Raw Intel

Americas Continental Maritime of San Diego won an $88 million deal for the execution of the USS Chafee (DDG 90) fiscal 2023 depot modernization period and the USS Momsen (DDG 92) fiscal 2024 depot modernization period. These availabilities will include a combination of maintenance, modernization, and repair for both the USS Chafee and USS Momsen. This contract includes options which, if exercised, would bring the cumulative value of this contract to $204,493,154. Work will be performed in the San Diego, California, and is expected to be completed by June 2025. Two aerial porters from the 87th Aerial Port Squadron were impressed when they were allowed to use a pneumatical…

I always recommend that if people even have a remote opportunity, they should visit the Baltic Republics. When there, take time to visit their museums. I especially recommend Vabamu Museum of Occupations and Freedom in Tallinn, Estonia. These are small nations from Estonia's 1.3 million, Latvia's 1.8 million, to Lithuania's 2.8 million. These little ethnostates each have a unique language, culture, and have survived as a people since pre-history. They are survivors who have not had many years to be masters of their own fate. The fall of the Soviet Union gave them their latest chance, and they've made a good run of it. They, more than most, know Russia - indeed, all three …

Americas The GAU-18 .50 caliber machine gun was recently unmounted from an HH-60 helicopter and mounted on the ground to be tested as a defensive weapon. The test took place at Avon Park Air Force Range, Florida on October 14. It was organized by the 920th Rescue Wing. The US Defense Innovation Unit has contracted Nauticus Robotics to develop an amphibious drone to support mine-hunting operations. As part of the agreement, the company will modify an off-the-shelf unmanned system to allow it to traverse sea or land during operations. Nauticus will also integrate its “ToolKITT” autonomy software to guide the modified robot in identifying undersea mines and avoiding potenti…

Americas NATO’s Operation Sea Guardian, an ongoing maritime security operation in the Mediterranean, saw a Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) P-8 maritime patrol aircraft participating for the first time. Departing from its base in Edinburgh, Australia, the jet and its crew took 3 days to arrive in Italy. From there, the jet undertook a few overwater surveillance missions from October 3-14. A first-of-its-kind, F-35 crash recovery course was held at Hill Air Force Base and twenty-nine maintainers had the opportunity to train on handling different scenarios using a real F-35A. One of the scenarios in the five-day Crash Damaged or Disabled Aircraft Recovery course involved …

It may have taken over 1/3 of his first – and perhaps only – Administration for President Biden to publish his National Security Strategy, but it finally hit earlier this month – so let’s look at it. What I’d like to do is not dig into the details, as to be blunt – it isn’t the details that matter. Though it sounds cynical perhaps, it really isn’t. The primary purpose to have a National Security Strategy is to say you have one. It isn’t meaningless, but this political document (and it is political, heck its title is officially “National Security Strategy” but on the Whitehouse website the file is stored under, “Biden-Harris-Administrations-National-Security-Strategy-10.20…

Americas General Dynamics won an $18.1 million deal to provide US Trident II Strategic Weapon System Kings Bay Trident Trainer Facility kit and engineering support services. The Trident II Strategic Weapons System is an improved SLBM with greater accuracy, payload, and range than the earlier Trident C-4. It is a key element of the US strategic nuclear triad and strengthens US strategic deterrence.Work will take place in Connecticut, Georgia and Florida.Estimated completion date is December 31, 2025 The last three remaining RQ-4A BAMS-D unmanned air vehicles that belonged to the US Navy have been transferred to NASA’s Armstrong Flight Research Center. The ground control e…

A nation’s foreign policy is driven by more than just the whims and desires of the Chief Executive. Through government, academia, institutions, and individuals of influence there are a variety of different schools of thought on what should underpin the decision making process. Well known general descriptors of these schools include “interventionist,” “isolationist,” “internationalist,” and even well known sub-species of the major schools who are known by the actions they wish to take - usually that involve the use of military power - “Responsibility to Protect,” to “Nation Building” to the old saw from over a century ago, “Make the World Safe for Democracy.” One long-stan…

Resupply through thousands of miles of hostile waters to your forces well inside the enemy's aircraft reach and a day's sail or two from their home bases. Your navy intends to bring and keep the fight in to the enemy's backyard, stay there, and defeat them at sea in order to give your nation dominance in their enemy's backyard. One force has well over a century of dominance in all the world's oceans. A superb tradition of training and combat excellence in these exact waters. They have fewer, but larger ships ... but as well trained as their crews are, they are also under the stress of constant threat and being far away from home waters. The other force also has a traditi…

Another DivThu that is somewhere between a Rorschach test and "it speaks for itself." Like so many of these "DEI" conferences, I would first have you note that they in no way actually reflect either "what the fleet looks like" or what the nation "looks like" - two otherwise meaningless measures of effectiveness that they demand of everyone but rarely meet themselves. They are some of the least diverse and inclusive gatherings you can find. Though they can be found almost anywhere leaching funds from various location in DOD, the most cringy are usually found at the service academies where institutional capture or fear lets their branch of the diversity industry pretty much…

Americas A winner has been selected by the US Marine Corps for its Medium Unmanned Logistics Systems – Air (MULS-A) program. Kaman Air Vehicles will build the logistics drone prototype using a version of its Kargo UAV. The prototype will have to demonstrate its ability to operate from austere environment while carrying 800 pounds of payload. The US Army has contracted Elbit Systems of America a $107-million contract for its Enhanced Night Vision Goggle – Binocular (ENVG-B) systems. The deal also requires Elbit Systems to supply spare parts, logistics support, and test equipment for the systems for two years starting 2023. “This order attests to the quality of Elbit Syste…

