Raw Intel

Footage broadcast on Chinese state television has revealed new training exercises featuring unmanned ground vehicles armed with rocket launchers. According to observer of Chinese military developments Jesus Roman, the exercises involved an armored infantry squad from the 83rd Group Army, part of the Central Theater Command. The unit conducted semi-urban assault drills using Type 08 […] The post China tests new ground drones with rocket launchers first appeared on Defence Blog.View the full article

A Chinese company has begun producing mobile replicas of the U.S.-made HIMARS rocket artillery system, offering the mockups for training and limited export. Videos shared on Chinese social media platforms show a private firm demonstrating moving versions of the system, designed to resemble the American launchers. According to the company, the replicas are being produced […] The post Chinese firm builds HIMARS replicas first appeared on Defence Blog.View the full article

A dozen years ago when I first posted this, Mrs. Salamander managed to find a few more direct ancestors of mine who fought in the American Revolution on the American side, ahem, from militia "Private" to Colonel ... and even a LT on RANGER. At last, all that "Tory Militia" slander can fade into the background ..... It is helpful that we are careful about talking too much about our generation's wee "War" on Terror. Perspective is important. Look at what other generations endured, risked, what they suffered, what many never came back from. Little spots of horror many people look over and don't even know it. Do you know who Philip Freneau is? I didn't, though I wish I did e…

The U.S. Air Force’s 500th F-35A Lightning II fighter jet arrived at the Florida Air National Guard’s 125th Fighter Wing in Jacksonville on July 9, 2025, marking a milestone in the service’s transition to fifth-generation airpower. The aircraft is one of the first three F-35As permanently assigned to the wing, known as “the Thunder,” and […] The post U.S. Air Force marks 500th F-35A delivery first appeared on Defence Blog.View the full article

The U.S. Army has awarded contracts to AeroVironment and Edge Autonomy to rapidly deliver the first Long-Range Reconnaissance (LRR) unmanned aircraft systems. The systems selected — AeroVironment’s P550 and Edge Autonomy’s Stalker Block 35X — are Group 2 drones designed to provide Reconnaissance, Surveillance, and Target Acquisition (RSTA) at the maneuver battalion level. According to […] The post U.S. Army taps AeroVironment, Edge for new recon drones first appeared on Defence Blog.View the full article

Two German defense technology companies, STARK and Quantum Systems, have demonstrated a new integrated reconnaissance-strike capability in Ukraine, combining the VECTOR intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) drone with the VIRTUS precision strike system. According to the companies, the concept allows operators to move from target identification to destruction within minutes, bridging the gap between surveillance […] The post German tech firms show drone-strike integration in Ukraine first appeared on Defence Blog.View the full article

Authorities in Colombia confirmed that a police Black Hawk helicopter was destroyed in a drone strike while carrying out a counternarcotics mission in the Antioquia region. According to officials, the UH-60 Black Hawk was transporting personnel to rural areas near Amalfi to eradicate coca crops, the raw material for cocaine production. As the helicopter hovered […] The post Colombian Black Hawk shot down by FPV drone first appeared on Defence Blog.View the full article

Ukrainian officials have released new details about their ambitious FP-5 Flamingo missile program, confirming that the weapon was conceived, developed, and fielded in less than nine months. According to POLITICO, Iryna Terekh, CEO and Chief Technology Officer of Fire Point, said the rapid development underscores Ukraine’s ability to deliver advanced defense capabilities under wartime conditions. […] The post Ukraine reveals details of new long-range cruise missile first appeared on Defence Blog.View the full article

German shipbuilder NVL Group has announced the establishment of a joint venture with UK-based Kraken Technology Group to accelerate the development and production of uncrewed surface vessels for both military and civilian use. The new company, NVL Kraken, will operate from NVL’s Blohm+Voss shipyard in Hamburg and complement existing facilities in the United Kingdom. According […] The post German shipbuilder, UK startup team up to build naval drones first appeared on Defence Blog.View the full article

Raytheon Missiles & Defense, based in Marlborough, Massachusetts, has been awarded a $52 million contract modification by the U.S. Navy for production of the AN/SPY-6(V) family of radars, the Pentagon announced this week. The fixed-price incentive (firm-target) contract option was issued under contract number N00024-22-C-5500. According to the Department of Defense, the funds come from […] The post Raytheon wins $52.9M U.S. Navy radar contract first appeared on Defence Blog.View the full article

