Raw Intel

I just finished with Xenophon's Anabasis on audio. Wow ... just wow. Almost 2,400 years old and its lessons on leadership are timeless. There is really nothing new under the sun. This book is a perfect example of the critical importance of a classical education. We wouldn't have to learn the hard way if we realized the truth that has been there from the dawn of history ... not to mention the lessons of 20 years ago ... move the decimal place two spots over. Here is just one bit. Rely upon this then, all you who are here assembled, now is your great opportunity. The soldiers outside have their eyes fixed upon you; if they think that you are faint-hearted, they will turn …

NATO allies and European defense leaders are moving to reduce reliance on vulnerable global supply chains by prioritizing stockpiles, acquisition, and control of critical raw materials (CRMs) vital to modern military systems. The International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS) has reported that these efforts reflect a growing recognition of how supply chain weaknesses can affect […] The post NATO focuses on rare earths for defense 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

DEUTZ, a German system provider for mobility and energy solutions, and ARX Robotics, a European defense technology company developing next-generation unmanned ground systems, have announced plans for a strategic partnership aimed at accelerating Europe’s defense innovation. According to a joint statement issued on October 16, DEUTZ intends to become the lead investor in an upcoming […] The post DEUTZ and ARX Robotics announce strategic defense partnership first appeared on Defence Blog.View the full article

I published this two decades ago on the OG Blog. As the subject of this has been making the rounds as of late, I’ve decided to plant this flag firmly in the ground here on Substack. Especially in the popular press, “hero” is a word thrown around way too much. Often it is applied to those who make no real sacrifice or effort, or those who parade around Our Fallen like some gibbeted prop in an obscene political street theater. It is a shame. There are real heroes out there. Most of the time they don’t wear a uniform. The vast majority of the time, they aren’t Americans. Now and then, they are Germans from the mid-1900s. Hey, whodathunk—they might even be Christian. Bravo …

If you want to get an otherwise reserved and laconic farmer to get excited and talkative about a subject, ask them about the issue of “right to repair.” …Wilson and others accuse John Deere of blocking farmers and everyday mechanics from fixing equipment without going through John Deere dealers. Although the company doesn’t prohibit users from fixing equipment themselves, the lawsuit claims it locks users out of repairs because of the limited access to software that only dealerships can access. The lawsuit says that makes most fixes nearly impossible.A lot like cars, the farming equipment is equipped with sensors. The John Deere tractors, for instance, run on firmware tha…

Ukraine’s armed forces are facing a pressing need for armored vehicles capable of withstanding battlefield threats, with Ukrainian defense outlet Defense Express reporting that at least 20,000 units with STANAG 4569 Level 2 protection and around 3,000 units with Level 3 protection are required. According to the report, Level 2 armor under the NATO STANAG […] The post Ukrainian military needs 23,000 armored vehicles first appeared on Defence Blog.View the full article

The United States Army briefly published new official images of its Dark Eagle hypersonic weapon system before removing them without explanation, with the photographs quickly spreading online after their deletion. The images, released and then withdrawn within a short period, showed updated views of the Army’s Long Range Hypersonic Weapon (LRHW), a trailer-launched strategic strike […]View the full article

One topic I didn’t expect us to dive into on yesterday’s Midrats with Dean Cheng was the growing nuclear capability of the People’s Republic of China (PRC). Once the show was over, I figured I needed to pull Rebeccah Heinrichs’s article from Friday up from my ‘read later’ tab. She gives a solid review of the state of play and offers three suggestions, two of which I generally endorse, and the third a firm non-concur. First, let’s review the table she sets. Just three years ago, China denied it was rapidly building up its nuclear arsenal. In 2022, Fu Cong, then the director-general of the Chinese Foreign Ministry’s arms control department (now China’s permanent representat…

Americas Huntington Ingalls Industries (HII) has christened the US Navy’s 14th San Antonio-class amphibious transport dock vessel, the USS Harrisburg, in Pascagoula, Mississippi. The hull was named after Pennsylvania’s capital city to honor the region’s continuous support for the US armed forces as well as its critical role in the country’s industrial history. Notable contributions by the Harrisburg were recorded throughout the Westward Migration, the American Civil War, and the Industrial Revolution. At the ceremony in Pascagoula, US Navy Ships Program Executive Officer Rear Admr. Tom Anderson provided the keynote address for the event. The first F-15E Strike Eagles equi…

Japan’s Defense Minister Shinjiro Koizumi defended the planned deployment of surface-to-air missiles on Yonaguni Island, calling the move a protective measure aimed solely at strengthening the country’s air defense posture. His remarks came after Beijing accused Tokyo of escalating regional tensions. Speaking at a press conference at the Ministry of Defense, Koizumi said the missiles […]View the full article

Taiwan’s Ministry of National Defense on Monday confirmed that its armed forces closely monitored Chinese military aircraft and naval vessels operating near the island, releasing imagery showing Taiwanese F-16V fighters tracking People’s Liberation Army aircraft during ongoing Chinese drills. In a briefing held at 4:45 p.m. local time, the Ministry of National Defense of the […]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

The U.S. Navy’s Naval Air Systems Command (NAVAIR) announced that one of its earliest CH-53K King Stallion test aircraft is being transferred to a new role in support of aviation readiness. The Engineering Demonstration Model 1 (EDM-1), formerly used for flight testing at NAS Patuxent River, is now en route to the Center for Naval […] The post Retired CH-53K joins maintenance training program first appeared on Defence Blog.View the full article

Ukraine’s air defense forces are facing mounting challenges as Russia modifies its ballistic missiles to evade Western-made Patriot systems, a senior Ukrainian Air Force official said on Sunday. Yurii Ihnat, chief of communications for Ukraine’s Air Force Command, confirmed during a national television broadcast that intercepting Russian ballistic missiles has become more difficult. The change, […] The post Ukraine: Russian ballistic missiles now harder for Patriot to hit first appeared on Defence Blog.View the full article

The United States Army has released a set of new Requests for Information aimed at advancing the Common Autonomous Multi-Domain Launcher, or CAML, a next-generation autonomous fires platform intended to reshape how the service moves, loads, and employs missile systems across future battlefields. The notices, issued through the PAE Fires CAML Product Office, outline three […]View the full article

Soldiers from the 6th Battalion, 56th Air Defense Artillery Regiment, 1st Cavalry Division Artillery conducted a live unmanned aerial system demonstration on Jan. 29, 2026, at Fort Hood, Texas, testing counter-UAS integration in front of senior leaders from III Armored Corps and the 1st Cavalry Division. The event paired air defense crews with civilian personnel […]View the full article

The United States Marine Corps has awarded BlueHalo Labs, a subsidiary of AeroVironment, a $22,8 million contract modification for the procurement of additional Titan SV MPv3 counter-drone systems and spare parts kits to support the service’s Organic-Counter Small Unmanned Aerial Systems (O-CsUAS) program, according to a March 3, 2026 contract announcement. The award modifies a previously […]View the full article

Russia’s United Aircraft Corporation (UAC) has delivered another batch of Su-34 fighter-bombers to the Russian Aerospace Forces (VKS) as part of ongoing efforts to meet the State Defense Order, according to statements issued by UAC and Rostec. The aircraft, which have undergone full ground and flight factory testing, were formally accepted by VKS crews. “As […] The post New Su-34 fighter-bombers delivered to Russian military first appeared on Defence Blog.View the full article