Raw Intel

Finnish-made Sisu GTP 4×4 armored vehicles have appeared in the inventory of Ukraine’s Special Operations Forces, a development that raises immediate questions about how they got there — because Finland has never publicly announced transferring them. Ukrainian military historian Andriy Kharuk first reported the appearance of the Sisu GTP 4×4 in Ukrainian Special Operations Forces […]View the full article

Dutch Military Vehicles introduced the DMV Tasman as the newest addition to its vehicle family this week, presenting the militarized pickup to a select audience from the Netherlands Ministry of Defence and industry partners after months of preparation. The Tasman, built on a KIA Special Vehicles base platform with a gross vehicle weight of 3,500 […]View the full article

Thales has unveiled a new way to shoot down cheap drones without burning through expensive ammunition to do it, unveiling the LGR275 Proxy at the Eurosatory defense show in Paris. The system is a 70 mm laser-guided rocket fitted with a proximity sensor, built specifically to knock small unmanned aircraft out of the sky at […]View the full article

A West Point cadet has spent three weeks helping Army engineers solve a math problem that could determine how many enemy drones an American air defense system can shoot down before it runs out of ammunition. Cadet Alex Anteen, a member of the U.S. Military Academy’s class of 2028, worked alongside scientists at the Army’s […]View the full article

Elbit Systems has introduced FUSE, a new business line bringing together the Israeli defense contractor’s autonomous drone and ground vehicle systems under one portfolio, the company announced September 9 in Rosh HaAyin, Israel. FUSE centers on software called Dominion-X, which lets a single operator control multiple autonomous aircraft and ground vehicles at once, a setup […]View the full article

P-8A Poseidon (click to view full) Maritime surveillance and patrol is becoming more and more important, but the USA’s P-3 Orion turboprop fleet is falling apart. The P-7 Long Range Air ASW (Anti-Submarine Warfare) Capable Aircraft program to create an improved P-3 began in 1988, but cost overruns, slow progress, and interest in opening the competition to commercial designs led to the P-7’s cancellation for default in 1990. The successor MMA program was begun in March 2000, and Boeing beat Lockheed’s “Orion 21” with a P-8 design based on their ubiquitous 737 passenger jet. US Navy squadrons finally began taking P-8A Poseidon deliveries in 2012, but the long delays haven…

Americas The United States and Britain confirmed a joint declaration Tuesday for the Carrier Strike Group 2021 deployment to be led by Britain’s aircraft carrier HMS Queen Elizabeth Queen. Signed by acting Defense Secretary Christopher Miller and British Defense Secretary Ben Wallace, the joint declaration enables the deployment of US Navy and Marine Corps equipment and personnel as part of the inaugural operational deployment of the Carrier Strike Group. The deployment will include a detachment of US Marine Corps F-35 Lightning II aircraft and the Navy’s USS The Sullivans. Leonardo and Rafael Advanced Defense Systems have announced that they have completed the delivery …

While I'll take second fiddle to no one on the challenge west of Wake, it is important to keep in mind that not only are the Chinese not 10-ft tall, they also do not hold the strong hand strategically or geographically. Why? I've gone to a rather bespoke chart room over at USNIBlog. Come on by and leave north up behind. http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/blogspot/FAFV?d=yIl2AUoC8zA http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/blogspot/FAFV?d=qj6IDK7rITs http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/blogspot/FAFV?i=lLySfX50f9A:WBi8M02GqFo:gIN9vFwOqvQ http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/blogspot/FAFV?i=lLySfX50f9A:WBi8M02GqFo:-BTjWOF_DHI http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/blogspot/FAFV?i=lLySfX50f9A:WBi8M02Gq…

As I did once in a DivThu in 2017 when we looked again at the USCG's sad decline in to official sectarianism, there was once a time when the USCG Academy was a rare light where everyone was on an equal footing. There was no discrimination based on race, creed, color, or national origin. As we covered in 2010, not any more. A dozen years later, the USCG's diversity division is not through growing its empire well beyond the USCGA, expanding its grift. No, as was done in 2010, they are using their influence in Congress to find more positions for otherwise unemployable people who have but one job; don't solve problems, justify our grift. Let's have a little detailed …

