Raw Intel

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

Indulge me a bit to bring back one of my first FbF from 2006 about one of my favorite ships....and it is German. The Graf Spee. She had a short but glorious history, an epic wartime cruise, and fought a classic battle against an enemy as honorable as she was, and to this day she calls people to her grave. She still calls to some; well at least me. Look again at her stats. Range: 8,900 nautical miles at 20 knots (16,500 km at 37 km/h), or 19,000 nautical miles at 10 knots (35,000 km at 18.5 km/h). Plant: Eight 9-cylinder double-acting two-stroke MAN diesels two screws, 52,050 hp (40 MW). Guns: Six 11 inch (280 mm) guns in two triple turrets, eight 5.9 inch (150 mm) …

The Dragon 8×8 Infantry Fighting Vehicle program, once presented as the flagship modernization effort of Spain’s Army, is now facing mounting public criticism following repeated delays, integration failures, and unresolved technical issues. In a sharply worded op-ed titled “Detengan esto, por favor” (“Stop this, please”), defense commentator Jorge Estévez-Bujez calls for the complete shutdown of […] The post Defense analyst slams Spain’s Dragon vehicle program first appeared on Defence Blog.View the full article

Americas Oshkosh won a $792.4 million modification for a three-year extension to the family of Medium Tactical Vehicles A2 contract. Bids were solicited via the internet with one received. Work locations and funding will be determined with each order, with an estimated completion date of February 4, 2029. Army Contracting Command, Detroit Arsenal, Michigan, is the contracting activity. A new satellite antenna from US-based Kymeta can connect to Ku- and Ka-band networks at the same time, highlighting a technical first that could reshape how military platforms stay connected in the field. Until now, operating across two bands typically requires separate antennas, adding wei…

Americas The US Navy has provided upgrades to three Ticonderoga-class guided missile cruisers to extend their service life for 10 years from 2026 to 2029. Revealed by US Navy Secretary Carlos Del Toro, the modernization will sustain the American surface fleet’s capability as the force and industry partners build more advanced platforms. Selected vessels under this initiative are the USS Gettysburg (CG 64), USS Chosin (CG 65), and the USS Cape St. George (CG 71), which were all built in the 1980s. As part of the Army’s quest to boost weapons production, it is reestablishing TNT production on US soil, inking a deal to build out a new facility in Graham, Ky. “For the first t…

Americas General Dynamics Information Technology (GDIT) has signed a $580-million deal to maintain the security and readiness of US Army bases. This task order encompasses Integrated Base Defense Sustainment Support tasks required to preserve the operational availability of radars, sensors, and cameras that protect installations, their personnel, and infrastructure. A recent Atlantic Council report has sparked debate on how to prepare for simultaneous conflicts with China and North Korea. Based on tabletop exercises known as Guardian Tiger I and II, the report urges a sweeping overhaul of US command arrangements and alliance coordination. Middle East & Africa Israel’s…

Singapore seems to have made a solid decision here. They took the framework of the Danish Iver Huitfeldt and Absalon class frigates and customized the rest to meet their needs. That enabled them to do this: Now that the vessel is in the water, it will move to the Gul Yard for further outfitting, integration, and sea trials. It will then be formally commissioned. The six MRCVs are planned to be delivered progressively from 2028 onward. … The vessel was also built remarkably quickly, with just 12 months between keel laying and launch. This was aided by 3D modeling and digital twinning in the design phase. This meant that the MRCV could be ‘tested’ in a virtual environment a…

As Lockheed Martin faces growing scrutiny over its role in U.S. next-generation air dominance efforts, a defense industry source has issued a sharp rebuke of the company’s rumored strategy to develop a twin-engine derivative of the F-35, also known as F-55. The criticism comes amid fresh financial pressure on Lockheed, whose second-quarter 2025 earnings revealed […] The post Industry insider slams Lockheed’s F-55 as “repackaged failure” first appeared on Defence Blog.View the full article

At the Defence and Security Equipment International (DSEI) exhibition, Swedish fiber optics manufacturer Micropol introduced a new field-deployable solution designed to accelerate and simplify the testing of tactical fiber networks. The product, called OptiScan, is engineered specifically for rugged military and defense environments where communication uptime is critical. According to the company, OptiScan enables “fast […] The post Micropol debuts OptiScan for fast fiber testing first appeared on Defence Blog.View the full article

Uzbekistan’s armed forces conducted a live-fire air defense exercise using multiple Chinese-made surface-to-air missile systems. The exercise involved launches from three Chinese systems: the long-range FD-2000B, the medium-range KS-1C, and the short-range FM-90. All missiles were fired as part of an integrated air defense target practice aimed at training crews in detection, tracking, and engagement […]View the full article

