Raw Intel

A Ukrainian drone unit has intercepted and destroyed a modified Russian “Gerbera” unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) equipped with optical sensors intended to detect and evade interceptor drones, Militarnyi reported. According to the report, the Russian reconnaissance drone was not only fitted with a downward-facing surveillance camera but also carried two additional optical sensors — one […] The post Russia equips its drones with anti-interceptor sensors first appeared on Defence Blog.View the full article

Thales Defence announced on October 23 that Australia’s StrikeMaster missile launch system successfully fired an anti-ship missile test munition in Norway. The test involved the launch of Kongsberg’s Naval Strike Missile (NSM) from a platform based on Thales Australia’s Bushmaster Protected Mobility Vehicle (PMV). In a statement, Thales Australia said, “The Bushmaster now has fangs.” […] The post Thales and Kongsberg test new strike system first appeared on Defence Blog.View the full article

Turkish defense firm STM Defense Technologies Engineering has delivered its domestically developed Alpagu loitering munition system to Turkish security forces. Known as a fixed-wing “kamikaze drone,” the Alpagu is part of STM’s broader initiative to supply locally engineered UAVs capable of enhancing national defense capabilities through lightweight, precision-guided strike systems. STM General Director Özgür Güleryüz […] The post Turkish forces field new indigenous kamikaze drone first appeared on Defence Blog.View the full article

French forces deployed to the United Arab Emirates completed three days of high-intensity military training in desert conditions, operating Leclerc tanks, CAESAR artillery systems, and VBCI infantry fighting vehicles as part of a broader joint exercise with Emirati partners, according to material released by the French military. The training included maneuver drills, live-fire sequences, and […]View the full article

China is moving away from massed formations of heavy tanks in favor of specialized combat vehicles tailored to particular theaters of war. That shift was highlighted during today’s military parade in Beijing, where the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) unveiled an entire family of new armored systems, including the medium-weight Type 100 tank and several vehicles […] The post China moves away from heavy tank armadas first appeared on Defence Blog.View the full article

The U.S. Missile Defense Agency (MDA) has opened a new effort to develop a class of low-cost interceptors designed to counter massed missile attacks, with the goal of producing modular weapons priced at less than $750,000 each. On August 27, the agency issued a solicitation under its Nimble Options for Buying Layered Effects (NOBLE) program, […] The post Pentagon seeks low-cost missile interceptors first appeared on Defence Blog.View the full article

German defense technology startup SWARM Biotactics has revealed that its bioelectronic insect-based robotic systems have been field-tested and deployed with paying NATO customers, according to a Feb. 25 statement by company Chief Executive Officer Stefan Wilhelm. The announcement confirms operational progress for programmable cyborg insect swarms developed for sensing and reconnaissance missions. According to Wilhelm, […]View the full article

Hanwha Aerospace opened its exhibition at the Egypt Defence Expo (EDEX) 2025 today with a broad showcase of ground and air defense systems aimed at deepening cooperation with the Egyptian Armed Forces. The South Korean company is positioning its offerings as comprehensive modernization solutions tailored for Egypt’s operational requirements. At the center of Hanwha’s presentation […]View the full article

A newly leaked document allegedly from Russian state defense conglomerate Rostec appears to outline detailed pricing, delivery schedules, and export plans for advanced Sukhoi fighter jets destined for several foreign clients — including Iran, Algeria, and Ethiopia. The material was published online on October 3 by the hacker collective Black Mirror, which claims to have […] The post Leak doc reveals Su-57s for Algeria, Su-35s for Iran and Ethiopia first appeared on Defence Blog.View the full article

The U.S. Marine Corps is moving forward with full-rate production of its new Amphibious Combat Vehicle armed variant, the ACV-30, awarding nearly $300 million in contracts to BAE Systems and Kongsberg Defence & Aerospace. According to recent announcements from the Department of Defense, the Marine Corps has placed firm orders for 31 ACV-30 vehicles from […] The post U.S. Marines buy more ACV-30 combat vehicles first appeared on Defence Blog.View the full article

