Raw Intel

Retired Gen. David Petraeus said the Russian drone that struck a train near Ukraine’s border with Poland on September 13 was a jet-powered version of Russia’s Geran/Shahed attack drone, adding a detail Ukrainian officials had not specified in their own statements on the strike. Petraeus, a former CIA director and retired four-star U.S. Army general, […]View the full article

X-Bow Systems has won a prototype agreement worth up to $69.7 million to develop and qualify a solid rocket motor booster for a next-generation U.S. Navy weapon, and to tool a production line in Luling, Texas, that can build up to 500 motors a year, the Albuquerque, New Mexico-based company said on October 7. The […]View the full article

DARPA, a central research and development organization within the United States Department of War, put four autonomous unmanned ground vehicles through their first end-to-end test at Fort Knox, Kentucky, on Oct. 15, sending them as a team from a satellite-imagery tip all the way to a simulated strike on an enemy position, with a human […]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

The United Kingdom has made “significant progress” in exploring export opportunities tied to the Challenger 3 main battle tank program, a British defense minister confirmed in a written parliamentary response reported Sunday by UK Defence Journal. Defence Minister Luke Pollard disclosed the update in an official reply to Conservative Member of Parliament Ben Obese-Jecty, stating […]View the full article

Anatolii Maksymov, an expert at the Ukrainian Security and Cooperation Centre and Middle East analyst, said Iran’s asymmetric military strategy is placing growing pressure on the United States and its regional partners as the conflict spreads across the Persian Gulf and surrounding energy infrastructure. In a published analysis of the ongoing confrontation, Maksymov argues that […]View the full article

BAE Systems has won a $33.5 million U.S. Navy contract to carry out maintenance, repairs, and modernization work on the Independence-class littoral combat ship USS Augusta (LCS 34), keeping the vessel on track for future fleet operations. The award, issued to BAE Systems’ Maritime Solutions unit in San Diego, covers the ship’s Fiscal 2026 Docking […]View the full article