Raw Intel

In the early hours of August 2, a wave of explosions rocked several Russian regions as Ukraine launched a retaliatory drone strike against military and strategic industrial targets deep inside Russian territory. The operation, reportedly in response to a deadly Russian missile barrage on Ukrainian cities on July 31, targeted oil refineries, electronics manufacturing sites, […] The post Massive Ukrainian strike hits deep inside Russia first appeared on Defence Blog.View the full article

Russia’s Su-57 Felon stealth fighter has been armed with hypersonic weapons, according to a senior military official. Speaking to the state-owned Krasnaya Zvezda newspaper, Lieutenant General Alexander Maksimtsev, Chief of the Main Staff and First Deputy Commander-in-Chief of the Russian Aerospace Forces, said the fifth-generation Su-57 is now equipped with “modern aviation strike systems and […] The post Russia arms Su-57 fighter with hypersonic weapon first appeared on Defence Blog.View the full article

While following a series of posts on X by Dr. Phil Weir about the last couple of decades’ struggle in the Royal Navy’s frigate programs, I remembered a 2011 post of mine about the 2011 foolishness in Libya that, in a way, read like an OG FbF ... and figured, let's bring the story of HMS Liverpool (D92), a little more than a year before her decommissioning to the Front Porch so we can see the proper use of a main gun for all the new readers. Often here we have comments about how, "nAvAl GunZ uR oBSolEt3" ... well, of course they are not — as the recent events in the Red Sea against attack drones proved. Let's head off the coast of Libya ... and do so with a 2011 mindset; …

Poland has signed an executive agreement with South Korea to deliver 180 K2 main battle tanks to the Polish Armed Forces, marking a pivotal step in the reestablishment of tank manufacturing within the country after more than a decade. According to Poland’s Ministry of National Defense, the agreement includes the first batch of tanks in […] The post Poland signs K2 tank localization deal with South Korea first appeared on Defence Blog.View the full article

A new prototype aircraft spotted at Hongdu Aviation Industry Group’s facilities in Nanchang has fueled speculation that China is developing a naval variant of an advanced jet trainer modeled after the U.S.-built T-7A Red Hawk. Images and recently published design patents from China’s National Intellectual Property Administration indicate that the new jet, while externally resembling […] The post China develops new carrier-based jet trainer first appeared on Defence Blog.View the full article

MBDA, Europe’s largest missile maker, has completed delivery of the first batch of ASTER air defense missiles under a high-priority accelerated production program, fulfilling urgent operational needs for France, Italy, the United Kingdom, and Ukraine. According to OpexNews, this milestone comes just under 30 months after the initial order, well ahead of standard pre-war production […] The post Europe’s top missile maker ramps up production first appeared on Defence Blog.View the full article

The French defense procurement agency, Direction générale de l’armement (DGA), has conducted a new series of trials aimed at validating software upgrades to the MURIN battlefield surveillance radar developed by Thales. According to a public release by DGA, the testing campaign took place at the DGA Maîtrise de l’information test center and utilized the mobile […] The post French military tests upgraded Murin radar first appeared on Defence Blog.View the full article

The German government has announced plans to deliver two additional Patriot air defense batteries to Ukraine. The first components, including launchers, are set to arrive within days, with complete system elements to follow in the next two to three months. According to a press release from the German Ministry of Defense, the delivery is structured […] The post Ukraine to receive more Patriot systems from Germany first appeared on Defence Blog.View the full article

The U.S. Air Force has launched the next phase of its Super Squadron Test by relocating the first wave of F-16 Fighting Falcons from Kunsan Air Base to Osan AB in South Korea. Starting July 28, the 36th Fighter Squadron at Osan began receiving F-16 aircraft as part of the broader initiative to evaluate whether […] The post U.S. Air Force tests super squadron model first appeared on Defence Blog.View the full article

The U.S. Space Force is preparing to launch its eighth X-37B Orbital Test Vehicle mission on August 21, 2025. According to the service, the unmanned X-37B spacecraft, operating under the designation USSF-36, will be carried aloft by a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket. The mission will be conducted in partnership with the Air Force Rapid Capabilities […] The post U.S. Space Force prepares next X-37B spaceplane launch first appeared on Defence Blog.View the full article

