Raw Intel

A tank that first rolled off a French production line in the 1960s just showed up at Eurosatory with no crew inside it and a robot turret on top, and the company behind the conversion wants it to represent something bigger than a single old tank getting a second life. S2M Equipment and KNDS France […]View the full article

Ukrainian ground robots ran more than 16,600 supply and evacuation missions in June, the highest monthly total since the Defense Ministry began tracking the numbers in January, and the pace shows no sign of slowing as Kyiv pushes to get soldiers off the most exposed roads to the front. Defense Minister Mykhailo Fedorov said the […]View the full article

It’s been almost nine months since the last Long Game post. We’re overdue. For a while I thought I might stop the Long Game series I started in 2004, after all, the Long is Now…but I was mistaken. The People’s Republic of China (PRC) is still playing a long game…and we—and that includes me—just keep getting distracted. I had the following exchange with Brent Sadler at about the 52-minute mark toward the end of last Sunday’s Midrats Podcast that reminded me that, even in 2026, we’re still thinking like it’s 1996. Sal: It seem like it just happened a little while ago when they said, “Hey, there are there are PRC police stations right here in New York City.” It’s fairly hig…

U.S. soldiers trained on a counter-drone defense system during a course at the Combined Arms Training Center in Grafenwoehr, Germany, the U.S. Mission to NATO said in a social media post. The training center, known as CATC, is run by the 7th Army Training Command and offers close to 60 courses for U.S. troops, ranging […]View the full article

Another chapter in Islam's slow war on France. You need to take time today to read a critically important article by John Lichfield. Below I will pull extensively from it, but you need to read the whole thing. On October 6, Mr Paty, 47, a much-liked history and geography teacher in a dull Paris suburb, produced for his middle school civics class a pair of the cartoons of the Prophet Mohammed which provoked the attack on Charlie Hebdo magazine five years ago. Cartoons. History. A significance moment in their nation’s history. That is the job of a teacher. A secular teacher in a secular republic. What happens when that republic allows, and indeed encourages, the grow…

Americas BAE Systems won a $15.7 million contract modificationfor spare parts necessary for initial training and fielding for Armored Multi-Purpose Vehicles. The Armored Multi-Purpose Vehicle (AMPV) is a family of next generation, highly survivable vehicles essential to the future of the US Army. The AMPV is to replace the Vietnam War-era and legacy M113 Family of Vehicles. The program is a part of the future of the Armored Brigade Combat Team (ABCT). The AMPV will be integrated with the ABCT and is required to operate alongside the M1 Abrams tank and the M2 Bradley infantry vehicle. Work will take place in Pennsylvania. Estimated completion date is January 1, 2023. The …

Americas Aechelon Technology won a $7.8 million order, which provides for the production, delivery and integration of four P8 Advanced Airborne Sensor (AAS) next generation databases on to four AAS Weapons Tactic Trainers. Work will take place in California. Estimated completion date will be in October 2022. The US Air Force has ordered 15 Silent Arrow Precision Guided Bundle (SA-PGB) for testing. They will be shipped to Pendleton UAS Test Range for flight testing in 2022. The SA-PGB is based on the Silver Arrow’s GD-2000 cargo delivery unmanned air system (UAS). It has been scaled down to deliver a 350-pound payload after being dropped from an aircraft, that could range…

While everyone is distracted by the Russo-Ukrainian War, the People’s Republic of China continues to work to solidify her ability to control the South China Sea and to bring more nations in to her orbit. Though not a cold war, it is a struggle for presence, influence, and setting the conditions for advantage should conflict come. The United States and her Navy are not required to be in a passive posture, allowing China to shape the environment without pushback. This episode of Midrats will focus on American options and actions we can take to blunt Chinese influence and to prevent her from setting up the Western Pacific to her advantage relative to the United States and he…

Some strong words towards China from the CNO at the end of last week that isn't quite getting the play it would in a normal years. Almost Salamandereaque: America's military must be ready to respond to a potential Chinese invasion of Taiwan that could come before the end of this year, the head of the US Navy has said. Admiral Michael Gilday, chief of US naval operations, was the latest senior US military official to indicate heightened alarm over Beijing's intentions towards the island. "So when we talk about the 2027 window in my mind, that has to be a 2022 window or potentially a 2023 window. I can't rule that out. I don't mean at all to be alarmist by saying that. It'…