A South Korean lawmaker is calling on the country’s Ministry of National Defense to remove remnants of Japanese military terminology still in use within the Republic of Korea Armed Forces. According to documentation submitted by the ministry, numerous terms originating from the Imperial Japanese Army remain embedded in daily military language—decades after the end of […] The post South Korean lawmaker pushes to eliminate Japanese military terms first appeared on Defence Blog.View the full article

Americas Raytheon won a $18 million deal that provides non-recurring engineering in support of providing a comprehensive and cost-effective redesign of the Tomahawk Fin Controller Electronics Unit Circuit Card Assemblies, as well as addressing parts obsolescence for the Navy and Foreign Military Sales customers. Work is expected to be completed in August 2028. This order was not competed. Naval Air Systems Command, Patuxent River, Maryland, is the contracting activity. Northrop Grumman won an $8.3 million deal for the procurement of 50 rudders in support of the F/A-18 aircraft. The delivery order does not include an option period. All work will be performed in El Segundo,…

Americas General Atomics Aeronautical Systems won a $27 million modification, which adds scope to provide for the development and integration of a Smart Sensor System capability, to include procurement of associated hardware and software in support of the successful operational capability for the MQ-9A Reaper Marine Air Ground Task Force Expeditionary Medium Altitude Long Endurance Unmanned Aerial System. Additionally, this modification procures spares for the Detect and Avoid System and Smart Sensor System. Work will be performed in Poway, California (60%); Patuxent River, Maryland (30%); and various locations outside the continental U.S. (10%), and is expected to be com…

Americas The US Army has officially closed its M10 Booker armored infantry support vehicle program, which had been set for full-rate production. The termination appears rooted in the tank’s design, which was conceptualized as a light, air-deployable system that eventually evolved into a heavier, less agile platform. The resolution comes after the US Department of Defense’s planned shift to a “leaner, more lethal force,” a large part of which is diverting investment priorities from “outdated, redundant, and inefficient” programs to modern initiatives. Swedish defense company Saab has announced a strategic partnership with General Atomics Aeronautical Systems to develop air…

Americas Silent Arrow has clinched a $1.8-million Direct to Phase II SBIR contract from the US Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) to build and test six CLS-200 drones. The CLS-200 is an unmanned aerial system (UAS) known as a Contested Logistics System designed to carry 227 kilograms over 230 miles/370 kilometers. The US Navy has commissioned the 14th Freedom-class littoral combat ship, the USS Nantucket (LCS 27), in Boston, Massachusetts. The event followed the vessel’s acceptance trials in 2022 and delivery in July 2024. Lockheed Martin and Fincantieri Marinette Marine began construction in 2017 as part of the US Department of Defense’s objective to modernize its wars…

Those who follow me on X know what is coming up. It predates by years the Russo-Ukrainian War for reasons we will dive into later. We are surrounded by error, but specifically here, the habit of NATO, Eurocrats, earnest North Americans, politicians, military personnel, media, and civilians trying to sound serious in the national security arena, constantly looking towards Russia in the east and calling it NATO’s eastern flank. I’m sorry, I don’t care how many times you say it, it simply isn’t. It is NATO’s eastern front. After an exchange earlier this month with The Economist’s (and Midrats Podcast alumnus) Defence Editor Shashank Joshi, I decided I needed to put this out…

German-based ARX Robotics has introduced its first combat-capable unmanned ground vehicle, developed with Ukrainian partners and designed to increase soldier survivability on the modern battlefield. According to a press release from ARX, the new system, called Combat Gereon, is built around the company’s “Unmanned First Contact” concept. The approach places unmanned platforms at the front […] The post ARX and Valhalla develop armed ground drone for Ukraine first appeared on Defence Blog.View the full article

The United States military has withdrawn its Typhon mid-range missile launcher from Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni after deploying it there in September for joint exercises with Japan. The Chugoku-Shikoku Defense Bureau notified the city of Iwakuni about the withdrawal on November 17, according to information communicated to local officials. The launcher, known as Typhon, […]View the full article

Americas Canada has opened a rebuilt pier at its Esquimalt naval base in British Columbia. This project cost 1.1 billion Canadian dollars and is part of a larger plan to upgrade the harbor. The new pier will be able to handle the Royal Canadian Navy’s new ships, like the Joint Support Ships and Arctic Offshore Patrol Vessels, which are being built as part of the country’s National Shipbuilding Strategy. This upgrade will allow the base to support these larger, modern vessels. GM Defense has been awarded a $44.8 million contract to provide its Infantry Squad Vehicles (ISV) to the US Army. The exact number of vehicles to be supplied hasn’t been specified, and work locations…

A Lithuanian defense startup has unveiled a new smart targeting module for air-dropped munitions, offering a domestically developed solution for precision strike operations even in environments where GPS signals are denied or degraded. According to Darius Antanaitis, a defense expert, the system is produced by Lithuanian deep-tech company PDKinematics and is designed to be integrated […] The post Lithuanian startup develops smart munition for drones first appeared on Defence Blog.View the full article