Raw Intel

South Korea’s Defense Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA) chief Seok Jong-gun warned this week that Chinese sanctions targeting Hanwha Ocean’s U.S.-based shipbuilding affiliates could eventually affect the U.S.-Korea naval cooperation project known as MASGA (Make American Shipbuilding Great Again). During a National Assembly defense committee hearing on Thursday, Seok said, “While there is no immediate impact, […] The post Chinese sanctions cloud U.S.-Korea naval cooperation first appeared on Defence Blog.View the full article

South Korea’s Defense Minister Ahn Gyu-back confirmed that the country will begin operational deployment of the Hyunmoo-5 ballistic missile — known for its heavy warhead — by the end of this year. In an interview with Yonhap News, Ahn stated, “Hyunmoo-5 is currently in the force integration process and will enter active deployment starting at […] The post South Korea to field ‘monster missile’ by year-end first appeared on Defence Blog.View the full article

South Korea’s defense minister pushed back against a rare protest by U.S. Forces Korea (USFK), stating that a July search by investigators at Osan Air Base did not require prior consultation with the United States under existing agreements. The U.S. military had protested the special counsel team’s July 21 entry into the base, citing that […] The post Seoul defends Osan Base search amid U.S. protest first appeared on Defence Blog.View the full article

The European Union’s MarsEUs defense project has concluded its final round of demonstrations, showcasing integrated battlefield technologies aimed at enabling beyond-line-of-sight targeting using unmanned platforms, sensors, and advanced munitions. According to a release from Milrem Robotics, the trials were conducted at Belgium’s King Albert Camp and marked the culmination of the two-year initiative launched in […] The post Milrem showcases battlefield robotics in live demo first appeared on Defence Blog.View the full article

The General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine said that on October 17, Russian forces launched the highest number of guided aerial bombs in a single day since the beginning of their use in the war —268 in total. The primary delivery platform for the bombs was the Su-34 fighter-bomber, which conducted strikes from […] The post Russia launches record bombing campaign first appeared on Defence Blog.View the full article

Let’s return to a topic we covered in a FbF last month: the U-Boat war in the Caribbean. Not just the Caribbean, U-Boats in the Gulf of America (nee Mexico). From a strictly professional point of view, you have to tip your hat to the men of the German U-boat fleet. They didn’t have the great fleet boats like we did - no, not even close. But what they did with what they had ... it is still amazing. In the summer of 1942, U-166 patrolled the Gulf of Mexico in searches for a new victim. Steamer Robert E. Lee appeared 70 kilometers from the Mississippi mouth on July 30. The passenger carrier of 5184 tons displacement was going from Trinidad escorted with a PC-566 cruiser. The…

The Organisation for Joint Armament Co-operation (OCCAR) has finalized a €4.5 billion ($5.2 billion) contract to procure 270 additional Boxer armored vehicles for Germany and the Netherlands, expanding the multinational Boxer program’s total value to more than €10 billion ($11.6 billion). According to OCCAR, the agreement includes new driver training and ambulance variants for the […] The post Germany, Netherlands buy 222 Jakal fighting vehicles first appeared on Defence Blog.View the full article

Türkiye plans to allocate over $51 billion to defense and internal security in 2026, according to the Clash Report. Vice President Cevdet Yılmaz said in remarks to parliament that the government has set aside ₺2.155 trillion ($51.4 billion) for defense and internal security-related expenditures. The combined amount represents about 11.4 percent of Türkiye’s total projected […] The post Türkiye to raise defense budget in 2026 first appeared on Defence Blog.View the full article

Kratos Defense & Security Solutions has unveiled its latest unmanned weapon platform, the “Ragnarök” Low-Cost Cruise Missile (LCCM), engineered for high-volume, precision strike operations at a fraction of the cost of legacy systems. The system is designed to meet emerging demands for affordable, long-range firepower in contested environments. According to the company, Ragnarök delivers a […] The post Kratos unveils cruise missile for $150,000 first appeared on Defence Blog.View the full article

