Raw Intel

One of the foundation stones of any understanding of the national security requirements of the United States is a requirement to fully understand that we are primarily a maritime and aerospace power. That is our comparative advantage. Aerospace isn’t just air-breathing aircraft, it includes space. For far too long, narrow-thinking people for the most base reasons have neglected space. Like many things, we gained a huge advantage over everyone else, and then decided the money would be better spent buying votes and currying favor with…whoever was going to help buy votes. From Carter’s malaise to Obama’s obsession with using NASA for “Muslim outreach” when it wasn’t trying t…

Egypt has signed a $130 million contract to acquire the Turkish-developed TOLGA short-range air defense system. According to a press release issued by Makine ve Kimya Endüstrisi (MKE), the agreement was concluded with the Egyptian Ministry of Defence and covers the delivery of the TOLGA SHORAD system, which is designed to counter unmanned aerial vehicles, […]View the full article

A shoulder-fired missile streaking toward a military cargo plane has mere seconds to find its target, and the U.S. Air Force has paid $60.4 million to make sure the aircraft sees it coming even faster. Northrop Grumman won a $60,438,241 contract to develop an enhanced sensor called the Optical Detection and Identification Node, or ODIN, […]View the full article

Schiebel Group showcased its CAMCOPTER S-100 unmanned aerial system during NATO’s REPMUS 2025 exercise, underscoring the platform’s versatility, operational maturity, and seamless integration with evolving naval combat systems. The large-scale event, hosted by the Portuguese Navy, brought together allied forces and defense industry partners to evaluate the role of robotic and uncrewed systems in multi-domain […] The post NATO trials feature upgraded CAMCOPTER drone first appeared on Defence Blog.View the full article

His Majesty King Charles III formally welcomed the Royal Navy’s newest nuclear-powered attack submarine, HMS Agamemnon, into service during a commissioning ceremony at BAE Systems’ yard in Barrow-in-Furness. The milestone event marked the sixth Astute-class submarine to join the fleet. The King, departing from naval tradition, personally read the commissioning warrant, declaring the vessel ready […] The post Royal Navy commissions Astute-class attack submarine first appeared on Defence Blog.View the full article

Raytheon has secured a United States Air Force contract to equip the autonomous X-62A Variable In-flight Simulation Test Aircraft, known as VISTA, with its PhantomStrike fire-control radar, expanding the service’s testing of autonomous combat aviation technologies. According to a press release, Raytheon will integrate the PhantomStrike radar onto the X-62A as part of ongoing Air […]View the full article

The United States Air Force has officially designated YFQ-48A as the Mission Design Series for Northrop Grumman’s Project Talon, a semi-autonomous prototype aircraft developed under the Collaborative Combat Aircraft program. According to an Air Force announcement, the assignment of the YFQ-48A designation represents a key step in the service’s effort to field next-generation semi-autonomous aircraft […]View the full article

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un on August 31 inspected a newly built missile production complex and signed three new plans to expand the country’s missile manufacturing capacity, according to the state-run Korean Central News Agency (KCNA). During the visit, Kim toured an automated assembly line, which state media described as capable of dramatically increasing […] The post North Korea ramps up ballistic missile production first appeared on Defence Blog.View the full article

The Russian military is reintroducing horseback units to the battlefield, turning to centuries-old tactics. According to Russian media reports, newly formed cavalry units riding actual horses were observed during training exercises with assault troops from the 9th Motor Rifle Brigade of the Russian Armed Forces. The initiative was launched by the commander of the “Shtorm” […] The post Russia trains cavalry units for battlefield operations first appeared on Defence Blog.View the full article

The United Kingdom has confirmed a £5.4 billion ($7.2 billion) defense agreement with Türkiye for the sale of 20 Eurofighter Typhoon aircraft, a move expected to enhance NATO airpower and sustain more than 20,000 high-skill jobs in the British defense industry. According to a government announcement, the full value of the deal is estimated at […]View the full article

The United States Department of the Air Force has issued a new special notice seeking industry participation in a multi-year effort to develop next-generation aircraft protection technologies, according to a contracting announcement published on November 24. The opportunity is structured as a Two-Step Closed Commercial Solutions Opening (CSO) and will remain active through December 2030. […]View the full article

Russia has begun using a new jet-powered variant of the Iranian-designed Shahed drone in large-scale attacks against Ukraine, including a wave of strikes targeting the capital, Kyiv. According to the Ukrainian defense outlet Militarnyi, the drone—identified as the Shahed-238 and rebranded by Russia as the “Geran-3”—was employed during combined missile and UAV attacks on the […] The post Jet-powered kamikaze drones target Kyiv in overnight assault first appeared on Defence Blog.View the full article

A Russian defense analyst has publicly proposed leasing North Korean Su-25 ground-attack aircraft for use in the war in Ukraine, citing the weapons configuration displayed on the aircraft during a recent North Korean military event. The proposal was outlined by Vladimir Khrustalev, a Russian expert on North Korea’s military-industrial complex and nuclear weapons, following celebrations […]View the full article

Images of a new prototype attack helicopter in China—designated the Z-21—have surfaced on Chinese social media, showing what appears to be a twin-seat, twin-engine platform closely modeled after the American AH-64 Apache. The Z-21, painted matte black and bearing the tail number 6232, was photographed during a new test flight. Based on visible design features, […]View the full article

The Swedish Defence Materiel Administration (FMV) has conducted new trials with an unmanned surface vessel (USV) in Hårsfjärden, south of Stockholm, as part of a three-year research and technology program commissioned by the Swedish Armed Forces. According to FMV, the tests focused on the vessel’s software, range, maneuvering, and emergency stop systems. “We have purchased […]View the full article

A United States Navy MQ-4C Triton long-range intelligence aircraft conducted an extended surveillance mission over the Caribbean Sea on 8 January after departing Naval Station Mayport, according to publicly available flight-tracking data. The aircraft, identified as MQ-4C Triton number 169659 and flying under the callsign BLKCAT6, operated for roughly ten hours in international airspace north […]View the full article

The United States Air Force has banned the use of smart glasses by service members while in uniform, citing operational security concerns in an update to its uniform regulations issued on Jan. 9. The updated guidance explicitly prohibits smart glasses equipped with photo, video, or artificial intelligence capabilities. Task & Purpose reported that an Air […]View the full article

Yes, I know. In America this is Veterans Day. I’ve written before about my conflicted thoughts on some aspects of how we observe it, and I won’t dwell on it again. Yes, we have the very American Memorial Day that, too, modernity has warped a bit. The older I get, the more a long-standing feeling gets stronger with me. It has always been there, but in my years seconded to NATO and serving with the British, I really started to feel that, yes, they have the right idea. An unnecessary, avoidable, and devastating war that America only had a sniff of. In a spasm that really was the West at war with itself for reasons soon overcome by events and forgotten, it destroyed the old w…

The Boeing has been awarded an $18,5 million contract to provide engineering and technical support services for the A/MH-6 “Little Bird” helicopters operated by U.S. Special Operations Command (USSOCOM). The award was announced on November 12, 2025. According to the Department of War, the cost-plus-fixed-fee contract will fund ongoing technical assistance to the A/MH-6 Program […]View the full article

SummaryIn this episode, Sal discusses various pressing global issues, including the evolving role of Saudi Arabia, the ongoing drug cartel crisis in the Americas, and the ethical responsibilities of military personnel in politics. He also addresses the challenges within the military-industrial complex, a recent surge in aircraft mishaps, and the importa… Read more View the full article