Raw Intel

How are naval shipbuilding, commercial shipbuilding, and commercial shipping linked together to create a healthy and effective national seapower ecosystem? What did the 1990s “Last Supper” get wrong, and what can be done to correct the error? This Sunday, LIVE from 5-6 pm Eastern, Hunter Stires will be returning to Midrats to discuss this and more. We will be using as a starting point for our discussion the recent article that he co-wrote with Steve Brock at CIMSEC, Maritime Statecraft and its Future. You can listen live at this link. If you are reading this after the show, reload this Substack page later Sunday as the podcast audio will be here. Hunter Stires served as…

Saronic Technologies has announced a strategic collaboration with NVIDIA aimed at accelerating the development of autonomous maritime systems and AI-driven shipbuilding. The partnership was disclosed on Friday in a company statement that outlined joint efforts to integrate NVIDIA’s advanced AI tools and compute platforms into Saronic’s naval technologies. “By combining Saronic’s deep expertise in maritime […] The post Saronic teams with NVIDIA on AI-powered ships first appeared on Defence Blog.View the full article

At the 2025 Army Presentation event (Présentation de l’armée de Terre 2025), held on October 15 and 16 at the École Militaire in Paris, the French Army’s 40th Artillery Regiment highlighted its evolving capabilities, focusing on new-generation unmanned aerial systems. The event, referred to as PAT25, is a major outreach initiative by the French Army, […] The post French artillery showcases new drones at Paris defense event first appeared on Defence Blog.View the full article

Belgian defense manufacturer FN Herstal has released rare behind-the-scenes photos from its production line, showing the assembly process of its advanced FN DEFENDER Remote Weapon Station (RWS). In a caption shared by FN Herstal, the company stated: “Behind every FN DEFENDER stands the expertise of our production teams. Skilled. Precise. Relentless. Crafted in Herstal. Deployed […] The post FN Herstal highlights remote weapon station production first appeared on Defence Blog.View the full article

Ukrainian unmanned ground vehicle (UGV) developers are accelerating battlefield innovation through hands-on testing with frontline troops, using feedback from the recent Strike UGV Crash Test to refine their platforms for real combat conditions. Organized by the Snake Island Institute, AB3 TECH, the 3rd Assault Brigade’s NC13 Strike UGV Company, and the 3rd Army Corps, the […] The post Ukraine puts UGVs through battlefield stress test first appeared on Defence Blog.View the full article

Russia has conducted a new test of its nuclear-powered cruise missile known as Burevestnik, or SSC-X-9 “Skyfall” in NATO designation, President Vladimir Putin confirmed following a briefing with Chief of the General Staff Valery Gerasimov. According to Gerasimov, the test took place on October 21 and saw the missile cover 14,000 kilometers over a 15-hour […] The post Russia tests nuclear-powered cruise missile first appeared on Defence Blog.View the full article

After a lengthy hiatus, the U.S. Air Force has resumed high-altitude drone reconnaissance missions over the Black Sea, signaling renewed American intelligence-gathering activity in one of Europe’s most tense military zones. On October 25, a massive Northrop Grumman RQ-4B Global Hawk, operating under the callsign FORTE 10, was observed conducting surveillance operations over the southern […] The post U.S. spy drone returns to Black Sea patrols first appeared on Defence Blog.View the full article

Textron Aviation is promoting its AT-6 Wolverine as a purpose-built aircraft to counter long-range one-way attack drones, such as the Iranian-designed Shahed-136, which have been used extensively in Ukraine, Israel, and Saudi Arabia. These drones, launched in large numbers, have challenged the effectiveness and economics of existing air defense systems. Military forces in both Ukraine […] The post Textron pitches AT-6 Wolverine as drone interceptor first appeared on Defence Blog.View the full article

Turkish defense firm STM Defense Technologies Engineering has delivered its domestically developed Alpagu loitering munition system to Turkish security forces. Known as a fixed-wing “kamikaze drone,” the Alpagu is part of STM’s broader initiative to supply locally engineered UAVs capable of enhancing national defense capabilities through lightweight, precision-guided strike systems. STM General Director Özgür Güleryüz […] The post Turkish forces field new indigenous kamikaze drone first appeared on Defence Blog.View the full article

The Brazilian Army has conducted field acceptance tests on the second prototype of its upgraded remotely operated weapon system, the UT30BR2, according to the Tecnologia & Defesa. The tests were carried out on October 9 and 16 by personnel from the Army’s Manufacturing Directorate (Diretoria de Fabricação, DF) and the War Arsenal of Rio (Arsenal […] The post Brazilian army evaluates new UT30BR2 turret on Guarani vehicle first appeared on Defence Blog.View the full article

