Raw Intel

The U.S. Air Force has acquired the wreckage of a downed UH-1 Iroquois helicopter and transported the iconic airframe to Dyess Air Force Base, Texas, where it will serve as a hands-on teaching platform for accident investigation and flight safety courses. The helicopter, nicknamed “Huey,” crashed during a training mission at the Wyoming Air National […] The post U.S. Air Force buys crashed UH-1 helicopter first appeared on Defence Blog.View the full article

North Korea has issued a sharp rebuke of Japan’s development and planned deployment of long-range missiles capable of striking enemy bases, calling the move “an extremely dangerous idea” in an editorial published by the state-run Korean Central News Agency (KCNA). According to the report, North Korea criticized Tokyo’s intentions to position 1,000-kilometer-range missiles in Japan’s […] The post North Korea slams Japanese long-range missile plans first appeared on Defence Blog.View the full article

Raytheon has been awarded a $258 million contract to advance the engineering, manufacturing, and development of the Standard Missile 2 (SM-2) Block IIICU All Up Round, the Department of Defense announced. The deal covers the follow-on integration and test phase of a program already under contract and includes options that could raise its value to […] The post U.S. Navy awards Raytheon contract for next-gen SM-2 interceptors first appeared on Defence Blog.View the full article

Thales and Universal Communication Systems Co. Ltd. (UCS) have signed a contract to upgrade the Royal Thai Navy’s flagship aircraft carrier, HTMS Chakri Naruebet, with a modern Integrated Platform Management System. The agreement was announced at the opening of the Defense & Security 2025 exhibition, marking a new phase in a cooperation between Thales and […]View the full article

Two German defense technology companies, STARK and Quantum Systems, have demonstrated a new integrated reconnaissance-strike capability in Ukraine, combining the VECTOR intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) drone with the VIRTUS precision strike system. According to the companies, the concept allows operators to move from target identification to destruction within minutes, bridging the gap between surveillance […] The post German tech firms show drone-strike integration in Ukraine first appeared on Defence Blog.View the full article

Raytheon Missiles and Defense has been awarded a contract modification valued at more than $271 million to continue production of the TOW missile system, one of the U.S. Army’s longest-serving anti-armor weapons. According to a Department of Defense announcement, the $271,377,812 modification (PZ0015) to contract W31P4Q-23-C-0026 covers the full-rate production of the Tube-Launched Optically Tracked […] The post U.S. Army expands TOW missile production first appeared on Defence Blog.View the full article

This seems rather funny at first read, but the numbers seem, well…interesting. First, let’s establish our baseline. According to the business analytics firm Poidata, there are just shy of 15,000 Indian restaurants in Britain compared with closer to 12,000 Chinese establishments. 15 to 12. Five Indian restaurants to four Chinese restaurants. (yes, I can do math) Brits sure do love their curry. You would expect, with small deviations, for this to be roughly replicated in any particular area. If you think that ratio would hold around sensitive military locations, you’d be wrong. Near His Majesty’s Naval Base Clyde, for example, which maintains our nuclear deterrent submarine…

Raytheon Co. has been awarded a $698.9 million contract by the U.S. Army for the production of NASAMS (National Advanced Surface-to-Air Missile System) fire units intended for Taiwan under the Foreign Military Sales (FMS) program. According to the Department of War’s contract announcement, the award includes the procurement of complete NASAMS fire units, with work […]View the full article

ARX Robotics has confirmed a major order from Ukraine for its GEREON-series unmanned ground systems, a move that will establish what the company describes as “the world’s largest networked military robotics fleet.” The announcement was made on November 18, 2025, from the company’s headquarters in Munich. According to ARX Robotics, the contract includes the delivery […]View the full article

Russia’s Airborne Forces have begun testing a new multifunctional ground robotic platform known as the Omich-2, a system designed by engineers in the city of Omsk and intended for transport, evacuation, and potential combat support roles. The Omich-2 is described as an optionally piloted unmanned ground system with a total weight of about 650 kilograms […]View the full article

