Raw Intel

“Just a 20-year old undesignated Seaman.” Never say that. Titans walk amongst us in the most humble attire. A war is raging ashore. You’re just a 20-year-old Seaman Apprentice from landlocked South Dakota on your old swayback gun cruiser, USS Canberra (CA-70), off Vietnam when, well, you fell overboard. No one noticed. You should have drowned. But you didn’t. You should not have been able to survive for half a day without flotation. But you did. Your enemy should have been able to use you to their advantage. But they didn’t. Your fellow Americans in prison had a stories untold, many of them not known to be alive. You made sure all were known, with the help of the enemy, …

China’s state broadcaster CCTV-7 has been showing People’s Liberation Army (PLA) soldiers conducting infantry exercises in rugged terrain—featuring, notably, a trooper equipped with a rudimentary unpowered exoskeleton frame. The broadcast, part of a segment highlighting a unit of the PLA’s 76th Group Army, shows troops advancing across rocky highland ground under simulated combat conditions. The […] The post China tests infantry exoskeleton during army drill first appeared on Defence Blog.View the full article

Taiwan’s military has unveiled what appears to be a mobile missile launcher disguised as a civilian delivery truck—part of what analysts say may be a growing fleet of improvised yet highly capable coastal defense systems aimed at deterring a potential amphibious assault by China. Footage recently released by Taiwanese defense forces shows a standard-looking commercial […] The post Taiwan hides Hellfire launcher in civilian truck first appeared on Defence Blog.View the full article

Azerbaijan’s Navy has for the first time publicly showcased its Turkish-made “Salvo” unmanned surface vessel (USV), signaling a new phase in Baku’s maritime capabilities amid growing regional security concerns in the Caspian Sea. The debut of the armed drone boat came during recent naval exercises and was noted by Baku-based policy analyst Fuad Shahbazov, who […] The post Azerbaijan unveils armed naval drone first appeared on Defence Blog.View the full article

Raytheon has secured a $72 million contract with the U.S. Army to sustain and support the Improved Target Acquisition System (ITAS), a critical component used to guide the service’s TOW anti-tank missiles. In a statement, Dan Theisen, president of Advanced Products & Solutions at Raytheon, said, “This critical technology bolsters target recognition and engagement ranges, […] The post Raytheon gets $72M deal for TOW missile targeting system first appeared on Defence Blog.View the full article

Russia is moving ahead with the design of a new ocean-going warship, according to Admiral Alexander Moiseev, Commander-in-Chief of the Russian Navy. The vessel, described as a future “far ocean zone” (blue-water) combat platform, is expected to be laid down under the country’s next State Armament Program. Speaking to Russian state media, Admiral Moiseev confirmed […] The post Russia plans new blue-water warship first appeared on Defence Blog.View the full article

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

Russian pro-war Telegram channels and later Ukrainian sources reported the loss of a Su-30SM fighter jet from the Black Sea Fleet’s naval aviation near Ukraine’s Zmiinyi (Snake) Island on August 14. According to these reports, communication with the twin-seat aircraft was lost in the vicinity of the island. Hours later, Russian military-linked bloggers and channels […] The post Russian Su-30SM crashes in Black Sea first appeared on Defence Blog.View the full article

The U.S. Army’s recent announcement that it will soon launch a dedicated drone marketplace has drawn attention from defense analysts and industry specialists, highlighting the growing role of integrated procurement platforms in modern warfare. While the Army’s plan is still in development, several fully functioning solutions already exist at both government and private levels. One […] The post Commercial software solutions enter defense space first appeared on Defence Blog.View the full article

The Taiwanese Ministry of National Defense has introduced a new multi-role unmanned aerial system developed at the state-run Plant 202 in collaboration with private-sector manufacturers. The program, aimed at meeting the demands of asymmetric warfare, emphasizes mass production, low cost, and operational versatility. According to National Defense Online, the lineup includes a fixed-wing strike drone […] The post Taiwan develops plywood-built kamikaze drone first appeared on Defence Blog.View the full article

A prominent Russian lawmaker and retired general has issued a direct threat of military action against Azerbaijan, escalating tensions between Moscow and Baku amid already strained relations. In remarks delivered in a combative tone, State Duma Deputy Lt. Gen. Andrey Gurulev accused Azerbaijan of “damaging relations” with Russia by supporting Ukraine. “If Russian store shelves […] The post Azerbaijan ready to respond to Russian threats first appeared on Defence Blog.View the full article

