Raw Intel

Unless you live in a highly isolated environment where you don't spend too much time reading and understanding the nation you serve & live amongst others in the military in these co-ed quasi-monastic cloisters known as government quarters (yes, I'm looking at you DC GOFO community), you are well aware that the last place to look for any advice on issues of "gender" related issues is academia. Only a fool would ask academia for advice here, or someone who was a true believer and wanted a club to beat the pagans with until they convert. Maybe a bit of both. Of course, just like in corporate America where the weakest senior leadership fears their HR department more than …

Americas Raytheon won a $24.5 million modification for the procurement of components for Megatron obsolescence in support of Standard Missile-6 (SM-6) production requirements. Work is expected to be completed by February 2027. The Naval Sea Systems Command, Washington, DC, is the contracting activity. American defense firm Kratos has reportedly completed the first flight of its “Thanatos” combat drone. Thanatos is expected to integrate advanced artificial intelligence tools designed for high-risk missions traditionally undertaken by crewed aircraft. These capabilities aim to reduce risks for human pilots in combat situations. Middle East & Africa Bahrain has purchased…

The Senate Armed Services Committee has published the advance policy questions, with answers, for the nominee for appointment to be our next Chief of Naval Operations, Admiral Daryl L. Caudle, USN. If you want to know where he stands or where the center-mass of consensus thinking on topics are, this is about as good of a source as any. Yes, there is a fair bit of boilerplate, but there are some solid answers as well. Even better, it is a serious set of questions. I did word searches for some of the socio-political garbage previous CNOs invested their personal capital in, and none of it is there. To keep things short, I do have a list of Top-5 quotes for you to consider.…

The U.S. State Department has approved a potential Foreign Military Sale of AIM-9X Sidewinder missiles and related equipment to the NATO Support and Procurement Agency (NSPA) on behalf of Belgium, Italy, and Romania. The Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA) delivered the required certification notifying Congress of the possible $103.9 million deal on Tuesday. According to […] The post U.S. clears $104M Sidewinder sale to NATO allies first appeared on Defence Blog.View the full article

The U.S. Army has deployed its new Indirect Fire Protection Capability (IFPC) system to South Korea, the first time the advanced air defense platform has been stationed outside the United States, Korea Bizwire reported. According to the Defense Visual Information Distribution Service (DVIDS), U.S. Army Chief of Staff Gen. Randy George visited the 35th Air […] The post U.S. deploys new IFPC missile defense system to South Korea first appeared on Defence Blog.View the full article

The Oklahoma National Guard confirmed Thursday that an OA-1K Skyraider II attack aircraft crashed during a routine training flight in southeast Oklahoma City. The aircraft, which had recently entered service with the U.S. Air Force, was carrying one civilian contractor and one Air Force member at the time of the incident. According to the Oklahoma […] The post U.S. Air Force newest attack aircraft crashes near Oklahoma City first appeared on Defence Blog.View the full article

Baykar has released new footage showing its jet-powered Kızılelma unmanned combat aircraft carrying two Gokdogan beyond-visual-range air-to-air missiles mounted on the inner pylons, highlighting continued progress in Turkey’s effort to field an armed, fighter-class UCAV. According to the company’s post on social media, the latest trials included what Baykar described as a “GÖKDOĞAN Munition Linked […]View the full article

Slovakia has signed a long-term framework agreement with TATRA DEFENCE SYSTEMS for the supply of TATRA FORCE military vehicles across multiple configurations, establishing a procurement pathway valued at more than €1 billion ($1.17 billion). According to information released on December 17, 2025, the framework contract covers TATRA FORCE vehicles in 4×4, 6×6, and 8×8 variants, […]View the full article

SummaryIn this episode, the host discusses the recent Greenland kerfuffle, exploring the implications of international relations, particularly between the US and Europe. The conversation delves into the miscommunication between leaders, the dynamics of NATO, and the broader context of US-European relations under different administrations. The host empha… Read more View the full article

Previously undisclosed details have emerged about Japan’s purchase of unmanned maritime systems from U.S.-based Liquid Robotics, confirming that the platforms acquired under a $25 million Foreign Military Sales program are Wave Glider SV6 unmanned surface vehicles, according to newly released U.S. Air Force procurement documents. The information comes from a Controlled Unclassified Information (CUI) Justification […]View the full article

Palantir Technologies announced a strategic partnership with Ondas and World View Enterprises to develop and deploy a new generation of AI-enabled intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance capabilities spanning stratospheric, aerial, and ground domains. According to the companies, the partnership combines Palantir’s Artificial Intelligence Platform with Ondas’ autonomous aerial and ground systems and World View’s Stratollite high-altitude […]View the full article

REGENT said Monday that its autonomous Squire Seaglider has successfully completed a ground-effect flight test, a milestone the company described as the first flight in the United States of a defense-focused wing-in-ground effect craft. The April 13 test marks a new stage in the company’s effort to bring the maritime drone into military service, with […]View the full article

ThinKom Solutions has won the U.S. Space Force’s “Fight Tonight” competition for 2026, beating out competing entries with a containerized satellite ground station designed to replace the kind of fixed dish antenna infrastructure that makes military communications vulnerable to detection and attack. Space Systems Command announced ThinKom as the overall winner on May 6, 2026, […]View the full article

The first Eurofighter built under Spain’s Halcon I program has rolled out of the factory at Getafe, Madrid, with Airbus Defence and Space confirming that the aircraft is ready for its first engine run and maiden flight, marking the arrival of a new generation of European air combat capability on the Spanish Air Force’s flight […]View the full article

Britain has delivered its 100th Boxer armored infantry vehicle to the British Army, hitting a landmark production milestone for one of the most significant land warfare modernization programs in the country’s recent defense history, with all vehicles built at two manufacturing facilities on British soil. The 100th Boxer Mechanised Infantry Vehicle rolled off the production […]View the full article

An unmanned robot the size of a small truck just proved it can drag an artillery piece across a battlefield while hauling more than a ton of extra cargo at the same time, a feat that could let front-line units cut the number of vehicles and soldiers needed for a single resupply run. ABRIS DG […]View the full article

A U.S. Marine Corps KC-130J Super Hercules refueled U.S. Air Force A-10 Thunderbolt II aircraft during the Advanced Tactics Aircrew Course at Rosecrans Air National Guard Base in St. Joseph, Missouri, on August 13, marking the first time the joint refueling capability was integrated into a course sortie, according to the 139th Airlift Wing. The […]View the full article

Latvia’s government decided on Sept. 15 to buy Czech-made 155mm wheeled howitzers for the National Armed Forces, choosing the Morana system from Excalibur Army after Sweden’s competing Archer howitzer proved too costly and slow to deliver under the country’s current defense budget. The Cabinet of Ministers based its decision on the cost of the offers, […]View the full article

The U.S. Marine Corps has picked SteerBridge Strategies, a small veteran-owned company in Vienna, Virginia, to work on artificial intelligence tools meant to predict aircraft maintenance needs and manage aviation spare parts, after a selection process the service said took 34 days from approved requirement to vendor notification. The Marine Corps’ aviation acquisition office at […]View the full article

Italy’s 13th military aid package for Ukraine, which is expected to include Aster 30 air defense missiles, is ready but frozen, and Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni’s government appears to be waiting for the outcome of the U.S. midterm elections on Nov. 3 before moving it forward, La Repubblica reported Tuesday. If the delay continues, Rome […]View the full article