2023 through 2024 Army working capital funds. The contracting activity is the Defense Logistics Agency Land and Maritime, Warren, Michigan. […]View the full article

Saronic Technologies has announced a strategic collaboration with NVIDIA aimed at accelerating the development of autonomous maritime systems and AI-driven shipbuilding. The partnership was disclosed on Friday in a company statement that outlined joint efforts to integrate NVIDIA’s advanced AI tools and compute platforms into Saronic’s naval technologies. “By combining Saronic’s deep expertise in maritime […] The post Saronic teams with NVIDIA on AI-powered ships first appeared on Defence Blog.View the full article

Taiwan’s Ministry of National Defense has raised concerns over the delayed delivery of 66 F-16V Block 70 fighter jets purchased from the United States, saying it may retain part of the project budget and demand compensation for what it calls “improper gains” resulting from the delay. At a Legislative Yuan session on October 28, Deputy […]View the full article

South Korea has finalized its national defense budget for 2026 at KRW 65.8642 trillion (approximately $44.7 billion), representing a 7.5% increase over the 2025 allocation, the Ministry of National Defense said on December 3. Although the original budget proposal submitted to the National Assembly anticipated an 8.2% increase, lawmakers reduced the final figure by KRW […]View the full article

Americas Austal USA has christened the US Navy’s sixth Navajo-class towing, salvage, and rescue vessel, the USNS Billy Frank Jr. (T-ATS 11), in Mobile, Alabama. The ceremony is part of a 10-ship development program to replace the force’s Powhatan-class ocean tugs and Safeguard-class rescue vessels, which have been operational since the 1980s. The new system was named after a Nisqually tribal member and Korean War veteran awarded the Albert Schweitzer Prize for humanitarianism, Martin Luther King Jr. Distinguished Service Award, and a Presidential Medal of Freedom for more than three decades of service to the Northwest Indian Fisheries Commission. Fairbanks Morse Defense a…

The United States Coast Guard has officially brought the medium icebreaker USCGC Storis (WAGB-21) into service at its Juneau, Alaska, base, marking the first acquisition of a new polar icebreaker in more than a quarter century. The ship was commissioned on August 10 as part of the Coast Guard’s effort to expand its polar fleet, […] The post USCG commissions first new polar icebreaker in 25 years first appeared on Defence Blog.View the full article