Raw Intel

At the Changchun Air Show, China publicly displayed for the first time a J-6 fighter aircraft that has been converted into a drone, marking a rare appearance of the retrofitted Cold War-era jet in unmanned form. “This aircraft is modified based on the J-6 fighter jet, with the removal of cannon weapon systems, external fuel […] The post China converts Cold War jet into combat drone first appeared on Defence Blog.View the full article

General Dynamics NASSCO has received $1.7 billion to build two additional John Lewis–class fleet replenishment oilers for the U.S. Navy, the company said on November 10. The new funding covers the construction of T-AO 215 and T-AO 216 and continues the long-running shipbuilding effort that supports underway logistics for U.S. naval forces worldwide. According to […]View the full article

Beretta Defense Technologies will unveil a new remote-controlled weapon station for counter-drone operations at Eurosatory 2026 in Paris next month, bringing to the exhibition a platform that mounts eight Benelli Drone Guardian shotgun systems on a single automated turret capable of tracking and engaging drone targets without requiring an operator to physically aim the weapon. […]View the full article

Russia’s efforts to modernize its airborne early warning and control aircraft have hit a pause, as United Aircraft Corporation (UAC) delays a decision on launching serial production of its A-50 radar planes. The announcement was made by Sergey Korotkov, general designer and deputy general director of UAC, in an interview with TASS. According to Korotkov, […] The post Russia to delay production of A-50 radar plane first appeared on Defence Blog.View the full article

Boston-based Blue Water Autonomy has announced the close of a $50 million Series A funding round led by GV, with participation from Eclipse, Riot, and Impatient Ventures. The investment brings the company’s total raised to $64 million since April 2025, when it completed a $14 million seed round. The company said the funding will allow […] The post Boston startup secures $50M for U.S. Navy’s autonomous warship first appeared on Defence Blog.View the full article

Ukrainian air defense units have shot down a Russian Su-34 fighter-bomber that attempted to strike the city of Zaporizhzhia in the early hours of Thursday, the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine said. In a statement released by the military, officials reported that the aircraft was destroyed as it conducted bombing operations in […] The post Ukraine shoots down Russian Su-34, crew killed first appeared on Defence Blog.View the full article

Slovakia has signed a long-term framework agreement with TATRA DEFENCE SYSTEMS for the supply of TATRA FORCE military vehicles across multiple configurations, establishing a procurement pathway valued at more than €1 billion ($1.17 billion). According to information released on December 17, 2025, the framework contract covers TATRA FORCE vehicles in 4×4, 6×6, and 8×8 variants, […]View the full article

Full-scale mock-ups of foreign-made air defense systems resembling the S-300 and HQ-9 were seen during the Resolute Hunter 26-1 exercise at Naval Air Station Fallon, Nevada, on November 10, 2025. The decoys appeared in desert-pattern camouflage commonly associated with Iranian forces. According to a statement: “During Resolute Hunter, 1st Radio Battalion, I Marine Expeditionary Force […]View the full article

The United States Army has awarded Raytheon a $1.03 billion contract modification to continue production of the Lower Tier Air and Missile Defense Sensor (LTAMDS), according to a contract announcement released this week. The modification covers Year Two production requirements for the LTAMDS program and brings the total cumulative value of the contract to $1,025,100,000. […]View the full article

China’s People’s Liberation Army Rocket Force uses mobile intercontinental ballistic missile launchers disguised as civilian cranes produced by Zoomlion, according to images and descriptions circulated this week. The disclosure centers on mobile launch platforms for China’s Dongfeng series ballistic missiles that are concealed to resemble commercial crane vehicles. The approach is intended to mask the […]View the full article

U.S. soldiers from the 1-16th Infantry Regiment, 1st Armored Brigade Combat Team, 1st Infantry Division carried out live-fire exercises in Bulgaria from September 29 to October 5, 2025, conducting a week of intensive training with Abrams tanks aimed at enhancing precision, maneuvering, and team effectiveness on the battlefield. The training focused on engaging tactical targets […] The post U.S. Abrams crews sharpen skills in Bulgaria live-fire drills first appeared on Defence Blog.View the full article

Hacker group Black Mirror has released a new cache of intercepted internal documents allegedly tied to Russia’s state defense conglomerate Rostec, including never-before-seen photographs of the assembly and testing process for the 1RL257 Krasukha-4 electronic warfare system. The materials appear to be part of a formal production report created for a foreign customer—possibly Serbia—and provide […] The post Leak reveals production photos of Russia’s secret EW system first appeared on Defence Blog.View the full article

Raytheon, an RTX business, has been chosen by the German government to supply its SPY-6(V)1 radar system for installation on eight F127-class frigates, under a proposed foreign military sales contract with the U.S. Navy. The deal would make Germany the first international customer for Raytheon’s SPY-6 radar, the cornerstone of the U.S. Navy’s next-generation air […] The post Germany to equip new frigates with Raytheon’s SPY-6 radar first appeared on Defence Blog.View the full article

The Royal Australian Navy has awarded Anduril Australia a A$1.7 billion (US$1.12 billion) contract to deliver a fleet of Ghost Shark extra-large autonomous submarines. The Royal Australian Navy opted to bypass conventional procurement processes and instead partnered directly with Anduril on development. The Ghost Shark program was co-developed and co-funded, enabling rapid prototyping, testing, and […] The post Australian Navy buys Ghost Shark autonomous submarines first appeared on Defence Blog.View the full article

The Danish Armed Forces are moving forward with a large-scale initiative to build a national ground-based air defense (GBAD) network, the Ministry of Defence announced this week. The decision includes the procurement of eight integrated systems designed to protect civilians, military installations, and critical infrastructure from aerial threats. The new effort follows the March 2025 […] The post Denmark buys new air defense systems first appeared on Defence Blog.View the full article

U.S. Marines with the 12th Littoral Combat Team demonstrated the deployment of the Stalker VXE30 reconnaissance drone during Resolute Dragon 25, a bilateral military exercise held on September 14, 2025, at the Hijudai Maneuver Area in Japan’s Oita Prefecture. The Stalker VXE30, manufactured by Edge Autonomy, is a vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) small unmanned […] The post U.S. Marines field Stalker drone in Japan 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

Hanwha Aerospace has secured a new contract to deliver 24 additional K9 self-propelled howitzers to Norway, according to reporting by Asia Economy. According to a report by journalist Yang Nak-gyu of Asia Economy, Hanwha Aerospace CEO Son Jae-il traveled to Oslo on September 18 to finalize the deal with the Norwegian Defence Materiel Agency (NDMA). […] The post Norway signs third deal for South Korean K9 howitzers first appeared on Defence Blog.View the full article

Thai military forces have captured multiple Chinese-made GAM-102LR guided anti-tank missile systems from Cambodian troops during fighting near Hill 677, according to recent reports from the area. According to the reports, Thai soldiers secured a significant quantity of GAM-102LR missiles after overrunning Cambodian positions on the contested high ground. The missiles are considered a modern […]View the full article

PteroDynamics and AeroVironment said they have completed a joint technology demonstration integrating electronic warfare sensors on an autonomous vertical takeoff and landing unmanned aircraft, marking a step in exploring new options for U.S. Navy littoral surveillance missions. According to a press release distributed by EINPresswire on December 16, the companies collaborated during Silent Swarm 25, […]View the full article