Raw Intel

New Delhi is reassessing a plan to buy at least two squadrons of Russia’s Su-57 fighter, not primarily for stealth but to close a shortfall in long-range strike and beyond-visual-range engagement, according to reporting from The Print. The report says India is weighing a proposal from Russia that would follow the earlier MiG-series and Su-30MKI […] The post India eyes Su-57 for long-range strike role first appeared on Defence Blog.View the full article

Slovakia has signed a long-term framework agreement with TATRA DEFENCE SYSTEMS for the supply of TATRA FORCE military vehicles across multiple configurations, establishing a procurement pathway valued at more than €1 billion ($1.17 billion). According to information released on December 17, 2025, the framework contract covers TATRA FORCE vehicles in 4×4, 6×6, and 8×8 variants, […]View the full article

The United States Missile Defense Agency has awarded Lockheed Martin Space a $142.6 million contract modification to provide continued maintenance and sustainment support for two Terminal High Altitude Area Defense batteries operated by the United Arab Emirates, according to an official contract announcement. Lockheed Martin Space, based in Sunnyvale, California, received the noncompetitive contract modification, […]View the full article

American and British armored forces came together this week in Estonia for a joint promotion ceremony that doubled as a powerful demonstration of allied cooperation. On October 1, 2025, U.S. soldiers from the 6th Squadron, 9th Cavalry Regiment, 3rd Armored Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division, and British soldiers from AJAX Squadron showcased their main […] The post Abrams meets Challenger 2 on NATO’s eastern flank first appeared on Defence Blog.View the full article

A top-secret US government body called the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) has launched a new solicitation seeking proposals for a high-rate, energy-efficient method of producing nitric acid directly from air and water. The initiative, known as the High-Efficiency Nitrogen Oxidation, or HNO3 program, is aimed at protecting critical U.S. defense-industrial supply chains and […]View the full article

Sierra Nevada Corporation (SNC) has unveiled its full-sized Battery Revolving Adaptive Weapons Launcher (BRAWLR) system at the Association of the United States Army (AUSA) exposition, introducing a compact, multi-missile ground platform designed for mobile air defense operations. According to the company, the 7-foot-tall BRAWLR is part of its Expeditionary Adaptive Air Defense (EAAD) family of […] The post SNC unveils modular air defense launcher at AUSA first appeared on Defence Blog.View the full article

Americas Roshel has introduced a new counter-drone version of its Senator vehicle, pairing armored mobility with advanced aerial threat detection to stay ahead of evolving threats. The system, built entirely in Canada, is based on the company’s field-tested Mine Resistant Ambush Protected (MRAP) vehicle and now comes fitted with Leonardo’s Falcon Shield, a sophisticated counter-uncrewed aerial system (C-UAS). Able Aerospace Service won a $10,553,162 firm-fixed-price, requirements contract for UH-1N helicopter maintenance. This contract provides repair and overhaul services for the UH-1N helicopter’s main rotor hub assembly. Work will be performed in Mesa, Arizona, and is …

The U.S. Marine Corps’ Marine Fighter Attack Squadron 542 (VMFA-542) has returned from a five-month deployment to the U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) area of responsibility. Operating under CENTCOM’s Ninth Air Force (Air Forces Central), VMFA-542 flew over 1,099 combat sorties and logged 4,736 mishap-free flight hours, according to the Marine Corps. During the deployment, the […] The post U.S. Marine F-35Bs return after combat missions in Middle East first appeared on Defence Blog.View the full article

Roshel Smart Armored Vehicles and Swedish steel producer Swebor have announced a new partnership to manufacture ballistic-grade steel in Canada, marking the first facility of its kind in the country. Maria Tkacheva, Chief Operating Officer at Roshel Smart Armored Vehicles, said in a statement: “Roshel and Sweden’s Swebor have signed a strategic partnership to establish […] The post Roshel, Swebor to build Canada’s first ballistic steel plant first appeared on Defence Blog.View the full article

Americas Teledyne FLIR Defense’s Black Hornet 4 drone has been approved for the US military’s Blue UAS List after meeting cybersecurity requirements under the National Defense Authorization Act and passing verification by the Defense Innovation Unit. The listing grants Authority to Operate and allows government agencies to deploy the system for official use. Middle East & Africa There is speculation that Iran might retaliate for the US’s strikes on its nuclear facilities by closing the world’s busiest oil shipping channel, the Strait of Hormuz. The Strait of Hormuz is one of the world’s most important shipping routes, and its most vital oil transit choke point. Bounde…

