Raw Intel

One of Russia’s largest drone manufacturers, AO Kronstadt, is on the verge of bankruptcy after months of financial turmoil and mounting lawsuits, Russian media reported. According to CNews, the company has faced dozens of debt claims in recent months, with more than 600 million rubles ($7 million) sought since the beginning of summer. The largest […] The post Russia’s leading drone maker nears collapse first appeared on Defence Blog.View the full article

Russian sources have released images showing destroyed and heavily damaged vehicles from the Iskander-M short-range ballistic missile system, indirectly confirming the success of recent Ukrainian strikes. The photographs depict a launcher and several transport-loading vehicles, burned out after a strike on a hangar where the systems had been concealed. At least one launcher and five […] The post Ukraine destroys Russian Iskander missile system in drone strike first appeared on Defence Blog.View the full article

Russian military-linked Telegram channels have released the first images of what they claim is a new jet-powered glide bomb, marking a rare visual confirmation of a weapon type previously reported in battlefield use but never seen publicly. The release comes amid growing concerns in Ukraine over stand-off munitions targeting critical infrastructure and rear-area positions. For […] The post Russia shows new jet-powered glide bomb first appeared on Defence Blog.View the full article

So, I’ve watched the two episodes of Ken Burns’s documentary, The American Revolution, in spite of my stated zero desire to do so. Why? If you are not up to speed with the MSNBCification of Ken Burns over the last decade, catch up. Anyway, as Mrs. Salamander knows more about the American Revolution than 99.7% of people out there, she insisted we watch it. I’ve been married for over three decades for a reason, so I sat down with her to watch. FFS. …and…it started with a land acknowledgement. ISYN. It doesn’t get better. By the end of episode two we’ve gotten through the Battle of Bunker Hill, yet there has been no mention of John Locke, Montesquieu, or any of the other phi…

Kenya has taken delivery of an Israeli-made SPYDER air defense system, a move that expands the Kenya Defence Forces’ ability to counter aerial threats ranging from aircraft to uncrewed systems, according to information provided by sources familiar with the acquisition. The Surface-to-air PYthon and DERby, or SPYDER, system was manufactured by Rafael Advanced Defense Systems […]View the full article

The United States Army has missed its deadline to field the Dark Eagle hypersonic missile, acknowledging that the first U.S. ground-based hypersonic weapon will not be deployed until early 2026, despite the unit assigned to operate the system already being trained and ready. According to a report by Bloomberg, the Army confirmed this week that […]View the full article

The United States Air Force has announced a revised acquisition plan for the LGM-35A Sentinel intercontinental ballistic missile program, confirming that a major restructuring effort will be completed by the end of 2026, with initial operational capability targeted for the early 2030s. The update was released by the Secretary of the Air Force Public Affairs […]View the full article

The British Army has taken another step toward introducing its new long-range artillery capability after Organisation for Joint Armament Cooperation (OCCAR) awarded a £53 million ($70 million) contract to ARTEC GmbH for the production of 37 weapon systems for the Remote Controlled Howitzer 155 (RCH 155). The contract supports the British Army’s effort to field […]View the full article

U.S. Central Command announced Saturday that American naval forces have begun clearing sea mines from the Strait of Hormuz, with two guided-missile destroyers conducting operations in the critical waterway on April 11 as part of a broader effort to restore safe passage through one of the world’s most vital maritime chokepoints. USS Frank E. Peterson […]View the full article

The B-52 bomber is getting new engines, and the program just cleared the last major technical hurdle before physical modification work begins on the first aircraft. The B-52J Commercial Engine Replacement Program held its Critical Design Review at Tinker Air Force Base, Oklahoma, a milestone that clears the path for Boeing to begin modifying the […]View the full article

A Canadian armored vehicle manufacturer and a Singaporean defense engineering giant unveiled a joint concept at Canada’s premier defense exhibition that could fundamentally change how infantry units deliver indirect fire: a light pickup truck carrying a fully automated mortar system that two soldiers can deploy in 15 seconds and stow just as fast before driving […]View the full article

The U.S. Navy has hired four civilian cargo ships capable of driving military vehicles directly onto beaches and island piers without fixed port infrastructure, chartering them for operations out of Naha, Japan, starting July 30, 2026, in a $37 million contract that tells a precise story about how seriously American military planners are taking the […]View the full article

Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) introduced HYPNOSIS, a navigation warfare system built to counter large numbers of drones and other satellite-guided aerial threats by scrambling the navigation signals those weapons depend on to find their targets, rather than physically shooting them down. Most modern drones, including the cheap, mass-produced one-way attack drones that have become a […]View the full article

The U.S. Air Force has designated a new turbofan engine built by GE Aerospace and Kratos Defense & Security Solutions as the F143-ZZ-100 and awarded the companies a contract to develop it as a second engine option for the Joint Air-to-Surface Standoff Missile, the companies announced. The engine, previously known as the GEK800, generates about […]View the full article

Lockheed Martin’s Skunk Works division has finished restoring an F-117 Nighthawk stealth jet, known as Aircraft 818 and nicknamed “The Overachiever,” for permanent display at the Smithsonian’s National Air and Space Museum. The company said the aircraft will go on exhibit at the museum’s Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center later this fall. The move adds another […]View the full article

The U.S. Navy plans to award Raytheon a sole-source contract for low-rate initial production of the Joint Multiple Effects Warhead System, a new warhead that lets the Tomahawk cruise missile strike bunkers and other hardened targets, according to a notice Naval Air Systems Command posted on October 7. The contract would move the warhead program […]View the full article

A photo of what is said to be a brand-new Il-78 aerial refueling tanker, freshly painted dark gray, has appeared online, and a marking on its tail that resembles part of the Chinese air force insignia has revived speculation that Russia is building the tankers for China. The image was shared on the Sino Defence […]View the full article

SSBN-X concept (click to view full) The US Navy needs new SSBN nuclear missile submarines. Their existing Ohio Class boats will begin to retire at a rate of 1 hull per year, beginning in 2027, as they reach the end of their 42-year operational lifetimes. Hence SSBN-X, also known as the Ohio Replacement Program for now. The first step toward recapitalization involved a new Common Missile Compartment and Advanced Launcher for current and future nuclear missiles. The next step involves finalizing a design that can serve effectively to 2080, without destroying the US Navy’s shipbuilding budget in the process. Good luck with that one, but they have to to try. The maintenanc…

Land-based SM-3 concept (click to view full) SM-3 Standard missiles have been the backbone of the US Navy’s ballistic missile defense plans for many years now, and are beginning to see service in the navies of allies like Japan. Their test successes and long range against aerial threats have spawned a land-based version, which end up being even more important to the USA’s allies. In July 2008 the US Missile Defense Agency began considering a land-based variant of the SM-3, largely due to specific requests from Israel. Israel currently fields the medium range Arrow-2 land-based ABM (Anti-Ballistic Missile) system, and eventually elected to pursue the Arrow-3 instead of …

http://www.defenseindustrydaily.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/Sea-Giraffe-1X_slideshowpic1-300x169.jpg Sea Giraffe 1X 3D (click to view full) Swedish defense giant Saab is to offer its Sea Giraffe 1X 3D, active electronically scanned array (AESA) naval radar to the US market, showcasing it at the Maritime Security East Conference in Norfolk, Virginia this week. At 650 pounds, the radar is suitable for small patrol boats, giving them the ability to detect unmanned aerial vehicles for the first time. With no forced cooling requirements, and a minimal number of line-replaceable units (LRUs), it requires little power or upkeep. All maintenance, including LRU repair, can b…