Raw Intel

Serbia has presented a new family of 4×4 armored vehicles, known as “Alexander the Unifier,” during the “Strength of Unity” military parade held on the Day of Serbian Unity, Freedom and National Flag. The event marked the premiere of the multi-role platforms, displayed in both tactical armored vehicle and loitering munition carrier configurations. According to […] The post Serbia debuts new multi-role armored vehicle first appeared on Defence Blog.View the full article

Ukraine has released footage of its F-16 fighter jets in combat, marking the new demonstration of their operational use against Russian missile and drone attacks. The Ukrainian Air Force said the aircraft played a decisive role in intercepting cruise missiles and unmanned aerial vehicles during a large-scale Russian strike on September 20. According to the […] The post Ukraine shows F-16s in combat footage first appeared on Defence Blog.View the full article

Ukraine’s new Inguar-3 armored vehicle has entered service with the National Guard and already faced a battlefield test, surviving a direct strike from an FPV drone. Video circulated on social media showed the vehicle continuing its mission after the attack, with the crew unharmed. Reports said the drone impact caused a fire at the point […] The post Ukrainian Inguar-3 survives FPV drone hit first appeared on Defence Blog.View the full article

Russia has unveiled its newest multiple launch rocket system, the Sarma, a 300mm heavy launcher mounted on the KamAZ-63501 armored chassis. The system was displayed by the Motovilikha Plants during a recent visit by Vladimir Putin. According to information released at the event, the Sarma MLRS was developed as an evolution of the earlier KAMA […] The post Russia unveils new heavy rocket launcher first appeared on Defence Blog.View the full article

When people think of the U-boat war in the Atlantic, they think of the North Atlantic: cold, windy, grey, foreboding. Three of the best movies on the topic, The Cruel Sea, Das Boot, and Greyhound, only reinforce this view. There was a lot more to the war than that. Far from sideshows, other theaters were critical points in the Axis’s attempt to choke supplies to Europe. Gaylord T. M. Kelshall’s superb book, The U-Boat War in the Caribbean, does the best job in pointing out that theater from the mouth of the Mississippi River to where our focus is today. There was also the Southern Atlantic and African theaters. How much of the war was fought there? Here’s a map where U-b…

Ukraine has presented a new generation of robotic warfare with the debut of the VATAG heavy uncrewed ground vehicle (H-UGV), unveiled at the Brave1 Defense Tech Valley 2025 summit on September 16. According to Defense Express, the system integrates artificial intelligence and advanced control technologies to perform a wide spectrum of battlefield missions. The VATAG […] The post Ukraine unveils AI-driven heavy ground robot first appeared on Defence Blog.View the full article

The U.S. State Department has approved a possible Foreign Military Sale to Poland of Javelin Missile Systems and related support, a package estimated at $780 million. The Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA) delivered the required certification to Congress on September 18, clearing the way for the deal. According to the agency, Poland has requested 2,506 […] The post Poland cleared to buy 2,500 Javelins 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

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

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has overseen testing of the country’s new series of tactical uncrewed combat aerial vehicles, according to state-run outlet KCNA. During the inspection, Kim reportedly directed defense and aerospace authorities to focus on integrating artificial intelligence into both the drone control systems and broader combat operations. While no technical details […] The post North Korea accelerates AI drone push first appeared on Defence Blog.View the full article

With people talking about who is getting canceled where and for what back in the news, it had me thinking of all the gnashing of teeth and rending of clothes we’ve read this year about President Trump’s team shaping the uniformed leadership, moving along a few senior uniformed personnel who had a track record, that, well, indicated they probably would not have the full trust and confidence of the CINC. All Presidents do this in their own way, but from the sounds of things over the last six months, you’d think anyone who wasn’t a documented contributor to the Trump ‘16, ‘20, and ‘24 campaigns for President and could not dance to Y.M.C.A. was being fired, forced to retire, …

China unexpectedly canceled the public debut of its latest stealth unmanned combat aerial vehicle during a high-profile military parade on September 3. The drone, which closely resembles the U.S.-made XQ-58A Valkyrie, was visible during rehearsal footage but was ultimately pulled from the final event. Defense analyst Andreas Rupprecht shared an image of the platform on […] The post China pulls stealth drone from parade at last minute first appeared on Defence Blog.View the full article

The Royal Navy has formally cleared the Malloy T-150 uncrewed air system (UAS) for operational deployment, concluding a two-year test campaign involving Royal Marines and 700X Naval Air Squadron. The aircraft is now ready to support front-line missions, according to ukdj report. The T-150 will be used to transport ammunition, weapons, food, medical supplies, and […] The post Royal Navy clears heavy-lift drone for front-line use first appeared on Defence Blog.View the full article

Sweden has signed a contract to purchase the Polish-made Piorun man-portable air defense system (MANPADS), expanding its inventory of short-range air defense capabilities. The deal was announced by the Swedish Defence Materiel Administration (FMV) in a statement on September 9. According to FMV, the agreement was finalized in July and is valued at approximately 3 […] The post Sweden buys Polish-made Piorun air defense systems first appeared on Defence Blog.View the full article

Japan Steel Works (JSW) has delivered the first domestically produced AMV 8×8 armored personnel carrier to the Japan Ground Self-Defense Force (JGSDF), according to a report by Nikkei. The AMV, originally developed by Finland’s Patria, was selected to replace the JGSDF’s aging Type 96 wheeled armored personnel carriers. The vehicle offers improved mobility, protection, and […] The post Japan delivers first locally built AMV to ground forces first appeared on Defence Blog.View the full article

The U.S. Army is training with a new class of tactical drone capable of performing both surveillance and strike missions, as part of its push to accelerate small unmanned aircraft systems integration across frontline units. According to imagery from Fort Hood, Texas, soldiers from the 1st Cavalry Division conducted drone operations on September 17, 2025, […] The post U.S. Army fields new tactical drone at Fort Hood first appeared on Defence Blog.View the full article

U.S. Marines and Swedish amphibious troops conducted joint island assault and reconnaissance drills this month as part of Exercise Archipelago Endeavor 2025, reinforcing their interoperability and advancing future littoral combat tactics. According to the U.S. Marine Corps, Marines from Alpha Company, 2d Light Armored Reconnaissance Battalion, 2d Marine Division, were inserted aboard Swedish CB90 fast […] The post U.S. Marines and Swedes train for island warfare first appeared on Defence Blog.View the full article

In a rare and visually striking operation, a U.S. Army CH-47 Chinook helicopter transported a retired U.S. Air Force A-7D Corsair II fighter jet by air across the Missouri River this week. The fighter jet, which once served with the 185th Tactical Fighter Group in Sioux City, Iowa, was relocated to its new home at […] The post U.S. Army airlifts retired fighter jet first appeared on Defence Blog.View the full article

A procurement effort by the Indian Army to acquire first-person-view (FPV) drones and loitering munitions has unraveled into controversy after all bidders in both tenders were disqualified in the technical evaluation phase. According to official procurement documents, a total of 32 companies participated in the tender for 720 FPV drones, while another 14 companies submitted […] The post Indian Army scraps entire FPV drone tender 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