For a decade and a half, since President Obama’s Pacific Pivot speech, there has been a rising tide in the conversation about the need to fix the US Navy’s shortfall to meet the challenge of the People’s Republic of China. Faced with systemic and cascading failures in everything from surface ship design to maintenance, and distractions as frivolous as Great Green Fleets at sea and as serious as the Islamic State ashore, navalists have been waiting for serious action on the waterfront to match the rising tide of the strategic situation. Rhetorically at least, the second Trump administration came in saying all the right things to give hope that, at last, we would turn into …

“The difference, of course, between the debate over the nature of thermonuclear war and previous such debates is that it remains hypothetical. And unless we want to bet everything on the optimist, that is what it will always be. For if we lost this bet, and the pessimist turned out to be right, a thermonuclear war will have destroyed the human race, and along with it things like discourse and memory. The debate would remain forever unresolved, because those pessimists proven right, along with those optimists proven wrong, would all be dead.” —Campbell Craig, Destroying the Village The Israeli-American attack on the Iranian has for now at least, brought the topic of the t…

Flowcopter announced Tuesday that it has completed a full week of flight testing under Project MORRIGHAN, a jHubMed initiative focused on uncrewed logistics support and casualty evacuation capabilities for the United Kingdom’s defense community. According to the company, the tests marked an important milestone in demonstrating the FC100 heavy-lift drone’s operational potential. In a statement […]View the full article

With this Monday’s announcement of USS Defiant (BBG-1) absorbing all the oxygen, it is easy to forget that just five days ago we found out about our next frigate. As I mentioned in my Tuesday article, I spun off this discussion just to focus on Defiant. Well, I did more than that. I deleted it all. It was just too complicated. The frigate announcement was the second, after the LST announcement, of steps we are taking after the cancellation of my poor, abused baby—he Constellation Class FFG. I guess BBG-1 would be the third, so there is a lot of news floating around the U.S. Navy information space this holiday season. In summary, we are going to do what was first proposed…

In the wake of Ukraine’s successful strikes on the Russian Black Sea Fleet using low-cost, agile unmanned surface vessels (USVs), the global defense community has shifted focus to a domain once considered niche. Yet, long before Kyiv’s sea drones earned battlefield credibility, a little-known American platform had already proven its potential — and was quietly […] The post U.S. Navy had a war-ready naval drone in the ’90s — and scrapped it first appeared on Defence Blog.View the full article

China’s hypersonic ambitions are taking shape in new ways as Lingkong Tianxing Aerospace marked its seventh anniversary with a promotional video highlighting several of its ongoing advanced projects — including next-generation hypersonic missiles and a high-speed aircraft designed to operate in near-space. The video, shared this week by the company, includes multiple glimpses of prototype […] The post China moves closer to operational hypersonic capability first appeared on Defence Blog.View the full article

Asia-Pacific The US Navy has awarded Boeing Co., based in St. Louis, Missouri, a $12,943,999 firm-fixed-price delivery order (N00383-25-F-YY1F) for the repair of the leading edge flap antenna used on F/A-18 aircraft. This sole-source contract was issued under 10 U.S. Code 3204(a)(1), with Boeing as the only offeror. Work will be conducted at three locations: Mesa, Arizona (60%); Lansdale, Pennsylvania (31%); and St. Louis, Missouri (9%). The project is expected to be completed by March 2030. Funding from Navy working capital funds was fully obligated at the time of award and will remain available beyond the current fiscal year. The Naval Supply Systems Command Weapon Syst…

A mobilized Russian tank crew member fighting in Ukraine has given a candid account of the T-80BVM main battle tank, sharply criticizing its quality, reliability, and battlefield performance. The remarks were published by the outlet Vault8 in an interview with a tanker identifying himself by the callsign “Tim.” The T-80BVM is one of the Russian […]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

Americas After being grounded for over four years, F-15E Strike Eagle 91-0323 has made a triumphant return to operational status. The aircraft, stationed at Mountain Home Air Force Base in Idaho, was restored to fighting form thanks to the dedication and tireless work of the 366th Fighter Wing maintenance team. This incredible feat of engineering and teamwork began over 1,500 days ago when the aircraft suffered damage to its landing gear during an incident. Master Sgt. Donald Root, the lead Production Superintendent at the 391st Fighter Generation Squadron, oversaw the initial recovery effort. He recounted the team’s swift action: “We coordinated with the fire squadron to…