Raw Intel

While a lot of the attention in unmanned systems the last two decades has been in the air, significant developments on and under the surface of the oceans were happening in parallel. From small mine hunting unmanned surface vessels and the development of the Large Unmanned Surface Vessel above the seas, to unmanned systems the size of lightweight torpedoes to midget submarines below the surface, unmanned maritime systems capabilities are growing each year. With each incremental advance in engineering automation to autonomous operations, their utility from maritime security to war fighting increases as well. For the full hour this Sunday from 5-6pm Eastern our guest to dis…

Are you aware that NATO nations have already been attacked by Russia? Well, their merchant ships in the Black Sea have. If you know your European history, you know the seriousness of this ... yet, it is out of most people's scan. Links and thoughts over at USNIBlog. Come by and give it a read. http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/blogspot/FAFV?d=yIl2AUoC8zA http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/blogspot/FAFV?d=qj6IDK7rITs http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/blogspot/FAFV?i=lFjwNzdVUz8:w0kBNOsXTLM:gIN9vFwOqvQ http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/blogspot/FAFV?i=lFjwNzdVUz8:w0kBNOsXTLM:-BTjWOF_DHI http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/blogspot/FAFV?i=lFjwNzdVUz8:w0kBNOsXTLM:V_sGLiPBpWU http://feeds…

Americas Canadian government documents have disclosed that Lockheed Martin is required to deliver nine F-35s to Canada by December 1, 2027. The last aircraft will have to be delivered before December 31, 2031. The Liberal government plans to purchase 88 U.S.-built F-35s as part of a project expected to cost taxpayers between $15 billion and $19 billion. Critics of the purchase have noted, however, the full lifecycle cost for the planes is estimated at $77 billion. According to Defense News, Argentina has kicked-started the process for procuring four Boeing-made CH-47 Chinook heavy-lift helicopters from the US. Aimed at fulfilling a requirement first issued in 2011, the h…

One of the things we like to do on DivThu is to give those who believe that people should be seen as individuals who deserve to be judged by the content of their character, not by immutable characteristics people are born with and can do nothing about, some facts to push back against the emotion laden DEI commissariat diktat thrown at them on a regular basis. One of the auto-generated comments we hear so extruding from the diversity nomenklatura is that – especially our officer corps – must “look like America” and that exceptional efforts must be made to force-mode such results. Is this even possible without action no one would be proud of? Probably not. The big-lie here …

To see where we are and where we need to go, it is always helpful to remind ourselves how we got here. First let's look where we are; the Navy telling Congress to bugger-off; Via Caitlin Kenny at DefenseOne; The Navy is proposing to drop its amphibious fleet below 31 ships, despite an agreement with the Marine Corps and a potential violation of last year’s defense policy law. Sent to Congress on Monday, the Navy’s proposed $255.8 billion 2024 budget aims to retire eight warships before the end of their intended service life, including three Whidbey Island-class dock landing ships, or LSDs, that it proposed to scrap last year but which were saved by the 2023 National Def…

Americas Amentum has won an $818-million contract to manage the modernization and sustainment of US Navy F-16 Viper adversary fighter jets at Naval Air Station Fallon, Nevada. The Viper is the aggressor version of the Fighting Falcon fourth-generation multi-role combat aircraft. It plays the enemy role or “red team” to train naval airmen in simulated […]View the full article

Americas Triumph Gear won a $18.5 million deal for the repair of one item that is part of the V-22 pylon conversion actuator system. All work will be performed in Park City, Utah. Work is expected to be completed by April 2025. Naval Supply Systems Command Weapon Systems Support, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, is the contracting activity. […]View the full article

Americas The US military’s effort to speed up how it builds and replaces vehicle parts is getting a high-tech lift thanks to a new $9-million research lab in Illinois. Announced Monday by the Grainger College of Engineering at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, the facility will focus on developing advanced 3D-printing techniques, specifically for large metal components used in military ground vehicles. Northrop Grumman System won a $20.4 million contract for the production and delivery of 63 H1- technical refresh mission computers (TRMCs) and 28 TRMC trays for Foreign Military Sales (FMS) customers to include 33 TRMCs and 28 trays in support of the Nigeria AH-1…