Ukraine’s largest private weapons manufacturer, Ukrainian Armor, has begun mass production of new VOLS military buggies in response to battlefield demand for a low-cost, versatile vehicle designed for logistics and frontline support. According to a report from Oboronka, the company identified a gap in the Ukrainian Armed Forces’ equipment compared to Russian units, which employ […] The post Ukraine’s private company begins mass production of VOLS buggy first appeared on Defence Blog.View the full article

East Timor. Over four centuries of neglectful Portuguese rule, a spat of 1970s violence, a few decades of Indonesian rule, and then independence shortly after the turn of the century. Is that all you really need to know about this small, poor, and generally forgotten part of an insignificant island? Is it insignificant? The People’s Republic of China (PRC) doesn’t think so. Follow the money. As always, let’s head to the chart room. There she is in the center. That red circle is the 360 nautical mile circle that meets where the USMC base is at Darwin, Australia. East Timor has a population of 1.3 million. Roughly the population of San Diego, CA or Estonia. In size, her p…

Show LinksGaza COA Decision Brief, 11 October, 2023 We're Burning Another Amphib: this time the USS New Orleans (LPD 18) The Melting Point: High Command and War in the 21st Century, by Kenneth F. McKenzie Longstreet: The Confederate General Who Defied the South Hardcover, by Elizabeth Varon (Author) SummaryIn this episode, Sal discusses various pressing top… Read more View the full article

Via Brian McElhiney and Keishi Koja at Stars and Stripes: Japan’s coast guard and military are helping the Navy battle a blaze that broke out aboard an amphibious transport docking ship off Okinawa’s southeastern coast on Wednesday evening. “Crews are responding to a fire aboard USS New Orleans (LPD 18) this evening, Aug. 20, (Japan time) which is in the vicinity of Okinawa, Japan,” U.S. 7th Fleet wrote in an unsigned statement emailed to Stars and Stripes. “We will provide more details as they become available.” … The fire started in the front part of the 684-foot-long vessel, a coast guard spokesman told Stars and Stripes by phone Wednesday. “We do not know if it starte…

The British Army announced that its Boxer armored vehicle has successfully completed a Javelin integration trial, marking what it described as a major step toward providing its forces with the ability to fire the anti-tank missile from under armor. According to the Army, “Earlier this year, Boxer successfully completed its Javelin integration trial! This achievement […] The post British Boxer successfully fires Javelin missile first appeared on Defence Blog.View the full article

The French defense supplier Arquus has confirmed a contract to deliver 61 Bastion armored vehicles to Ukraine. According to the latest Rapport de mission released by John Cockerill, Arquus, which operates as a subsidiary of the company, said it “has also signed a contract for the delivery of 61 Bastion vehicles for Ukraine.” The report […] The post Arquus to deliver 61 Bastion vehicles to Ukraine first appeared on Defence Blog.View the full article

The Royal Navy has awarded the University of Plymouth a contract to supply a C-Enduro Unmanned Surface Vessel integrated with Robosys Automation’s VOYAGER AI software, enabling advanced over-the-horizon data-gathering operations. Robosys Automation, a developer of maritime autonomy systems, announced the agreement alongside the University of Plymouth, highlighting that the vessel—named Bauza—will be equipped with the […] The post Royal Navy awards contract for AI-powered unmanned vessel first appeared on Defence Blog.View the full article

The U.S. Navy has completed a two-week experiment in Alpena, Michigan, testing uncrewed aerial systems and unmanned surface vessels during Silent Swarm 25, an exercise that focused on swarming electronic warfare tactics and the use of autonomous platforms in future conflicts. According to the Navy, last month, participants used Silent Swarm to “experiment with emerging […] The post U.S. Navy tests fiber-optic drones first appeared on Defence Blog.View the full article

American and South Korean troops carried out counter-drone training at Camp Humphreys, South Korea, on August 20, 2025, as part of the annual Ulchi Freedom Shield exercise. The training, conducted by the ROK-U.S. Combined Division’s 652nd Air Defense unit in coordination with the U.S. Army’s 5-17 Air Cavalry Squadron, focused on detecting and suppressing hostile […] The post U.S. and South Korean forces train to counter drone threats first appeared on Defence Blog.View the full article

The U.S. Department of Defense has deployed advanced optic and surveillance systems along the rugged U.S.–Mexico border to improve detection and monitoring in support of U.S. Customs and Border Protection. The Ground-Based Operational Surveillance System–Expeditionary (GBOSS-E), the Long Range Advanced Scout Surveillance System (LRAS3), and the Common Remotely Operated Weapon Station (CROWS) are now being […] The post Pentagon deploys high-tech optics to U.S.-Mexico border first appeared on Defence Blog.View the full article