Raw Intel

Fears of a potential Russian military campaign against NATO’s eastern flank by 2027 have gained renewed attention across Europe. But Lithuanian-based security expert Darius Antanaitis — a well-known and influential voice on Baltic defense matters — believes the threat is more likely to materialize around 2030, and only under certain geopolitical conditions. In comments to […] The post Expert: Baltic war would open multiple fronts for Russia first appeared on Defence Blog.View the full article

Taiwan has announced an expansive new procurement initiative for over 50,000 additional unmanned aerial systems (UAS), marking one of the largest drone acquisitions in the country’s history. Combined with the Ministry of National Defense’s recent order for nearly 49,000 units, the total demand now exceeds 100,000 drones—effectively securing the domestic industry’s production capacity for at […] The post Taiwan to buy over 100,000 military drones first appeared on Defence Blog.View the full article

A new government audit has revealed that Taiwan’s military reserve units are experiencing serious shortfalls in equipment, with overall force-wide readiness standing at just 70 percent. The report, issued by the National Audit Office on July 29 as part of the 2024 central budget review, shows that four categories of gear—combat engineer tools, communications, surveillance, […] The post Taiwan’s reserve units missing 30% of equipment first appeared on Defence Blog.View the full article

Taiwan’s Ministry of National Defense has confirmed that 50 of its domestically produced Clouded Leopard 8×8 armored vehicles developed structural cracks due to poor welding and metal fatigue. The issue, first raised during a legislative committee hearing by lawmaker Wang Ting-yu, prompted an internal investigation and corrective measures. The announcement came during a National Defense […] The post Cracks found in dozens of Taiwanese-made armored vehicles first appeared on Defence Blog.View the full article

U.S. Soldiers from V Corps’ 2nd Cavalry Regiment and allied forces from the United Kingdom are conducting joint counter-unmanned aerial system (C-UAS) training this week at the Bemowo Piskie Training Area near Elk, Poland. The multinational exercise, known as Project Flytrap 4.0, runs from July 27 to 31 and focuses on advancing low-cost, portable solutions […] The post U.S. and British forces train against drones in Poland first appeared on Defence Blog.View the full article

The Ohio National Guard’s 1st Combined Arms Battalion, 145th Armor Regiment, has begun training with the U.S. Army’s newest generation of main battle tank—the M1A2 SEPv3 Abrams. The unit is the first within the 34th Infantry Division to field the upgraded platform. On July 28, tank crews conducted live-fire gunnery qualification with the SEPv3 variant […] The post Ohio Guard fields new Abrams tank variant first appeared on Defence Blog.View the full article

The U.S. Air Force has showcased a new HQ-16 surrogate target vehicle, designed to support advanced pilot training against modern air defense threats. The mock system was displayed publicly for the first time during the Experimental Aircraft Association’s annual AirVenture event at Wittman Regional Airport in Oshkosh, Wisconsin. The HQ-16, known by its NATO designation […] The post U.S. trains pilots using HQ-16 SAM replica first appeared on Defence Blog.View the full article

The U.S. Air Force, working with Northrop Grumman, successfully completed a full-scale qualification test of the stage-two solid rocket motor for the LGM-35A Sentinel intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) on July 20. The test was conducted by the 717th Test Squadron at Arnold Engineering Development Complex, a key site for high-fidelity propulsion and systems evaluation. The […] The post U.S. Air Force completes Sentinel rocket motor test first appeared on Defence Blog.View the full article

The U.S. Air Force’s long-serving T-1A Jayhawk training aircraft completed its final operational flight on July 28, departing from Naval Air Station Pensacola and arriving at Davis-Monthan Air Force Base in Arizona. The aircraft’s destination was the 309th Aerospace Maintenance and Regeneration Group (AMARG), where it will be used for parts reclamation to support other […] The post U.S. Air Force retires T-1A Jayhawk training aircraft first appeared on Defence Blog.View the full article

The U.S. Navy, in collaboration with aerospace firm Skydweller Aero, has completed a continuous 73-hour unmanned flight using solar power alone. The test, conducted out of Stennis, Mississippi, represents a major step forward in applying solar-powered aircraft for maritime intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) operations. The demonstration was led by the Naval Air Warfare Center […] The post U.S. Navy tests long-endurance solar drone first appeared on Defence Blog.View the full article