Deindustrialization was decades in the making, and as we are running out of time—we don’t have decades to bring it back. Never forget, this did not “just happen.” This was an intentional act by government, politicians, and people interested in money and the power it would bring them. Supporting them, and manipulated by them, were useful idiots and true believers from the usual suspects in the NGO, IO, and “non-profit” world. The lust for money, power, and sex. If you don’t first look for these three reasons for the problems around you, you’re not thinking right. When two of the three are right in front of you, you know you’re on to something. It is no exaggeration that ou…

The Japanese Ministry of Defense confirmed that it has completed the relocation of all 17 Ground Self-Defense Force (GSDF) V-22 Osprey tiltrotor aircraft to Saga Camp in Saga Prefecture. The move marks the end of their provisional deployment at Kisarazu Camp in Chiba Prefecture. The redeployment is part of Japan’s ongoing “southwest shift” in force […] The post Japan moves entire Osprey fleet to southwest base first appeared on Defence Blog.View the full article

Archer Aviation says it is accelerating production of its Midnight electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) aircraft, with a near-term goal of achieving an output rate of 50 aircraft per year across roughly 700,000 square feet of manufacturing and test facilities. The company reported Tuesday that aircraft built during this new product introduction phase will […] The post Archer ramps up production of its electric aircraft first appeared on Defence Blog.View the full article

Pakistan’s Army has introduced the FATAH-IV, a new ground-launched subsonic cruise missile with enhanced range and precision, according to the Clash Report. The FATAH-IV has a stated range of 750 kilometers, a reported accuracy of five meters, and travels at approximately 0.7 Mach. The missile weighs 1,530 kilograms and carries a 330-kilogram warhead, making it […] The post Pakistan debuts new cruise missile first appeared on Defence Blog.View the full article

The Finnish Defence Forces (FDF) and the Swedish Defence Materiel Administration (FMV) have signed a joint EUR 15 million ($17 million) agreement with Finnish communications company KNL for the delivery of Cognitive Networked HF (CNHF) Manpack radios. Deliveries are scheduled to be completed by the end of 2025. According to the FDF, this order is […] The post Finland, Sweden boost interoperability with new HF radio buy first appeared on Defence Blog.View the full article

Raytheon has been awarded a $258 million contract to advance the engineering, manufacturing, and development of the Standard Missile 2 (SM-2) Block IIICU All Up Round, the Department of Defense announced. The deal covers the follow-on integration and test phase of a program already under contract and includes options that could raise its value to […] The post U.S. Navy awards Raytheon contract for next-gen SM-2 interceptors first appeared on Defence Blog.View the full article

I first read Jen Judson’s article in Defense News back when it came out … and was simply in awe. I simply respect the audacity and enthusiasm by a man whose love of land-centric thinking is only matched by his demand that time and space bend to his will. Please clap. It is a well known cynical, and correct, angle that all the post-Goldwater-Nichols diktat was simply a way for the Army to exert an artificially large influence on the strategic direction of the otherwise natural maritime and aerospace power that is the United States. It didn’t so much lift Army up, but kept the Navy and USAF thinking suppressed through institutional barriers, bureaucratic obfuscation, and ge…

Israel’s Elbit Systems Ltd. has reported a sharp rise in second-quarter revenues and earnings, citing strong domestic and international demand for its defense technologies. The Israeli defense company posted revenues of $2.0 billion for the quarter ended June 30, 2025, up 21% from the same period last year. According to the company’s earnings release, GAAP […] The post Israeli defense giant reports 21% revenue growth first appeared on Defence Blog.View the full article

Israel’s Elbit Systems Ltd. announced it has secured a $1.635 billion contract to provide a broad range of advanced defense systems to an undisclosed European country. The contract, set to run over five years, encompasses long-range precision strike capabilities, unmanned aerial systems, and state-of-the-art intelligence, surveillance, target acquisition, and reconnaissance (ISTAR) technologies. According to the […] The post Israel’s Elbit wins $1.6B deal from undisclosed European buyer first appeared on Defence Blog.View the full article