Raw Intel

The United States and South Korean militaries conducted joint river-crossing drills on Saturday in Yeoncheon County near the inter-Korean border, as part of the annual Freedom Shield exercise designed to improve interoperability between allied forces. The training brought together engineering units from both countries to practice bridging operations across complex terrain in a region close […]View the full article

At the end of last week, things were a’buzz’n about ‘ole silent-but-deadly…MINES! There is a lot of bad and in some places intentionally misleading reporting from traditional media on down over this weekend, so let’s do a quick summary. The NYT got the ball rolling. Iran has begun laying mines in the Strait of Hormuz, the Persian Gulf channel that carries 20 percent of the world’s oil, according to U.S. officials, an effort that could further complicate American efforts to restart shipping there. While the U.S. military said it had destroyed larger Iranian naval vessels that could be used to quickly lay mines in the strait, Iran began using smaller boats for the operation…

Here we find ourselves approaching the fifth spring of the Russo-Ukrainian War of 2022. As the rest of the world’s geopolitical landscape changes dramatically, Russia’s “friend group” shrinks, and Ukraine’s friends grow weary and distracted, where is the war moving and where could we expect Russia to adjust for another year of conflict? Returning to Midrats again to discuss this and related issues is Dr. Dmitry Gorenburg, a Senior Research Scientist in the Strategy, Policy, Plans, and Programs division of CNA, where he has worked since 2000. You can listen live at this link from 5-6 PM Eastern. If you are reading this after then, refresh the Substack Sunday night for the …

President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said on March 14 that developing a domestic air defense system has become a top priority for Ukraine’s defense leadership, tasking Defense Minister Mykhailo Fedorov with leading efforts to strengthen the country’s ability to protect its airspace. Speaking to journalists, Zelenskyy said Ukraine must pursue several parallel options to improve air defense, […]View the full article

The United States Navy confirmed plans to increase production of the Hammerhead anti-submarine mine system through a contract modification expected to be awarded to General Dynamics Mission Systems, according to a presolicitation notice released by Naval Sea Systems Command on March 13. The notice states that the Navy intends to modify an existing contract to […]View the full article

The United States Air Force has awarded Raytheon a contract modification worth up to $2.01 billion to continue work on the Advanced Extremely High Frequency (AEHF) terminal, a key communications system used to support secure military satellite networks, according to a contract announcement released March 13. The modification increases the total value of the existing […]View the full article

The United States Army has awarded a contract valued at up to $20 billion to Anduril Industries to consolidate a wide range of artificial intelligence–driven battlefield technologies into a unified operational system built around the company’s Lattice software platform. The agreement, announced in the Pentagon’s daily contract notices for March 13, was issued by U.S. […]View the full article

Turkish drone maker Baykar has unveiled a new loitering munition known as the K2 kamikaze, presenting the system in a promotional video released Saturday that showcased the drone’s artificial intelligence–based flight, navigation, and targeting capabilities. The introduction of the K2 reflects the rapid expansion of loitering munition technology, which has become a central tool in […]View the full article

The British Army has taken another step toward introducing its new long-range artillery capability after Organisation for Joint Armament Cooperation (OCCAR) awarded a £53 million ($70 million) contract to ARTEC GmbH for the production of 37 weapon systems for the Remote Controlled Howitzer 155 (RCH 155). The contract supports the British Army’s effort to field […]View the full article

Russia launched a large-scale combined missile and drone strike against Ukraine overnight on March 14, targeting critical infrastructure across several regions of the country. Ukrainian authorities said the attack began at 18:00 on March 13 and involved nearly 500 aerial weapons, including ballistic missiles, cruise missiles, and hundreds of attack drones. According to the Ukrainian […]View the full article

The United States Army concluded the xTech|Edge Strike: Ground competition on March 13 in Vilseck, Germany, where three autonomy technology companies tested unmanned ground systems built on tactical vehicles from Polaris Government and Defense. The event evaluated autonomous vehicle technologies designed for military logistics, reconnaissance, and casualty evacuation missions. The competition is part of the […]View the full article

When I was in NROTC, IIRC, Tuesday was the day we had classes. The one day of the week we wore uniforms. The only concern I ever really had was if my gig-line was correct. For the ROTC Cadets (I assume Army ROTC at this point, perhaps we will know more later), the post 911 reality decided to visit them. He allegedly walked into the Old Dominion classroom on Thursday and asked if it was an ROTC class, and when someone answered, "yes," he shot the instructor several times, according to sources. Evans alleged he shouted "Allah Akbar" during the incident. That is the moment. That is when you have an instant to make a call. Fight, flight, or freeze. Character is revealed. To…

Airbus is preparing flight tests of an unmanned collaborative combat aircraft system based on the Kratos XQ-58A Valkyrie as part of a program aimed at providing the German Air Force with an operational Uncrewed Collaborative Combat Aircraft (UCCA) capability by 2029. The work is taking place at Airbus facilities in Manching, near Munich, where engineers […]View the full article

The United States Army recently conducted tests of a new 30 mm Aviation Proximity Explosive (APEX) round designed for the AH-64 Apache attack helicopter at the Yuma Test Center at U.S. Army Yuma Proving Ground in Arizona. The trials evaluated the munition’s ability to engage unmanned aerial systems using the Apache’s existing M230 automatic cannon. […]View the full article

Anatolii Maksymov, an expert at the Ukrainian Security and Cooperation Centre and Middle East analyst, said Iran’s asymmetric military strategy is placing growing pressure on the United States and its regional partners as the conflict spreads across the Persian Gulf and surrounding energy infrastructure. In a published analysis of the ongoing confrontation, Maksymov argues that […]View the full article

The Ministry of National Defense of Türkiye confirmed on March 13, that a ballistic munition launched from Iran and entering Turkish airspace was neutralized by NATO air and missile defense assets operating in the Eastern Mediterranean. The announcement comes amid rising missile activity linked to Iran and follows an earlier interception reported just days ago, […]View the full article

The Missile Defense Agency has awarded Raytheon a nearly $267 million contract modification for the production of additional Standard Missile-3 (SM-3) Block IB interceptors, according to a contract announcement. The work will support the procurement and delivery of 23 additional SM-3 Block IB missiles, bringing the total under the contract to 78 interceptors. The modification […]View the full article

The Polish Armed Forces have launched a training cycle for operators of the AS-3 MEROPS drone interceptor, marking the next phase in Poland’s effort to expand capabilities for countering aerial threats. Initial training activities were conducted at military training areas in Lipa and at the Central Air Force Training Range Ustka. The training program is […]View the full article

A video released by United States Central Command appears to show the destruction of a Cobra V8 electronic warfare system during a U.S. airstrike targeting military facilities in Iran. The system was located at a surface-to-air missile site west of Bandar Imam Khomeini in Khuzestan province, according to open-source analysis. This strike has drawn attention […]View the full article

The United States Air Force has awarded Boeing a $2.34 billion contract modification to support the development of the E-7A Rapid Prototype Airborne Mission Segment, part of the service’s effort to field the Boeing E-7A Wedgetail airborne early warning and control aircraft. The modification exercises an option under a previously awarded contract and supports continued […]View the full article