AM General has received a $126.5 million contract modification from the U.S. Army for continued production of the M1165A1B3 High Mobility Multipurpose Wheeled Vehicle (HMMWV), or Humvee, according to a Department of Defense announcement. The modification increases the total contract value to just over $3.05 billion. The contract, identified as modification P00023 to contract W912CH-24-F-0229, […] The post U.S. Army buys more armored Humvees from AM General first appeared on Defence Blog.View the full article

Owl Cyber Defense Solutions LLC, based in Columbia, Maryland, has been awarded a $150 million contract by the U.S. Air Force for advanced research and development in secure communications technologies. The award, issued under the Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) program, supports a range of projects intended to improve multi-domain information sharing across classified and […] The post U.S. Air Force awards $150M for cross-domain communications tools first appeared on Defence Blog.View the full article

Turkish defense company Uludoğan has completed development of a new nano-class unmanned aerial system, the NanoAlp, designed to deliver close-range reconnaissance in contested environments. With an overall length of just 25 centimeters, the helicopter-type micro drone is scheduled to enter serial production in the third quarter of 2025, the company confirmed. According to Uludoğan, the […] The post Turkish firm develops micro recon drone first appeared on Defence Blog.View the full article

The Pakistan Army has begun taking delivery of new Chinese-made Z-10ME attack helicopters, according to imagery and video footage circulating on social media in recent days. The aircraft, seen bearing Pakistan Army Aviation Corps markings, signal the start of a long-anticipated transition away from the aging AH-1F Cobra fleet first introduced more than four decades […] The post Pakistan gets first Z-10ME attack helicopters from China first appeared on Defence Blog.View the full article

The U.S. Air Force’s newest light attack and reconnaissance aircraft, the OA-1K Skyraider II, is undergoing developmental testing at Eglin Air Force Base as part of its path toward operational service within Air Force Special Operations Command (AFSOC). According to the Air Force, the aircraft is being evaluated by the 96th Test Wing in partnership […] The post U.S. Air Force tests new Skyraider II attack aircraft first appeared on Defence Blog.View the full article

Lockheed Martin has received a $2.06 billion contract modification to produce additional Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) interceptors for the U.S. government, the Department of Defense announced. The new award raises the total value of the current production contract from $8.35 billion to over $10.4 billion, with work set to continue through December 1, […] The post Lockheed secures $2B deal to rebuild THAAD stockpile first appeared on Defence Blog.View the full article

Raytheon, an RTX business, has introduced a new variant of its Multispectral Targeting System (MTS), designed to enhance visual performance and targeting capability for U.S. Navy helicopters operating in maritime environments. According to a press release from the company, the new system—designated MTS-A HD—offers improved imaging clarity, targeting precision, and operational flexibility. The system is […] The post Raytheon develops new targeting system for Navy helicopters first appeared on Defence Blog.View the full article

During a recent visit to St. Petersburg, Russian President Vladimir Putin’s personal security team was spotted with what appears to be a newly developed FPV drone designed specifically for countering hostile unmanned aerial systems. The presence of the drone, visibly carried by a member of the presidential protection unit, has drawn attention due to its […] The post Putin’s guards seen with new anti-drone weapon first appeared on Defence Blog.View the full article

There has been a growing awareness over the last couple of years—and especially the last year—about the “rare earth element” challenge. It is more than a challenge, it is a problem. Why a problem? Global supply systems, etc... Those who know the industrial history of WWII will know that despite of their technological skills, the Germans could not produce the number and quality of the weapons they wanted to because they could not source sufficient critical “exotic” raw materials—not to mention just fuel. As a result, they could produce only a few and those they could produce, such as jet engines, had to use lesser materials and did not last as long. The Japanese, as an isl…

LIG Nex1 has been selected to lead South Korea’s next-generation Cheongung-3 surface-to-air missile development project, edging out rival Hanwha in a competitive bid for what is being described as a cornerstone of the country’s future air defense strategy. According to information confirmed by the defense industry on July 28, the Defense Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA) […] The post LIG Nex1 to build South Korean next-gen air defense system first appeared on Defence Blog.View the full article