Raw Intel

General Sir Patrick Sanders, GBR A, Chief of the General Staff (GBR), made a statement, in part, this week that at first I thought was a bit of an exaggeration; "This is our 1937 moment," the army chief said, referring to the crucial period leading up to World War Two. "We are not at war - but must act rapidly so that we aren't drawn into one through a failure to contain territorial expansion… I will do everything in my power to ensure that the British Army plays its part in averting war." The challenge means the army must modernise, embracing new technologies such as cyber warfare and long-range missiles, but also retain traditional soldiering skills. General Sanders s…

The last few years have seen Japan take the very welcome steps out of the box her post-WWII constitution put her in and the habits of the post war generations. With her size and wealth, even her 1% of GDP on defense created a significant military. As anyone who has operated can attest, it is a quality one in equipment, training, and material condition. It's growing - and that is a good thing for the international order. More than is apparent to the outside eye, her national security community – both uniformed and civilian – are very clear-eyed about the world in which they find themselves in 2023. They are taking steps to take her rightful and deserved place in the first …

Americas Oshkosh Defense won a $40.1 million modification by the Army for the Joint Light Tactical Vehicle. Work will be performed in Oshkosh, Wisconsin, with an estimated completion date of August 29, 2025. Fiscal 2022, 2023 and 2024 other procurement, Army funds; fiscal 2022, 2023 and 2024 procurement, Marine Corps funds; fiscal 2023 procurement, Navy […]View the full article

Americas The Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF) is transitioning its fighter pilot training program, marking a significant change for its future pilots. The CT-155 Hawk aircraft, which has served as the primary trainer for decades, will be retiring from service. This move coincides with the commencement of the Bridge Fighter Lead-in Training (FLIT) program and […]View the full article

Americas The US Air Force has awarded Conti Federal a $31.7-million deal to establish a B-21 Raider stealth bomber fuel cell hangar at Ellsworth AFB, South Dakota. The project will convert the installation’s existing Dock 81 to Fuel Cell Hangar B7242, comprising fuel systems maintenance supporting the precision strike aircraft. At approximately 26,000 square feet (2,415 square meters), the site will include a fuel cell bay to fit one aircraft, sustainment storage spaces, and service utility divisions. Renovations will deliver a corridor connecting the hangar to the Fuels Systems Maintenance Dock currently under construction by the company. The US Air Force has accepted th…

Americas The US has completed assembly of its first B61-13 nuclear gravity bomb, almost a year ahead of its scheduled production and about two years after the program was launched. Its production timeline was accelerated by more than 25 percent, “while maintaining the highest standards of safety and security, and without disrupting our other six modernization programs,” said Acting Deputy Administrator for Defense Programs David Hoagland. General Dynamics NASSCO won a $199 million firm-fixed-price contract action for maintenance, modernization, and repair of USS America (LHA 6) Fiscal 2026 Docking Selected Restricted Availability. This contract includes options which, if …

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

Indonesia will acquire 42 Chinese-built Chengdu J-10C fighter jets in a deal valued at over $9 billion, marking the country’s first major non-Western aircraft procurement, according to top defense officials in Jakarta. Defense Minister Sjafrie Sjamsoeddin confirmed the move on Wednesday, stating that the aircraft, produced by China’s Chengdu Aerospace Corporation, would soon be flying […] The post Indonesia buys Chinese J-10 fighter jets first appeared on Defence Blog.View the full article

Switzerland’s Federal Office for Defence Procurement (armasuisse) has awarded new contracts for multispectral camouflage systems to three European defense suppliers — SSZ Camouflage Technology AG (Switzerland), Saro GmbH (Germany), and Saab (Sweden). The decision followed an extensive testing and evaluation process based on performance capability, integration potential, and logistical and economic factors. The selected systems […]View the full article

Ukraine’s military intelligence agency said it has confirmed a strike on a Russian military transport aircraft and two radar systems in temporarily occupied Crimea, describing the operation as a targeted action against Russian military assets preparing for flight. According to a statement released by the press service of the Main Intelligence Directorate of the Ministry […]View the full article

Ukraine’s experts have confirmed that Russia’s new “Oreshnik” intermediate-range missile relies on decades-old components, according to an analysis released by the Ukrainian defense outlet Militarnyi on January 11. The findings stem from debris recovered after the missile struck Dnipro in November 2024. Militarnyi reported that the discovery came after CNN broadcast a segment showing parts […]View the full article

The U.S. Army issued a Request for Information to support market research for the Red Sands Hard Kill Challenge 2026, focused on countering Group 1–3 small unmanned aerial systems, including activities at the Red Sands Integrated Experimentation Center 23.2 at Shamal-2 Range in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. The notice seeks industry input to assist […]View the full article

The Turkish Ministry of National Defense said on March 9 that a ballistic missile launched from Iran and entering Turkish airspace was intercepted by NATO air and missile defense systems deployed in the Eastern Mediterranean. The ministry confirmed that the missile was neutralized before it could reach its intended destination, with debris falling onto unoccupied […]View the full article

Soldiers assigned to the 1st Battalion, 12th Cavalry Regiment gave German Army Master Sgt. Steven Solis a hands-on familiarization with the M1A2 Abrams main battle tank at Camp Herkus, Lithuania, on April 2, 2026, as part of a two-week bilateral training exchange that paired German-led marksmanship qualification with U.S. armored vehicle instruction. The exchange grew […]View the full article

There is a point an officer’s career when they take a double take, and ask the question, “Why is that amphib commanded by an aviator?” The excuses one hears…well…here’s a change, and it makes sense. For LHA/LHD, LPD, and LSD, welcome to full-time SWO-dom. You have to pay attention to a letter from the CNO that comes out of the gate as direct and as clear as: Amphibious ship readiness and operational availability for years have been below Navy standards of acceptable levels. There are a lot of parallel threads in this letter that ask great questions from what it takes to have a ship ready for war, to the questionable “fleet up” concept, to…what looks like…what does your a…

Britain’s most powerful tank is getting closer to frontline service, with Rheinmetall BAE Systems Land confirming that Challenger 3 development trials are advancing through a series of battlefield mission serials that are testing the upgraded vehicle under conditions representative of real operational use. The tests, confirmed by RBSL, cover cross-country mobility, road running, gunnery equipment […]View the full article

Finland’s Minister of Defence, Antti Häkkänen, authorized the Finnish Defence Forces Logistics Command on June 18 to purchase additional GBU-53 Small Diameter Bomb II glide bombs from the United States, adding to a stockpile that will arm the country’s incoming fleet of F-35A stealth fighters with a weapon few air forces in the world currently […]View the full article

U.S. Marines with 3rd Reconnaissance Battalion spent early June learning to handle a boat the Marine Corps has bet will let small reconnaissance teams operate across the scattered islands of the Western Pacific without waiting for a ship to carry them there. The unit, part of 3rd Marine Division, conducted familiarization training with the Multi-Mission […]View the full article

The Swedish Armed Forces will receive 45 heavy recovery and technical rescue vehicles built entirely in Poland, a deal that marks one of the few instances in which Sweden has turned to a manufacturer outside its own borders for this kind of specialized military hardware. Szczęśniak Pojazdy Specjalne, a family-owned vehicle manufacturer based in Bielsko-Biała […]View the full article

The U.S. Air Force has added $826 million to its bulk missile contract with Lockheed Martin, pushing the total value of the deal past $10 billion for the first time. The Air Force Life Cycle Management Center at Eglin Air Force Base, Florida, issued the contract modification for continued production of the Joint Air-to-Surface Standoff […]View the full article