Since the start of this blog - and especially in the last few years - the topic comes up now and then about the complete lack of self defense our auxiliaries and merchant ships have that we plan to use in the next big war. The usual suspects will make excuses - "war is different" "that won't happen" "we'll have escorts" "it is wired for XXX" - but what is really driving this waving-of-hands is something that has been in place since the dawn of the written record of war at sea; peace breeds complacency and cost savings. Few who know their history have the levers of power to do what needs to be done now to give our auxiliary fleet what they need to at least provide their ow…

Regular readers know the importance of the United States being the world’s premier sea power, but that is inside the lifelines of our corner of the national conversation. For a whole host of reasons we have discussed here over the years and on Midrats – in spite of our nation surrounded by the fruits of the open seas – the larger American public does not see it. We suffer, in essence, from our success. The time when the free flow of goods across the globe was not a given has slipped well out of living memory. Except for older cohort GenX and older, no one even remembers the regional threat the Soviet Red Banner Fleet aspired to be right before the empire she served colla…

Americas The US Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) has finished the first flight of an artificial intelligence and machine learning (AI/ML) piloted XQ-58A Valkyrie jet drone at the Eglin Test and Training Complex in Florida. The three-hour sortie supports the air force’s ongoing Skyborg Vanguard and Autonomous Aircraft Experimentation programs seeking next-generation autonomous aircraft for operations in contested […]View the full article

Americas Bell Boeing won a $11.5 million modification, which adds scope to procure three shipsets of proprotor gearboxes in support of the Nacelle Improvements Step 2 requirement for CV-22 aircraft. Work will be performed in Amarillo, Texas; Fort Worth, Texas; and Ridley Park, Pennsylvania, and is expected to be completed in January 2026. Naval Air […]View the full article

Americas Exercise UNITAS LXV, the 65th iteration of the world’s longest-running annual multinational maritime exercise, took place along the Pacific coast of South America from September 2nd to 12th. Hosted by Chile, the exercise challenged participating forces with unique terrain, pushing them to adapt and refine their skills in a new environment. The United States showcased its commitment to regional stability and security through a strong presence of Marine Corps and Navy assets, including F/A-18C Hornets from Marine Fighter Attack Squadron 112 (VMFA-112), a KC-130J Hercules from Marine Aerial Refueler Transport Squadron 234 (VMGR-234), and a US Navy P-8 Poseidon marit…

The U.S. Army’s recent announcement that it will soon launch a dedicated drone marketplace has drawn attention from defense analysts and industry specialists, highlighting the growing role of integrated procurement platforms in modern warfare. While the Army’s plan is still in development, several fully functioning solutions already exist at both government and private levels. One […] The post Commercial software solutions enter defense space first appeared on Defence Blog.View the full article

Textron Aviation Defense has kicked off a nationwide demonstration tour to promote its Beechcraft M-346N advanced jet trainer as the U.S. Navy searches for a next-generation platform for undergraduate pilot training. According to a press release from Textron Aviation Defense, the M-346N took off from Beech Factory Airport in Wichita, Kansas, where it was assembled. […] The post Textron unveils M-346N trainer for U.S. Navy first appeared on Defence Blog.View the full article

Germany’s Siemens and Illinois-based Ingersoll Machine Tools have unveiled a next-generation, containerized 3D printing and milling platform designed for field deployment. The system—called MasterPrint Deployable—combines additive and subtractive capabilities in a transportable unit powered by Siemens’ SINUMERIK ONE CNC control platform. Ingersoll, a 133-year-old builder of large-format machine tools, has collaborated with Siemens to create […] The post Ingersoll unveils containerized 3D printing factory first appeared on Defence Blog.View the full article

China is drawing new attention to the KJ-600, its carrier-borne early warning and control aircraft, following the official commissioning of the country’s third aircraft carrier, Fujian. The aircraft was first unveiled as part of the Fujian’s air wing during China’s V-Day military parade in Beijing and has since been discussed in greater detail in official […]View the full article

Rani Plaut, CEO of the Israeli aerospace startup AIR, says recent global crises have revealed a central lesson for military and civilian planners alike: “mobility is power.” In a detailed statement on the company’s vision for next‑generation aerial logistics, Plaut said uncrewed aerial systems have become essential for reconnaissance and rapid tactical response, but remain […]View the full article

Iran issued a direct warning on Sunday that it will strike U.S. military assets, commercial shipping, and Israel if the United States launches any military action during the nationwide anti-government protests gripping the country. The threat was delivered by Iranian parliament speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf in a televised address. Ghalibaf told lawmakers that “in the […]View the full article