India has told U.S. officials that it is not interested in purchasing the F-35 stealth fighter, despite growing pressure from Washington to expand its defense imports, according to a recent report from Bloomberg. Officials familiar with the matter, cited anonymously due to the sensitivity of the discussions, said the Modi government is unlikely to proceed […] The post India rejects U.S. F-35 fighter offer, Report says first appeared on Defence Blog.View the full article

Russian military analysts have publicly examined potential missile strike options against Japan, outlining a detailed multi-phase campaign aimed at neutralizing the country’s defense infrastructure. According to analysis, published by the pro-Kremlin outlet Voennaya Khronika (“Military Chronicle”), Russia views the positioning of the locally made Type 12 and U.S.-supplied MRC Typhon missile systems—with a range of […] The post Russian analysts map out missile strikes on Japan first appeared on Defence Blog.View the full article

Taiwan’s top defense research institute, the National Chung-Shan Institute of Science and Technology (NCSIST), has signed a memorandum of understanding with U.S.-based Anduril Industries, marking a rare and direct collaboration with one of the Pentagon’s most aggressive AI defense startups. According to a source familiar with the matter, the agreement covers cooperation in areas including […] The post Taiwan expands AI defense cooperation with Anduril first appeared on Defence Blog.View the full article

The U.S. Army has tested a modernized Stryker-mounted reconnaissance vehicle designed to detect chemical, biological, radiological, and nuclear (CBRN) threats, featuring an integrated drone system equipped with Teledyne FLIR’s SkyRaider unmanned aerial system. According to a statement from the Joint Program Executive Office for CBRN Defense, the Joint Project Manager for CBRN Sensors team recently […] The post U.S. Army tests upgraded CBRN recon vehicle first appeared on Defence Blog.View the full article

The U.S. Army is field-testing a fully autonomous tactical vehicle developed by Seattle-based Overland AI during Exercise Agile Spirit 25 in Georgia (Sakartvelo), just miles from Russian-occupied territory. The robotic vehicle, known as ULTRA, is being evaluated for its ability to perform combat resupply missions across rugged, contested terrain without direct human control. According to […] The post U.S. Army tests robotic vehicle near Russia first appeared on Defence Blog.View the full article

The U.S. Army has awarded Dynetics Inc., based in Huntsville, Alabama, a new $264.6 million contract to advance its Indirect Fire Protection Capability (IFPC) weapon system, which is designed to counter a growing range of aerial threats including drones, cruise missiles, and rocket attacks on U.S. and allied infrastructure. According to a release from the […] The post US Army awards Dynetics new contract for IFPC air defense system first appeared on Defence Blog.View the full article

Eycore, a Polish space defense startup specializing in Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) technologies, has announced an expanded strategic partnership with Norway’s Kongsberg Defence & Aerospace (KDA) aimed at delivering sovereign Earth observation capabilities for defense and governmental customers. According to a joint statement released on July 31, the two companies have signed a new Memorandum […] The post Poland’s Eycore teams with Kongsberg on sovereign ISR satellites first appeared on Defence Blog.View the full article

As Lockheed Martin faces growing scrutiny over its role in U.S. next-generation air dominance efforts, a defense industry source has issued a sharp rebuke of the company’s rumored strategy to develop a twin-engine derivative of the F-35, also known as F-55. The criticism comes amid fresh financial pressure on Lockheed, whose second-quarter 2025 earnings revealed […] The post Industry insider slams Lockheed’s F-55 as “repackaged failure” first appeared on Defence Blog.View the full article

Russia has begun using a new jet-powered variant of the Iranian-designed Shahed drone in large-scale attacks against Ukraine, including a wave of strikes targeting the capital, Kyiv. According to the Ukrainian defense outlet Militarnyi, the drone—identified as the Shahed-238 and rebranded by Russia as the “Geran-3”—was employed during combined missile and UAV attacks on the […] The post Jet-powered kamikaze drones target Kyiv in overnight assault first appeared on Defence Blog.View the full article

International relations are just a subset of personal relations. That is why we have summits where national leaders meet face to face, etc. At the end of the day, all the policy papers, posturing, and talking heads are secondary and supporting operations. Leaders and how they interact with each other is what makes the difference. Even in 50/50 democratic systems with party politics, the balance of a nation’s people will watch closely how their leaders, and as a byproduct their nation, are treated by friend and foe alike…but especially friends. Are they ignored by other leaders? Mocked? Dismissed? Respected? In parallel, there is another dynamic in play. Like people, nati…