Raw Intel

It is easy to be cynical about published strategies. Often they don’t quite align with what actually happens (history has her own plays), or they distract themselves with unimportant or irrelevant “latest thing” socio-political posturing. While everyone’s eyes have been focused over the last half-year on U.S. and Israeli actions against Iran, does everyone remember where military action this year started? Venezuela. Let’s step back a bit and look at a couple of quotes from documents we discussed in detail over the last year, the National Security Strategy (NSS) and the National Defense Strategy (NDS). As the NDS is subordinate to the NSS, let’s start there. After years o…

A Russian drone unit fired about 100 Lancet loitering munitions over three months and hit only three targets, according to pro-Russian militant Pavel Gubarev, who said Ukrainian air defenses brought down most of the rest. The account points to a sharp drop in the effectiveness of one of Russia’s most widely used strike drones, Ukrainian […]View the full article

Americas Huntington-Ingalls Industries won a $284.3 million contract modification for the accomplishment of CVN 79 single phase delivery and Joint Strike Fighter (F-35C) capabilities. The contract actions shifts the delivery strategy for the aircraft carrier John F. Kennedy (CVN 79) from a two-phase delivery to a single phase. It reportedly comes as a result of extensive collaboration with the Navy to support legislative requirements for Kennedy to be delivered with its complete warfare system, including F-35 Joint Strike Fighter capabilities, before the ship is commissioned into the fleet. Kennedy is approximately 76% complete. The ship was launched in December 2019, and…

KODEF ’11 slide (click to view full) South Korea has been thinking seriously about designing its own fighter jet since 2008. The ROK defense sector has made impressive progress, and has become a notable exporter of aerospace, land, and naval equipment. The idea of a plane that helps advance their aerospace industry, while making it easy to add new Korean-designed weapons, is very appealing. On the flip side, a new jet fighter is a massive endeavor at the best of times, and wildly unrealistic technical expectations didn’t help the project. KF-X has progressed in fits and starts, and became a multinational program when Indonesia joined in June 2010. As of March 2013, howe…

Americas The US Missile Defense Agency announced that the Flight Test Aegis Weapon System 31 Event 1 has failed. Two SM-6 missile interceptors were supposed to intercept a medium range ballistic missile target as the test object. The agency said “an intercept was not achieved.” It also failed to revealed the location of the test and the warship involved. A review to determine the cause of any problems has been initiated. Despite a 2017 order for managing fatigue after several ship collisions, few Navy officers get adequate sleep, a Government Accountability Office report says. The 81-page report on Navy readiness was released on Thursday, and notes that only 14 percent o…

Sal and EagleOne are tanned, rested, and ready to dive in a … well … where does one start for the last couple of weeks. Australia pivots strong to China with here plans to move to SSN, France gets grumpy with the Anglosphere as a result but still kills a baddie for us, fleets of container ships are haunting out ports, and we’re all digesting what happened in Afghanistan. That’s just a start. Join us for the full hour LIVE Sunday from 5-6pm Eastern. The chat room will be open and the studio line too. Join us live if you can and roll in with your preferred topic in the chat room or call the switchboard number right here on the showpage. If you use iTunes, you can add Midra…

Americas Boeing won an $11.4 million contract modification for the repair of B-52 Control Assembly contract line item numbers 0003 and 0004.The B-52H is the US Air Force’s long-range, large-payload multirole bomber and is known as the Stratofortress or the Buff (short for big ugly fat fellow). Work will take place in Missouri. Estimated completion date is February 28, 2024. Raytheon won a $15.1 million delivery order for the repair of pod aircraft unit components of the advanced targeting forward-looking infrared radar system in support of the F/A-18 Hornet aircraft. The F/A-18 Hornet is an all-weather jet aircraft that is used by the US Navy and Marine Corps as both a f…

So, how was your war? A little more than 15-years ago after 93-years on our little planet, one of the greatest US Navy tactical leaders passed away. He and his crew had an incredible record during WWII that I would encourage you to review in full here ... but after the Navy decided that they were running out of Navy Crosses to reward the man then all of 31-yrs old, he earned the Medal of Honor for events in his 11th Patrol. Attention to citation: “For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty as commanding officer of USS BARB during her Eleventh War Patrol” along the east coast of China from 19 December 1945, to 15 Fe…

