Raw Intel

Ukraine’s state-owned defense conglomerate Ukroboronprom announced earlier this week that it has signed a new cooperation agreement with the U.S.-based company LeVanta Tech Inc. The deal focuses on the joint development of “float-and-fly” systems — vehicles capable of operating both on water and in the air. In a statement, Ukroboronprom CEO Herman Smetanin said, “LeVanta […] The post Ukraine could get revolutionary naval drones first appeared on Defence Blog.View the full article

According to leaked documents published by the analytical project Frontelligence Insight, Russian plans call for a sharp rise in production and modernization of main battle tanks over the next decade, centered on the T-90M family and upgrades to older T-72 models. “In the spring and summer of 2025, as part of our own operation, our […] The post Russia prepares to build new T-90M2 tanks first appeared on Defence Blog.View the full article

The Chilean Army has expanded its fleet of South Korean-made Kia Light Tactical Vehicles (KLTVs) with the delivery of a new variant designed for communications operations. The latest transfer adds to Chile’s growing inventory of KLTVs, which have been in service with both the Army and Marine Corps since 2022. According to Chilean Army officials, […] The post Chilean army receives Korean-built KLTV vehicles first appeared on Defence Blog.View the full article

During the DFNC3 International Defense Industries Forum, Ukraine and the United Kingdom signed a project agreement on joint artillery production. The announcement was confirmed by Ukrainian Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal, as reported by Militarnyi. The agreement on artillery manufacturing reflects an ongoing effort to establish localized production of Western-standard systems inside Ukraine. Although the specific […] The post Ukraine, UK agree on joint artillery production first appeared on Defence Blog.View the full article

As Russia continues to expand its family of loitering munitions, defense firm Roboavia has introduced a new one-way attack drone known as KLIN. Smaller than the Shahed series and designed for short-range missions, the KLIN is engineered for specific tactical-level tasks and resembles existing systems such as the Lancet and KUB in both role and […] The post Russia unveils new kamikaze drone for tactical strikes first appeared on Defence Blog.View the full article

Russian defense enterprise Koncern Granit has introduced a new twin-engine reconnaissance unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) designated Os-25-R, designed for optical-electronic intelligence missions at tactical depth. The company says the drone’s structure is produced using domestic materials and technologies that allow rapid manufacturing and high durability. According to Granit, the Os-25-R belongs to the same class […] The post Russia introduces new twin-engine tactical drone first appeared on Defence Blog.View the full article

Russia’s Azimut company, part of the state-owned Rostec defense conglomerate, has begun field testing a new domestically developed reconnaissance drone produced with additive manufacturing technology. The prototype features a fuselage that is entirely 3D-printed, a design the company says reduces both production time and cost while expanding mission flexibility. According to Azimut, the drone’s body […] The post Russia builds fully 3D-printed spy drone first appeared on Defence Blog.View the full article

Germany-based defense technology startup NORDYN Group has revealed a prototype of its new drone platform, the ARAWN 160, which the company says can be produced rapidly and independently of Chinese supply chains. According to the company, the ARAWN 160 represents “a modular reference model to be enriched with mission kits, ready to be produced in […] The post Germany’s new drone maker promises fast, China-free production first appeared on Defence Blog.View the full article

The Algerian government has approved a record $25 billion defense budget for 2026 — the largest in the country’s history — amid growing security concerns across the Sahel region, The Clash Report said. According to the report, the 2026 finance bill totals $135 billion, up from $128 billion in 2025 and $113 billion in 2024. […] The post Algeria to spend billions preparing for war first appeared on Defence Blog.View the full article

Ukrainian forces have released a short video showing what appears to be the first combat interception of a Russian Kh-69 stealth cruise missile using the U.S.-made VAMPIRE counter-UAS system. The video, published by the Ukrainian military, shows the system engaging an incoming aerial target during a recent Russian missile strike on Ukraine. Though the military […] The post Cheap U.S. rocket system downs Russian stealth missile first appeared on Defence Blog.View the full article

North Korea presented a new multiple launch rocket system during its latest military parade in Pyongyang, a platform that observers say closely resembles the U.S.-made M142 HIMARS. The new system, seen moving through the capital’s streets in convoy formation, has not yet been named, and its performance characteristics remain undisclosed. A column of several new […] The post North Korea builds its own version of HIMARS first appeared on Defence Blog.View the full article