Russia has launched its newest Project 22350 missile frigate, Admiral Amelko, at the Severnaya Verf shipyard in St. Petersburg. According to Russian state media reports, Admiral Amelko is the first ship in the class to be equipped with 24 vertical launch cells for the UKSK missile system (vertical launching system). The system can deploy a […] The post Russia launches new guided missile frigate first appeared on Defence Blog.View the full article

The Norwegian Armed Forces has signed a $4 million, four-year contract with Non-stop dogwear to supply specialized equipment for its military working dogs and handlers. The agreement will be executed through the company’s Non-stop professional division, which focuses on solutions for military, law enforcement, search and rescue, and other working professionals. According to a company […] The post Norway signs $4M deal for military dog gear first appeared on Defence Blog.View the full article

Russian state media has revealed the creation of a new airborne unit tasked with intercepting Ukrainian drones using modified civilian aircraft. In a recent TV segment aired, Russian Central Television showcased a formation of Cessna 172 light planes outfitted with machine guns and onboard targeting systems, marking another adaptation in Russia’s response to continued long-range […] The post Russia turns Cessnas into drone hunters first appeared on Defence Blog.View the full article

A new drone interceptor system called “Arkhangel” is undergoing tests in Russia’s Kursk border region, according to statements from the head of the volunteer drone initiative associated with the project. The system is being presented as a response to Ukrainian unmanned aircraft operating both along the front and across rear areas inside Russia. The announcement […]View the full article

South Korean defense startup Nearthlab has successfully demonstrated its KAiDEN autonomous interceptor drone during a live fire test hosted for representatives from L3Harris Technologies. In a post shared by Chief Strategy Officer and Executive Vice President Andrew D. Kim, the company described the intercept as “flawless,” adding that the “one shot, one kill” demonstration proved […]View the full article

Türkiye announced on January 10, 2026, that its MKE BORAN 105mm lightweight howitzer has continued expanding its presence in international markets following recent live-fire trials and operational use, according to a newly released press statement from the state-owned defense manufacturer MKE. MKE said the BORAN system, which entered the Turkish Armed Forces’ inventory in 2021, […]View the full article

Sudan’s army said it destroyed a Chinese-made FK-2000 air defense system operated by the Rapid Support Forces in the Ed Dubeibat area of South Kordofan. The FK-2000 system was neutralized during ongoing combat operations around Ed Dubeibat. The military said the system had been used by RSF units to contest Sudanese Air Force operations over […]View the full article

The first quarter of 2026 still has three weeks to go, but the assumptions and friend group of the People’s Republic of China has changed dramatically. Recent changes in the assumptions concerning Venezuela, Iran, Japan, and other nations will impact the national security concerns of the West’s greatest challenger on the world stage. Returning to the Midrats Podcast today from 5-6 PM Eastern to discuss will be Dean Cheng. You can listen LIVE at this link, but if you are reading this after the show, just check the substack later Sunday night for the podcast upload. Dean is a Senior Advisor, United States Institute of Peace; Non-resident Senior Fellow, Potomac Institute for…

The French Army’s 54th Artillery Regiment has begun tactical trials of interceptor drones built to take down hostile unmanned aircraft, as the service moves to strengthen its defenses against threats similar to the Shahed and Lancet systems seen in Ukraine. The evaluation has been running for several months under a tasking from the Commandement du […]View the full article

Japan’s Defense Minister met with the team behind one of the country’s more unconventional defense startups — a company building military drones out of cardboard — and the conversation signals where Tokyo thinks its unmanned future is headed. Shinjiro Koizumi, Japan’s Minister of Defense, held a meeting with representatives of Air Kamui, a startup that […]View the full article

FN Herstal unveiled a modernized variant of the FN MAG general-purpose machine gun, introducing a Long Rail Conversion Kit that brings integrated day, night, and thermal optic capability to one of the most widely fielded belt-fed weapons in military history. The update, announced from the company’s headquarters in Herstal, Belgium, targets the growing gap between […]View the full article

A Leonardo-owned vehicle maker has revealed an uncrewed light tank designed to fight directly alongside crewed armor, the UK Defence Journal reported, marking one of the more striking unveilings at this year’s Eurosatory defense show in Paris. IDV, the Italian manufacturer behind the platform, calls it the CL2X, and the company is showing it off […]View the full article