Aerospace giant Boeing has been awarded a series of multiyear contracts valued at approximately $2.7 billion to manufacture more than 3,000 Patriot Advanced Capability-3 (PAC-3) seekers through 2030, the company announced. The seekers are built by Boeing for Lockheed Martin, the prime contractor for the PAC-3 interceptor, and play a central role in enabling the […] The post Boeing boosts PAC-3 production in $2.7B deal first appeared on Defence Blog.View the full article

The U.S. Army has awarded Lockheed Martin an Integrated Fires Protection Capability (IFPC) 2nd Interceptor project agreement to advance the service’s layered air and missile defense network. According to Lockheed Martin, the program will provide an integrated air and missile defense solution to bridge the operational gap between short-range air defense systems and the Patriot […] The post U.S. Army taps Lockheed for new air defense interceptor first appeared on Defence Blog.View the full article

NATO has begun its annual nuclear deterrence training exercise, Steadfast Noon 25, involving 70 aircraft and approximately 2,000 personnel from 14 Allied nations, the alliance confirmed this week. The long-scheduled drill, which runs from October 13 to 24, is part of NATO’s recurring efforts to validate its nuclear posture and joint force readiness. The exercise […] The post NATO conducts exercises for fighter-based nuclear roles first appeared on Defence Blog.View the full article

India’s MKU Limited has signed a ₹660 crore ($75 million) contract with the Indian Army for the supply of nearly 30,000 night vision weapon sights, in what the company describes as one of the largest electro-optics deals in the country’s defense sector to date. According to MKU, the agreement covers 29,762 Netro NW 3000 night […] The post Indian army buys almost 30,000 night vision weapon sights first appeared on Defence Blog.View the full article

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

The Chinese People’s Liberation Army Ground Force (PLAGF) has conducted a large-scale maintenance drill featuring dozens of Type 15 light tanks, captured in recent imagery from the 54th Heavy Combined Arms Brigade, operating under the Tibet Military Region. The footages—originally shared by defense observer Jesus Roman and other open-source analysts—show rows of Type 15 light […] The post China holds mass tank readiness drill in Tibet first appeared on Defence Blog.View the full article

Ukrainian defense officials claim that Russian forces shot down their own military aircraft over Crimea during an attempted interception of drones, according to a statement by Navy spokesperson Dmytro Pletenchuk. “So actively were they trying to repel Ukrainian attacks that they ended up shooting down their own aircraft today over Crimea,” Pletenchuk said. “The fight […] The post Ukraine: Russia shoots down own aircraft over Crimea first appeared on Defence Blog.View the full article

Japan’s Kawasaki Heavy Industries and German defense firm Taurus Systems GmbH are in early discussions on technical cooperation for cruise missile engines, according to several sources familiar with the matter. As reported by Reuters, Taurus has expressed interest in Kawasaki’s compact, fuel-efficient turbofan engine currently under development for Japan’s next-generation anti-ship missiles. The engine is […] The post Japan may provide engines for Germany’s Taurus missiles first appeared on Defence Blog.View the full article

In response to mounting losses from low-cost Ukrainian FPV drone strikes, Russia’s VNII “Gradient” has developed a new counter-UAV system named “Multik”, designed to protect helicopters and ground forces from first-person view (FPV) drone attacks. The new system was detailed in promotional materials released by KRET, a division of Russia’s defense electronics sector. The system […] The post Russia equips helicopters with new drone defense system first appeared on Defence Blog.View the full article

The Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA) Ground Force is moving away from traditional close-quarters tank engagements, instead focusing on long-range networked warfare, according to a frontpage report by PLA Daily on Monday. The change is being driven by the deployment of the new-generation Type 100 main battle tank, described as a platform capable of linking […] The post Chinese new tank pushes warfare beyond line of sight first appeared on Defence Blog.View the full article

A previously unseen image of Russia’s Su-57 multirole fighter has surfaced on pro-Kremlin social media channels, showing the aircraft’s internal tail-mounted weapons bay in detail. The release appears to be part of a broader effort by Moscow to promote the export potential of the fifth-generation jet as it seeks foreign funding to complete development. The […] The post Rare photo reveals Su-57’s hidden weapon bay first appeared on Defence Blog.View the full article