More than 100 M2A3 Bradley Fighting Vehicles are heading to Poland as the U.S. Army ramps up its latest rotational deployment in support of European allies. The 1st Cavalry Division is providing troops from the 3rd Brigade Combat Team’s 2nd Battalion, 7th Cavalry Regiment for the mission, while logistics units across Europe have prepared the […] The post U.S. Army strengthens NATO frontier with Bradleys first appeared on Defence Blog.View the full article

The Algerian government has approved a record $25 billion defense budget for 2026 — the largest in the country’s history — amid growing security concerns across the Sahel region, The Clash Report said. According to the report, the 2026 finance bill totals $135 billion, up from $128 billion in 2025 and $113 billion in 2024. […] The post Algeria to spend billions preparing for war first appeared on Defence Blog.View the full article

Germany and Ukraine signed agreements that include €750 million ($870 million) for 200 Bohdana self-propelled artillery systems on Zetros chassis, and those systems now have a confirmed name and barrel specification: defense analyst Jeff, reporting from Eurosatory 2026 in Paris on Tuesday, wrote that a representative from Ukrainian Armoured Vehicles [was likely referring to Ukrainian […]View the full article

A Ukrainian Su-27 fighter jet was lost during a combat mission on December 8 in the eastern region of the country, the Ukrainian Air Force confirmed in a public statement. “At noon on December 8, 2025, in the eastern direction, during the execution of a combat mission in a Su-27 aircraft, the senior navigator of […]View the full article

Russia is moving ahead with the design of a new ocean-going warship, according to Admiral Alexander Moiseev, Commander-in-Chief of the Russian Navy. The vessel, described as a future “far ocean zone” (blue-water) combat platform, is expected to be laid down under the country’s next State Armament Program. Speaking to Russian state media, Admiral Moiseev confirmed […] The post Russia plans new blue-water warship first appeared on Defence Blog.View the full article

“Just a 20-year old undesignated Seaman.” Never say that. Titans walk amongst us in the most humble attire. A war is raging ashore. You’re just a 20-year-old Seaman Apprentice from landlocked South Dakota on your old swayback gun cruiser, USS Canberra (CA-70), off Vietnam when, well, you fell overboard. No one noticed. You should have drowned. But you didn’t. You should not have been able to survive for half a day without flotation. But you did. Your enemy should have been able to use you to their advantage. But they didn’t. Your fellow Americans in prison had a stories untold, many of them not known to be alive. You made sure all were known, with the help of the enemy, …

Sometimes, the answer to high-tech threats lies in low-cost, proven solutions. Just as shotguns have earned their place as an effective tool against drones, another old-school method is gaining traction on the front lines: nets. The concept is simple — stop the drone before it reaches its target. Improvised “tunnels” made of mesh are now […] The post Ukrainian troops trap drones with farming mesh first appeared on Defence Blog.View the full article

China has reached a new threshold in its fifth-generation fighter program, confirming the People’s Liberation Army Air Force (PLAAF) now fields at least 300 Chengdu J-20 stealth aircraft. The expansion underscores Beijing’s rapid pace in deploying advanced combat aircraft and places China second only to the United States in operational fifth-generation fleets. The confirmation came […] The post China closes gap with U.S. in fifth-gen fighter race first appeared on Defence Blog.View the full article

Americas The US Army has experienced a setback in increasing its artillery munition production by October. In early 2024, the army set monthly targets of 60,000 rounds by October of that year, 75,000 by April 2025, and 100,000 by October 2025, but it currently has a monthly output of around 40,000 rounds. Although it is nearly triple the 14,500 monthly rate before Russia’s “military operation” in Ukraine in 2022, production remains below the pace needed to meet the goal of over a million 155-millimeter howitzer shells next year. General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Inc. (GA-ASI) has introduced a new drone designed to back up MQ-9B operations, handling high-risk tasks lik…

Ukrainian forces have carried out a targeted strike on Russian aircraft stationed at an airfield in occupied Zaporizhzhia, eliminating two light planes recently adapted to intercept Ukrainian long-range drones. The Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) released a video of the operation on October 21, showing the attack taking place roughly 85 kilometers behind the front […] The post Ukrainian forces destroy Russian drone-interceptor aircraft first appeared on Defence Blog.View the full article