Raw Intel

Russia’s United Aircraft Corporation is looking at artificial intelligence and other new software to speed up the design of future aircraft and cut the cost of developing new versions of existing ones, the state-owned planemaker said in a statement on its social media. UAC, which builds nearly all of Russia’s military and civil aircraft, from […]View the full article

I'd love to bring you good news to help you try to move pass this horrible year, but that is not to be. I posted on this topic back in June at USNIBlog, but I re-read it again last night and it seems to have become even more clear and I wanted to bring it back here. You all know the warning I gave a decade ago about the upcoming "Terrible 20s" for our military, well it appears that there is a similar issue on the civilian side, the ‘Turbulent Twenties’ Read again Jack Goldstone and Peter Turchin's observations; Top leadership matters. Leaders who aim to be inclusive and solve national problems can manage conflicts and defer a crisis. However, leaders who see…

There is a lot going on in Megan Eckstein and Mallory Shelborne’s article on the discussions last week at the Surface Navy Association Symposium, so I’m going to try to focus on two things; LCS talk and talk in general. I think we need a public speaking safety standdown for Flag Officers. Seriously. We continue to over promise and under deliver. We say things that simply do not survive the follow on question … but don’t take those kind of questions and get away with it. It degrades credibility and makes everyone look like a bad used car salesman. Why do we talk like we are spokesmen for the defense industry as opposed to a customer? Anyway, here we go. Surface war…

Not one of our Primary Mission Areas. We will never be asked to do that. If we did that, it would take away from the job that we think in most important. There are more important things we will have to do. That is a distraction. Our platform isn't optimized for that. We think other platforms can do that better. My boss won't let us talk about that.You hear lots of that sometimes. Nonetheless, warfare asks a lot of people and machines. You often have to do the mission that is most needed, not the one that you like doing, the one your peacetime theorizing told you would be important - or the one that you are told you are supposed to push. No, in the end - everything you do…

From the Sea of Azov to the Danube Delta, the maritime component of the Russian invasion of Ukraine's is bringing to the front universal constants; treaties, neutral shipping, amphibious operations, blockades, choke points, sea lines of communication, and an expanded environment where conflict can expand in unexpected ways. While much of the focus has been ashore, significant developments - and lessons - can be found in the developments in the Black Sea. That will be the focus on today's Midrats with a panel discussion with Claude Berube, Chris Cavas, and Sal Mercogliano. Dr Claude Berube has taught at the US Naval Academy since 2005 and has worked for two US Senators. He…

I always recommend that if people even have a remote opportunity, they should visit the Baltic Republics. When there, take time to visit their museums. I especially recommend Vabamu Museum of Occupations and Freedom in Tallinn, Estonia. These are small nations from Estonia's 1.3 million, Latvia's 1.8 million, to Lithuania's 2.8 million. These little ethnostates each have a unique language, culture, and have survived as a people since pre-history. They are survivors who have not had many years to be masters of their own fate. The fall of the Soviet Union gave them their latest chance, and they've made a good run of it. They, more than most, know Russia - indeed, all three …

Outside everyone's interest in knowing "who'dun'it" in the blowing up on the Nord Stream pipeline in the Baltic Sea, there has yet to be an full appreciation of the larger meaning of its destruction. 1937's bombing of Guernica gave a preview of what would befall Europe's cities just a few years later. The Russo-Ukrainian War is giving hints of what has changed over the last few decades that should give everyone pause to review their assumptions and critical vulnerabilities. Small and medium wars are good for that - they give hints to issues that will arise in future large wars. While it is easier to understand, even in the face of "sea blindness," the importance of the tr…

Americas Pacific Propeller International won a $22.8 million modification by the US Air Force for the overhaul support for the C-130 54H60 series propeller. This contract provides for the overhaul and repair of the C-130 54H60 series propeller for the Air Force and multiple countries. All work will be performed in Kent, Washington, and individual […]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, …

Mack Defense will continue building the U.S. Army’s M917A3 Heavy Dump Truck under a new five-year contract worth up to $221.8 million for as many as 450 vehicles. The award, finalized on June 24, 2025, follows the completion of the company’s initial 2018 contract and comes just three months after Mack marked the rollout of […] The post U.S. Army to receive more heavy dump trucks first appeared on Defence Blog.View the full article

A global outage of the Starlink satellite internet system has disrupted frontline operations in Ukraine, with Ukrainian forces along the entire line of contact reporting a sudden loss of connectivity. The interruption, which has also affected tens of thousands of users worldwide, has raised fresh concerns over the risks of depending on a single commercial […] The post Starlink outage disrupts frontline ops in Ukraine first appeared on Defence Blog.View the full article

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

Russia is attempting to renew interest in foreign orders for its Su-57 fighter aircraft, releasing new promotional material showing the jet’s internal weapons bays and air-to-air missiles ahead of the Dubai Airshow 2025. The video was published by United Aircraft Corporation (UAC), part of the Rostec state defense conglomerate, and highlights the Su-57 Felon’s concealed […]View the full article

Turkish-built Ejder TTZA 6×6 armored personnel carriers were unveiled for the first time during a military parade held in Damascus celebrating the fall of the Assad regime, marking the public debut of the vehicles in Syrian service. The parade, staged by the new authorities in Damascus, featured multiple examples of the Ejder TTZA—short for Taktik […]View the full article

The United States Commerce Department has withdrawn a proposed rule that would have imposed new restrictions on Chinese-made drones, according to a government notice posted Friday. The reversal ends a months-long review process and comes ahead of President Donald Trump’s planned visit to Beijing this April. According to documents published on the federal website, Commerce […]View the full article

United States Naval Forces Central Command and 5th Fleet reported Sunday that Navy sailors aboard USS Santa Barbara (LCS 32) took part last week in a live-fire maritime gunnery exercise in the Arabian Gulf, with close air support provided by U.S. Air Force A-10 Thunderbolt II aircraft, commonly known as the Warthog. According to the […]View the full article

A dispute over Western-supplied unmanned aerial systems resurfaced in Ukraine on Thursday, March 5, after Ukrainian military expert Taras Chmut publicly criticized Latvian-made AtlasPro reconnaissance drones previously delivered to Ukrainian forces. Chmut accused the manufacturer Atlas Aerospace and Ukrainian officials involved in procurement of these drone systems that he said failed to meet battlefield requirements. […]View the full article

A second United States Air Force combat aircraft crashed in the Persian Gulf region on Friday as rescue teams continued searching for a missing crew member from a downed F-15E Strike Eagle, according to two U.S. officials cited by The New York Times. The second aircraft, an A-10 Thunderbolt II, went down near the Strait […]View the full article

Oshkosh Defense is rolling two significant platforms onto the Modern Day Marine exhibition floor this week — including an autonomous ground vehicle armed with anti-ship missiles that represents one of the Marine Corps’ most consequential doctrinal shifts in a generation. The company will exhibit at Modern Day Marine from April 28 through 30, 2026, showcasing […]View the full article

A U.S. Army artillery battalion at Fort Carson, Colorado fired its last rounds as a Paladin unit on May 7, closing out 43 years of service with the self-propelled howitzer while simultaneously becoming the first Paladin formation in the Army to fire using the new Artillery Execution Suite, the Army reported. The 3rd Battalion, 29th […]View the full article