There is a long and not so glorious tradition of the US Military being used - both their people and their money - by politicians to pursue non-military agenda items either due to ideology or in order to take advantage of one of the military's unusual characteristics: we follow orders. Leverage that feature/bug with the deep well of institutional good will those in uniform have ... and you can see why all sorts of pet projects/agenda items/supporter payoffs are spot-welded on to DOD. The neo-pagan religion of "climate change" (no different than moon worship as it is always there, always will be there, cannot be stopped or encouraged to any significant degree by mortals) is…

Americas The US Navy awarded AAR Government Services an $114.5 million modification, which exercises an option to provide P-8A Poseidon aircraft depot scheduled and unscheduled maintenance, depot in-service repair/planner and estimator requirements, technical directive incorporation, airframe modifications, aircraft on ground support, and removal and replacement of engines in support of the Navy, the government of Australia, and Foreign Military Sales customers. Work will be performed in Indianapolis, Indiana, and is expected to be completed in October 2023. L3Harris has integrated its new advanced battlefield awareness systems onto Rheinmetall’s Lynx Optionally Manned F…

Americas During AUSA 2022, Boeing took the opportunity to unveil its Modernized Apache concept to leaders of the US Army. Touting it as the next evolution of the current AH-64E v6 attack helicopter, the Modernized Apache can be differentiated externally from the classic Apache by its longer wing, which allows it to have three hard points per wing, upward-facing engine exhaust and the substitution of the chain gun with a laser turret. Powered by the new Improved Turbine Engine (ITE), Boeing is improving the drivetrain in order for the Modernized Apache to faster, further and more efficiently. US President Joe Biden on Monday promised to provide advanced air defense system…

Americas The KC-135 has set a new endurance mission record of 72 hours by two of the aerial refueling tankers from the 92nd Air Refueling Wing. The jets went airborne and landed repeatedly over the 72 hours and had at least one engine running while being refueled and serviced on the ground. Engine-running flight crew changes were also carried out over the three-day mission. Both aircraft refueled B-2 bombers, B-52s, an E-3 Sentry, and an E-6B Mercury. Engine oil servicing was only done during one of the engine running crew changes (ERRCs), allowing the crews to demonstrate tanker “drop-in” concept. The previous KC-135 endurance mission record was 40 hours and was also set…

For centuries, since first in England and then in the United Kingdom, there was a habit/tradition in the English speaking world of getting involved in wars on the continent, directly or indirectly, for the simple reason of wanting to ensure a balance - or at least - a disaggregated power on Continental Europe. There is also a strong connection more than just language in the "Five Eyes" nations of Great Britain, the United States, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand. We all share a certain view of our place in the world we helped create. The rebellious child of the USA can be late to the game on occasion, but when the Mother Country goes to war, CAN, AUS, NZL go with her.…

Americas At a combat zone, a US Air Force MQ-9 drone has successfully perform an Automatic Takeoff and Landing Capability (ATLC) without the need for a ground-based Launch and Recovery Element (LRE) for the first time. The feat was accomplished during Exercise Oktober Fist, a training exercise conducted by the 332d Air Expeditionary Wing. “The ability to autonomously launch and recover MQ-9s from austere locations without a recovery crew is a leap in operational potential. This is essential in creating a dynamic weapon system that will out-maneuver our adversary,” said Lt. Col. Jonathan Barber, 332d AEW A2/3/5 Directorate Deputy. Lockheed Martin has opened its 85,000-squ…

Ordinary men often find themselves in extraordinary times, become extraordinary, and then return to ordinary. That does not prevent us from remembering them. On the eve of the Second World War if you found yourself in Birmingham, England you may have found yourself in the company of a middle aged optician Edward John Hicks and his wife Ethel. Perhaps their 19-yr old daughter Barbara or 15-yr old Pamela, born a few years after what they would call "The Great War," might make an appearance. They lived in a simple duplex at 46 Brompton Road. That one on the right. You wouldn't know that your neighborhood optometrist who makes your glasses was also this man.Say hello to Lie…

Americas USS Gerald R. Ford (CVN 78) departed Naval Station Norfolk October 5 for its first deployment. Accompanying the first-in-class aircraft carrier are fighter squadrons VFA-213, VFA-31, VFA-37, and VFA-87. USS Normandy (CG 60), USS Ramage (DDG 61), USS McFaul (DDG 74), USS Thomas Hudner (DDG 116), USNS Joshua Humphreys (T-AO 188), USNS Robert E. Peary (T-AKE 5), and USCGC Hamilton (WMSL 753) are the rest of the ships that will form the Gerald R. Ford Carrier Strike Group (GRFCSG). The last F-16 that was assigned to the 115th Fighter Wing has departed Truax Field and the wing will now transition to the F-35. The sendoff ceremony for the aircraft also marks 30 years …

Anyone who has studied the left's march through the institutions and the regular examples of the O'Sullivan's Law in action, knows the drill knows what happens to previously non-political or even conservative institutions. The signs of their socio-political presence shouldn't be a shock to anyone. They are just less bloody versions of what Orwell, Huxley, Dith Pran, and others warned us about. While you were paying attention to other things, their world view is already deep in our military institutions of higher learning, specifically today the U.S. Army War College in Carlisle, PA. What already is well past the nose in the tent involves in not just narrowing the Overton …

Americas Sikorsky Aircraft won a $27 million contract modification, which adds scope for the initial and final technical directive to install the data transfer unit and Defensive Electronic Countermeasure System Replacement Phase III ARC-210 components into the CH-53K aircraft, support flight planning and testing of the components and supportability products for the US Navy. Work will take place in Connecticut, Maryland and New York. Estimated completion will be in April 2025. F/A-18F BuNo 166460 is the first Super Hornet to undergo the Service Life Modification (SLM) at the Fleet Readiness Center Southwest (FRCSW), the US Navy has announced. The aircraft’s service life …