Americas The US Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) demonstrated the first at-sea refueling of the No Manning Required Ship (NOMARS) program. A pair of unmanned surface vessels (USV) — the Ranger and the Mariner — demonstrated the task originally designed for the program’s Defiant USV. A long-endurance NOMARS USV is intended to be designed from the ground up without the necessity for humans on board. Bollinger Shipyards has started the construction of the US Coast Guard’s initial vessel planned under the Polar Security Cutter (PSC) program. The PSC effort will replace the service’s aging ships deployed for national, maritime, commercial, and economic securit…

The Amiral Ronarc’h—France’s first Frégate de Défense et d’Intervention (FDI)—has departed the Naval Group shipyard in Lorient, heading to its homeport in Brest. According to a statement from the French defense procurement agency, Direction générale de l’armement (DGA), the departure follows the completion of sea trials and signals the beginning of the acceptance phase by […] The post French Navy welcomes new combat frigate first appeared on Defence Blog.View the full article

Americas The US has inked a deal with Italy to expand mutual collaboration in the space security sector. The agreement will strengthen interoperability between the US Space Force (USSF) and the Italian Air Force, bolstering its services and improving on its missions and activities through space security updates. USSF Chief of Space Operations General Chance Saltzman and Italian Air Force Chief of Staff Lieutenant General Luca Goretti signed the statement in Rome, with the aim to protect and defend the space domain in shared recognition of its relevance to defense and deterrence. Lockheed Martin won a $742.2 million deal for production of High Mobility Artillery Rocket Sys…

Iran on Monday warned that a new war with Israel could erupt at any moment, raising concerns of a fresh escalation after a deadly 12-day confrontation in June. Yahya Rahim Safavi, a senior military adviser to Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, stressed the need for full preparedness. “A new war with Israel may break out at […] The post Iran restructures forces after June defeat first appeared on Defence Blog.View the full article

India has successfully conducted a static test of the Project K-5 Stage-2 rocket motor, a major step toward the country’s next-generation submarine-launched ballistic missile (SLBM) capability. The test took place on September 12, 2025, at the Advanced Centre for Energetic Materials (ACEM) in Nasik, confirming the performance of key propulsion systems designed for deep-sea deterrence […]View the full article

INKAS has officially presented its new M1 Mine-Resistant Ambush-Protected (MRAP) vehicle at Milipol Paris 2025, marking what the company described as a major step in its evolution as a defense manufacturer. The unveiling showcased a platform developed over years of research, engineering, and testing, created in collaboration with the French firm Texelis. According to the […]View the full article

China’s AVIC Chengdu Aircraft Industry Group has officially presented a new vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL) unmanned aerial vehicle known as the Yunying (Cloud Shadow in Chinese), a tail-sitter drone featuring a ducted-fan design closely resembling the V-BAT system developed by U.S. company Shield AI. The Yunying-25V UAV was officially showcased during the 2026 CCTV […]View the full article

Russia has carried out a naval drone attack against Ukraine’s Simferopol reconnaissance ship in the Danube delta. The Russian Ministry of Defense said the strike was carried out by naval drones believed to have been launched from occupied Crimea or pre-positioned at the mouth of the river. The ministry did not release further details on […] The post Russian naval drones strike Ukraine’s recon ship first appeared on Defence Blog.View the full article

The Chinese People’s Liberation Army Ground Force (PLAGF) has begun fielding a new short-range air defense system, believed to be designated HQ-13, as part of a modernization effort to equip frontline units with mobile, autonomous interception capabilities. Footage released by CCTV shows the system in operational use by an air defense company assigned to the […] The post China fields new short-range air defense system first appeared on Defence Blog.View the full article

The Estonian Ministry of Defense said Monday that six new K9 “Thunder” self-propelled howitzers have arrived in the country as part of Estonia’s ongoing effort to expand its long-range artillery capabilities and strengthen its defense posture. The systems, produced in South Korea by Hanwha Defence, are being integrated into Estonia’s growing artillery fleet as regional […]View the full article