Except for those over a 85, no one alive has ever existed at a time when the US Navy was not the premier naval power - and no one alive at all has known a world where the US Navy was not the premier naval power in the Pacific. Though on paper it could be challenged in the first third of the 20th Century by the Royal Navy, and was challenged in a very real way by the Imperial Japanese Navy in the Pacific in the early mid-century, after the 1930s no industrial power could hope to compete with the United States in production and warships ready to fight at sea in a major conflict. During the Cold War, there were a couple of decades where the Soviet Union could put a fleet to …

Americas General Dynamics Electric Boat won an $878 million deal in support of the planned Virginia Class submarines SSN 812 and SSN 813 and in furtherance of the Navy’s commitment to the health and stability of the industrial base. Work is expected to be completed by September 2033. Fiscal 2024 shipbuilding and conversion (Navy) funds in the amount of $658,500,000 will be obligated at time of award and will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. Naval Sea Systems Command, Washington, DC, is the contracting activity. Dassault Aviation has announced the launch of a new unmanned combat aerial vehicle (UCAV) programme as part of the future Rafale F5 standard. The …

China appears set to debut a massive unmanned underwater vehicle during upcoming military parade rehearsals, with photos showing a large black torpedo-like drone being transported on a flatbed platform. The system, which has not been named or publicly described by Chinese authorities, has sparked speculation over its potential role and design. Observers noted that the […] The post China to showcase giant sea drone for first time first appeared on Defence Blog.View the full article

The Japan Ground Self-Defense Force (JGSDF) will carry out live-fire exercises involving its Hawk and Chu-SAM surface-to-air missile systems in the United States, Japan’s Ministry of Defense has announced. According to a statement from the JGSDF, the drills aim to improve tactical proficiency in air defense operations and enhance the readiness of participating units. The […] The post Japan to test air defense missiles on U.S. soil first appeared on Defence Blog.View the full article

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

The United States Army has released new images and details on the deployment of Stryker combat vehicles supporting border security operations in Texas as part of Joint Task Force–Southern Border. The photographs, taken on November 4 in Presidio, Texas, show soldiers operating Stryker vehicles during mission support for U.S. Customs and Border Protection. According to […]View the full article

SIG SAUER announced on Tuesday that the Swiss Armed Forces have officially selected the P320 pistol as their new standard-issued sidearm. The decision is part of Switzerland’s broader New Generation Project aimed at modernizing core equipment for its military personnel. According to a company statement, the selection followed a rigorous competitive process conducted by Armasuisse, […]View the full article

SummaryIn this conversation, the hosts and Palantir’s Head of Defense Mike Gallagher and Head of Shipbuilding and Naval Programs Matt Babin discuss the integration of AI and advanced manufacturing techniques in shipbuilding, particularly focusing on the role of Palantir’s ShipOS in transforming shipyard operations. They explore the generational gap in expertise within the industry, the importance of optimizing workforce efficiency, and the collaboration between NAVSEA and the Maritime Industrial Base Program. The discussion also touches on legislative support needed for modern shipbuilding and the challenges faced in submarine maintenance and production. You can listen a…

South Korea’s defense manufacturer Hanwha Aerospace signed a memorandum of understanding on Feb. 9, 2026, with Estonia-based startup Frankenburg Technologies to jointly develop counter-unmanned aircraft systems for next-generation land weapon platforms. The signing ceremony took place during World Defense Show 2026 and was attended by Dong-hyeon Kim, head of the Land Systems Business Group at […]View the full article

United States missiles, drones, and Israeli fighter jets began striking targets inside Iran on Feb. 28 at approximately 9:45 a.m. Iran Standard Time (1:15 a.m. EST), launching a coordinated military campaign aimed at degrading Iranian military infrastructure and air defense networks. The operation was conducted under the Israeli codename Operation Roaring Lion and the U.S. […]View the full article

The British Army and UK Defence Innovation have issued a Request for Information for a vehicle-mounted 120mm hinged mortar system under Project STOKES, opening a formal procurement process aimed at fielding approximately 60 systems integrated onto light tactical vehicles, with the Jackal 3 Extenda identified as the assumed platform. The RFI, published under project code […]View the full article