Americas The X-37B has landed at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center Shuttle Landing Facility on November 12 after spending 908 days in space. Orbital Test Vehicle-6 (OTV-6) was installed with a service module-a ring for the first time and the module detached from the OTV before landing. An F-15C assigned to the 144th Fighter Wing was forced to make an emergency landing at Fresno Yosemite International Airport after the fighter started venting fuel in flight. The incident took place on the morning of November 10 and the fighter wing says the incident poses no hazard to the public. Middle East & Africa Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) has unveiled a compact, lightweight ele…

Americas Brazil is in discussions about the possibility of extending its initial order of Saab Gripen E fighter jets from 36 to 40. The Defense Minister, Jose Mucio, confirmed that the Brazilian Air Force has expressed the need for additional aircraft and they are currently studying the matter. The 2014 agreement between Brazil and Saab, […]View the full article

Americas Argon ST Inc. won a $24 million delivery order for the procurement of 11 communication equipment interface units in support of the MQ-4C Triton used in the Naval Supply Systems Command (NAVSUP) Weapon Systems Support (WSS) Integrated Weapon Support Team’s program. All work will be performed in Fairfax, Virginia, and is expected to be […]View the full article

Americas India’s Cochin Shipyard Limited has signed a maintenance and repair agreement with the US Navy. The third Master Shipyard Repair Agreement with an Indian company follows agreements with Larsen & Toubro in 2023 for Mazagon Dock and Kattupalli Port. The US Navy’s effort to expand maintenance and repair centers in the Indo-Pacific stems from the […]View the full article

Americas The 56th Air Refueling Squadron has unveiled the world’s first KC-46 Pegasus demonstration team at the Wings and Warriors Fly-In in San Marcos, Texas, on November 9. This debut performance marked a major milestone for the KC-46, highlighting its advanced capabilities and the crucial role it plays in modern air operations. The demonstration team, composed of pilots, boom operators, and maintenance personnel, showcased the KC-46’s impressive performance and versatility. Spectators were treated to a thrilling display as the aircraft executed a high-speed pass with its refuelling boom extended at 500 feet, followed by a low-speed pass with its landing gear and flaps …

Americas General Dynamics Information Technology (GDIT) has signed a $580-million deal to maintain the security and readiness of US Army bases. This task order encompasses Integrated Base Defense Sustainment Support tasks required to preserve the operational availability of radars, sensors, and cameras that protect installations, their personnel, and infrastructure. A recent Atlantic Council report has sparked debate on how to prepare for simultaneous conflicts with China and North Korea. Based on tabletop exercises known as Guardian Tiger I and II, the report urges a sweeping overhaul of US command arrangements and alliance coordination. Middle East & Africa Israel’s…

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

Lockheed Martin’s Skunk Works advanced projects division has introduced its newest unmanned combat aircraft, unveiling an advanced collaborative combat aircraft (CCA) called Vectis, designed to support U.S. and allied air forces in the next generation of air power. According to the company, Vectis is a Group 5 survivable and lethal CCA that brings together Lockheed […] The post Lockheed unveils next-gen unmanned combat aircraft first appeared on Defence Blog.View the full article

South Korean defense firm LIG Nex1 has introduced its next-generation unmanned ground vehicle, the G-Sword, during the ADEX 2025 exhibition in Seoul. The tracked robotic platform is designed for multi-role battlefield operations and features a turret-mounted cannon and the indigenous Raybolt anti-tank missile system. According to company information presented at the event, the G-Sword was […] The post LIG Nex1 unveils armed G-Sword ground robot first appeared on Defence Blog.View the full article

Leonardo DRS, Inc. announced it has signed a contract with Thailand-based Chaiseri Defense Systems to provide its advanced Battle Management System (BMS) and related integration support to the Royal Thai Army’s Stryker armored vehicle fleet. According to a release from Leonardo DRS, the agreement expands the company’s footprint in Southeast Asia and strengthens its long-term […]View the full article

Babcock has confirmed that the first Jackal 3 Extenda all-terrain vehicles from the program’s second production tranche have rolled off the assembly line at its Devonport facility, marking a new phase in deliveries for the British Army. According to a company statement dated December 17, 2025, Babcock is manufacturing 53 six-wheeled Jackal 3 Extenda variants, […]View the full article

Russia has begun using a previously unseen jet-powered one-way attack drone. Such drones were spotted after a Russian military unit released footage showing the system striking a Ukrainian HIMARS launcher during an operation recorded earlier this week. The video was published by the unit operating the reconnaissance drone and captured the moment the target was […]View the full article