North Korea unveiled a new version of its domestically produced Chonma-20 main battle tank during a military parade in Pyongyang, presenting the most modern iteration of its armored vehicle program to date. The tank, known outside the country as the M2020, was first introduced four years ago and has since undergone several rounds of modernization. […] The post North Korea parades new generation of Chonma tanks first appeared on Defence Blog.View the full article

Do you always fight to win at all costs? When do you retreat? If you find yourself in Maryland, you are surrounded by the War of 1812, and you may not even know it. A few years ago, this got my attention, Aboard a pontoon boat chugging past the marshland of Maryland’s upper Patuxent River on a recent Saturday, Ralph Eshelman pointed to the spot where the muddy brown water hides a shipwreck nearly two centuries old, part of the American flotilla that defended the Chesapeake Bay when the British burned Washington during the War of 1812. That only hints at the story. Before we get to the war story, let’s look at the man - and the questions his story asks. When do you sto…

AM General, the maker of the legendary Humvee, says it will spotlight the agility and lethality of its light-force portfolio at the Association of the U.S. Army (AUSA) Annual Meeting, Oct. 13–15, at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center. The company plans to show the restyled Hawkeye 105mm Mobile Howitzer System, the new and recently […] The post Humvee maker offers new pickup for U.S. troops first appeared on Defence Blog.View the full article

At the People’s Liberation Army Air Force’s “Anti-Uncontested Front-2025” maker competition in Xi’an, Chinese developers publicly displayed a new family of interceptor drones intended to counter hostile reconnaissance and strike unmanned aerial systems, event coverage shows. The unmanned interceptors were presented as a lower-cost, more flexible alternative to traditional air-defence systems and appear aimed at […] The post China copies Ukrainian drone interceptors first appeared on Defence Blog.View the full article

Epirus unveiled a new high-power microwave counter-drone system mounted on a tracked robotic vehicle ahead of its formal debut at AUSA in Washington, the company said, presenting the combination as a mobile, software-defined option for defending bases and forces against swarming drones. “Introducing Leonidas Autonomous Robotic, powered by GDLS TRX: a mobile counter-UAS capability featuring […] The post Epirus unveils robotic Leonidas microwave weapon first appeared on Defence Blog.View the full article

U.S. Soldiers from the Multi-Purpose Company, 1st Battalion, 502nd Infantry Regiment, 2nd Mobile Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault) are field-testing an improvised, 3D-printed munition dropper dubbed the Widowmaker during Combined Resolve 26-1, the unit said. Mounted on a PDW C100 drone platform, the device is being evaluated for its ability to deliver […] The post U.S. troops test 3D-printed munition dropper for drones first appeared on Defence Blog.View the full article

China’s Ministry of National Defense announced that the Chinese and Saudi Arabian navies will conduct a joint naval exercise, “Blue Sword-2025,” in Saudi Arabia later this month. At a press briefing on Oct. 10, Senior Colonel Jiang Bin, Deputy Director of the Information Bureau of China’s Ministry of National Defense and ministry spokesperson, said the […] The post China, Saudi Arabia to hold joint naval drills first appeared on Defence Blog.View the full article

Japan’s Ministry of Defense announced on Oct. 7 that it has signed two major contracts with Mitsubishi Heavy Industries to begin mass production of a new submarine-launched cruise missile and a ship-launched, extended-range variant of the Type 12 anti-ship missile. The ministry said the first contract, signed Sept. 1 and valued at roughly ¥2.9 billion […] The post Japan develops 1,500 km-range submarine-launched missile first appeared on Defence Blog.View the full article

Japan’s Defense Minister Gen Nakatani announced on October 10 that the Japan Ground Self-Defense Force (JGSDF) will dispatch two instructors to Lithuania to provide landmine clearance training for Ukrainian personnel. The move represents Japan’s first activity under the framework it joined in 2023 to support Ukraine. In a press conference, Nakatani said the initiative aims […] The post Japan sends military instructors to train Ukrainian soldiers first appeared on Defence Blog.View the full article