Raw Intel

The U.S. Air Force has begun early market research for the remanufacture of a key defensive electronic warfare component used on the B-2 Spirit stealth bomber. A sources sought notice published April 10 by DLA Aviation in Oklahoma City identifies the requirement as the B-2 Receiver Countermeasure. Responses are due by April 17, making this […]View the full article

China’s state news agency Xinhua published footage showing the Type 100 main battle tank, the People’s Liberation Army’s next-generation armored platform, conducting field training exercises, marking the first time the tank has been shown in an operational training environment and offering the first brief glimpse of its interior. The footage shows the Type 100 maneuvering […]View the full article

Germany’s Bundeswehr has placed a second major order for Rheinmetall’s LLM-VarioRay Laser-Light-Module, committing to a six-figure quantity of the weapon-mounted targeting devices for delivery between 2026 and 2032, with the contract value running into several hundred million euros. The call-off, approved by the German parliament’s Budget Committee in December 2025 and formalized under a framework […]View the full article

Ukraine appears to have struck one of the more obscure but consequential nodes in Russia’s weapons manufacturing chain, hitting the Sborka plant in Voronezh, a facility that Ukrainian military intelligence identifies as a supplier of specialized semiconductor components to three of Russia’s most operationally significant weapons programs: the Kh-101 cruise missile, the Iskander-K ballistic missile […]View the full article

Ukraine’s government collapsed and a new ballistic missile flew successfully on the very same day, a coincidence the country’s outgoing defense chief made sure nobody missed. Mykhailo Fedorov, who stepped down as Ukraine’s Minister of Defense this week after just seven months in the post, announced that Ukraine conducted a successful test of a domestically […]View the full article

A Spanish F-18 fighter jet flying NATO air policing duty shot down a drone that crossed into Romanian airspace early Sunday, marking the fourth drone Romania has shot down this year, the country’s Ministry of National Defence said. Romanian radar systems detected the aircraft entering national airspace at 4:44 a.m. local time, arriving from neighboring […]View the full article

Reaper, ready… (click to view full) The MQ-9 Reaper UAV, once called “Predator B,” is somewhat similar to the famous Predator. Until you look at the tail. Or its size. Or its weapons. It’s called “Reaper” for a reason: while it packs the same surveillance gear, it’s much more of a hunter-killer design. Some have called it the first fielded Unmanned Combat Air Vehicle (UCAV). The Reaper UCAV will play a significant role in the future USAF, even though its capability set makes the MQ-9 considerably more expensive than MQ-1 Predators. Given these high-end capabilities and expenses, one may not have expected the MQ-9 to enjoy better export success than its famous cousin. N…

Americas The US Air Force is to contract Sikorsky to upgrade its HH-60W Jolly Green II combat search and rescue (CSAR) helicopter to improve on the 2012 requirements baseline. According to the service, the manufacturer is to bring the capabilities of the Combat Rescue Helicopter (CRH) up to today’s specifications, ahead of the commencement of full rate production in fiscal year 2022. Under the potential five-year deal for rolling capability upgrades to both the helicopter’s hardware and software systems, Sikorsky stands to receive up to $980 million. Work to integrate the AN/SPY-6 radar on the new Aegis Flight III guided-missile destroyer, the future USS Jack H. Lucas (D…

Americas Ball Aerospace won a $9.7 million contract of the B-2 Antenna Electronics Unit. The B-2 is a low-observable, strategic, long-range, heavy bomber capable of penetrating sophisticated and dense air-defense shields. Work will take place in Colorado. Expected completion date September 16, 2026. Lockheed Martin has announced that the LMXT is being built in response to the US Air Force’s KC-Y Program. The new tanker builds on the design of the Airbus A330 Multi Role Tanker Transport (MRTT). Lockheed Martin is the prime contractor and works directly to implement US Air Force-specific requirements within the LMXT. The plane will be equipped with a fully automatic boom a…

Americas Boeing won an $18.6 million delivery order to procure the long lead components and parts in support of MH-47G rotary wing aircraft. The MH-47G aircraft provides US Special Operations Forces (SOF) heavy assault, rotary wing aircraft support. This contract action supports a requirement for replacement of the aging fleet of remanufactured MH-47G aircraft that has airframe components dating back more than 45 years and maximize commonality with the US Army’s CH-47F Block II aircraft. The Boeing MH-47G is a special operations variant of the CH-47 Chinook multi-role, heavy-lift helicopter. It is in service with the US Army Special Operations Aviation Command. The majori…