BAE Systems is advancing a new vision for combat air support where autonomous drones fly ahead of helicopters, identify threats, and execute electronic or kinetic strikes — a model the company says could become operational in the near term. In a recent article, Robert Merryweather, Group Technology Director at BAE Systems, outlined the company’s roadmap […] The post BAE Systems maps future where drones lead the fight first appeared on Defence Blog.View the full article

Griffon Aerospace, a U.S. defense firm known for its aerial target systems, is promoting a new variant of its MQM-172 Arrowhead drone configured as a low-cost, one-way strike weapon. While originally developed as a realistic target drone for military training, the company now markets the platform’s adaptability for loitering munition roles with configurable payloads and […] The post Griffon Aerospace pushes low-cost strike drone for U.S. Forces first appeared on Defence Blog.View the full article

General Atomics is developing a new concept for its jet-powered MQ-20 Avenger drone, featuring a rotating high-energy combat laser integrated into the nose section—a design aimed at expanding the drone’s future role in unmanned strike and air defense missions. The image, shared by Naval News contributor Carter Johnston, shows the Avenger equipped with a nose-mounted […] The post General Atomics integrates laser weapon into Avenger drone first appeared on Defence Blog.View the full article

The Chinese People’s Liberation Army Ground Force (PLAGF) has begun fielding a new short-range air defense system, believed to be designated HQ-13, as part of a modernization effort to equip frontline units with mobile, autonomous interception capabilities. Footage released by CCTV shows the system in operational use by an air defense company assigned to the […] The post China fields new short-range air defense system first appeared on Defence Blog.View the full article

Castelion, a U.S. defense startup developing affordable long-range weapons, announced Friday that it has secured integration contracts with both the U.S. Army and Navy for its new hypersonic strike system, known as Blackbeard. In a company statement, Castelion said it will collaborate with both services to integrate the Blackbeard weapon onto operational platforms and conduct […] The post U.S. startup wins contracts for hypersonic strike weapon first appeared on Defence Blog.View the full article

Right before I first posted this six years ago, after I once again lamented that we no longer have a ship with the name USS Shangri-La, Bill Schultz reminded me that there is a simply awesome video available of a unique and under-appreciated time in naval aviation; the early 1960s. What an incredible time of change and advancement ... and a time yet warped by the war that would dominate the rest of the decade. So, let’s take a moment to give tribute to those Sailors of the early-60s ... in glorious technicolor, on the USS Shangri-La (CV 38), circa 1962, somewhere in the Mediterranean Sea. Crusaders, Skyrays, Skyhawks, Skyraiders, Marines doing PT on deck ... just glorious…

A new photograph circulating on Chinese social media shows what appears to be a next-generation 155mm self-propelled howitzer—believed to be the PLZ-051B—covered in camouflage netting and being transported on a flatbed trailer. The image, reportedly taken in China and posted on Weibo, offers a rare glimpse at one of the People’s Liberation Army’s most advanced […] The post New Chinese self-propelled gun caught on camera first appeared on Defence Blog.View the full article

The Oklahoma National Guard confirmed Thursday that an OA-1K Skyraider II attack aircraft crashed during a routine training flight in southeast Oklahoma City. The aircraft, which had recently entered service with the U.S. Air Force, was carrying one civilian contractor and one Air Force member at the time of the incident. According to the Oklahoma […] The post U.S. Air Force newest attack aircraft crashes near Oklahoma City first appeared on Defence Blog.View the full article

On Oct. 22, the Republic of Korea Navy and the Defense Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA) unveiled the first Changbogo-III Batch-II class submarine, the Jang Yeong-sil (SS-087), at Hanwha Ocean’s Geoje Shipyard, and displayed the Haeseong‑5 anti‑ship missile as a central part of the ceremony. The missile, shown alongside the new submarine, is presented as a […] The post South Korea unveils new supersonic anti-ship missile first appeared on Defence Blog.View the full article

A British-designed air defense system developed specifically for Ukraine has successfully intercepted four Russian cruise and guided missiles, including Kh-59 and Kh-101 types, Ukrainian forces said. The Raven system, assembled from existing UK defense components in a four-month accelerated program, continues to exceed expectations in operational use. According to a public statement from Ukraine’s Air […] The post UK-built Raven downs Russian four cruise missiles in Ukraine first appeared on Defence Blog.View the full article