Following is an address delivered by Claude Berube, PhD in which he was asked to address the issue of readiness for war at the Annual Congress of the Naval Order of the United States. I asked him to make it available here. Claude, over to you! Thank you, John, for your kind introduction and to my fellow companions of the Naval Order of the United States for having invited me to speak at this annual congress. The views I express today are my own and not those of the Navy or any other organization with which I am affiliated. When John Shanahan and others invited to address you, they asked me to talk about the navy of yesterday and of today with regard to readiness and discu…

Americas Honeywell International won a $95 million deal by the US Army for maintenance and overhaul of UH-60 Black Hawk starters. Bids were solicited via the internet with one received. Work locations and funding will be determined with each order, with an estimated completion date of September 28, 2028. The US Air Force tapped Raytheon […]View the full article

Americas Insitu Inc. won a $84 million modification, which increases the contract ceiling to procure six RQ-21A and 20 ScanEagle unmanned air vehicles (UAS) including payloads and turrets; support equipment; spares and special tooling. Additionally, this modification procures services to include training, site surveys, engineering and technical and repair of repairable in support of the […]View the full article

Americas Bell Textron has selected Integris Composites to supply armor systems for the US Army’s Future Long Range Assault Aircraft (FLRAA) program. Integris highlighted that its contribution will focus on enhancing the upcoming rotorcraft’s durability, speed, range, and payload capabilities. The new aircraft will contribute to “our nation’s warfighters have the decisive edge in any theater where they are operating,” Integris Composites President Andrew Bonham. The US Army has awarded Lockheed Martin a contract to expand production capacity for the Patriot Advanced Capability – 3 (PAC-3) missile to 650 units annually. Lockheed emphasized that this initiative is a crucial …

Beijing has begun fielding a new air defense system designed to counter mass drone attacks, as the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) adopts measures against the growing threat of low-cost, expendable unmanned aircraft. The FK-3000, first showcased at the 2022 Zhuhai Air Show, was seen during rehearsals for an upcoming military parade. According to Chinese sources, […] The post China fields new FK-3000 anti-drone system first appeared on Defence Blog.View the full article

BAE Systems Land & Armaments, York, Pennsylvania, has been awarded a $12,2 million contract modification to support ongoing Bradley A4 production for the U.S. Army. According to the Department of Defense announcement, the modification (P00001) to contract W912CH-25-F-0096 brings the total cumulative value of the contract to $668,442,599. The Army Contracting Command at Detroit Arsenal, […] The post U.S. Army extends Bradley A4 production first appeared on Defence Blog.View the full article

The People’s Liberation Army (PLA) Southern Theater Command issued a formal warning after an Australian military aircraft allegedly entered Chinese-controlled airspace without authorization over the disputed Paracel Islands in the South China Sea. According to a statement released by Senior Colonel Li Jianjian, spokesperson for the Southern Theater Air Force, the incident occurred on October […] The post China warns Australia after airspace violation first appeared on Defence Blog.View the full article

This seems rather funny at first read, but the numbers seem, well…interesting. First, let’s establish our baseline. According to the business analytics firm Poidata, there are just shy of 15,000 Indian restaurants in Britain compared with closer to 12,000 Chinese establishments. 15 to 12. Five Indian restaurants to four Chinese restaurants. (yes, I can do math) Brits sure do love their curry. You would expect, with small deviations, for this to be roughly replicated in any particular area. If you think that ratio would hold around sensitive military locations, you’d be wrong. Near His Majesty’s Naval Base Clyde, for example, which maintains our nuclear deterrent submarine…

AM General has finalized a three-year direct commercial sale framework contract with the Ministry of Defense of the Republic of Kosovo for Hawkeye 105mm Mobile Howitzer Systems, marking the first sale of the system to Kosovo and expanding the company’s footprint in mobile artillery solutions. According to the company, the agreement covers Hawkeye Mobile Howitzer […]View the full article

Morocco is considering the acquisition of up to 400 K2 Black Panther main battle tanks and the Cheongung (KM-SAM) medium-range air defense system from South Korea, according to South Korean industrial sources. The reported plan would mark the first integration of South Korean military equipment into the Moroccan Armed Forces if it moves forward. The […]View the full article