Raw Intel

Ukraine has mounted interceptor drone launchers on a Mi-8 helicopter, with footage of the system shown in President Volodymyr Zelensky’s Independence Day address, Militarnyi reported. The footage shows an interceptor launching from beneath one of the helicopter’s hardpoints, using simple metal launch rails mounted under the airframe. The drone is likely controlled either from inside […]View the full article

This wins the prize for complete inability to admit the blisteringly freaking obvious point that al Qaeda is an Islamist terror group, they are at war with us and we are at war with them. This member of the Defense Department wastes bushels of oxygen evading the simple fact that our enemies are religious fanatics of an easily-identifiable flavor, identifiable because they shout their "god's" name as they hack the heads off living men and women. It is sad reminder that our "leaders" would rather bury their heads in sand, that our enemies tread wearing the iron sandals of violent Islamist extremist ideology, than be shunned by the "right"-thinking left as politically incorr…

A-10A over Germany (click to view full) The Precision Engagement modification is the largest single upgrade effort ever undertaken for the USA’s unique A-10 “Warthog” close air support aircraft fleet. While existing A/OA-10 aircraft continue to outperform technology-packed rivals on the battlefield, this set of upgrades is expected to make them more flexible, and help keep the aircraft current until the fleet’s planned phase-out in 2028. When complete, A-10C PE will give USAF A-10s precision strike capability sooner than planned, combining multiple upgrades into 1 time and money-saving program, rather than executing them as standalone projects. Indeed, the USAF accelera…

Americas Huntington Ingalls Industries announced that the Virginia Class submarine Montana was launched into the James River at the company’s Newport News Shipbuilding division. The 7,800-ton submarine, which had been in a floating dry dock since being transferred from a construction facility in October, was submerged and moved by tugboats to the shipyard’s submarine pier, for final outfitting, testing and crew certification, it says in a news release. Through the teaming agreement with General Dynamics Electric Boat approximately 10,000 shipbuilders, as well as suppliers from all 50 states, have participated in Montana’s construction since the work began in 2015. Montana…

Americas Boeing won a $128.8 million contract for the F-15 Mission Training Center (MTC) simulation services to support the Air Combat Command, Pacific Air Forces and Air Force in Europe locations. The contractor will provide all personnel, equipment, supplies, transportation, tools, materials, supervision and other items to perform all MTC services. These services will provide simulation capability to train F-15 pilots and system operators in high-fidelity training devices. Work will take place in Missouri, Japan, Idaho, Nevada, the UK and North Carolina. Estimated completion will be in December 31, 2021. The US Air Force’s multi-intelligence reconfigurable pod – Agile…

Americas Vertex Aerospace won an $8.7 million contract modification, which adds scope to provide intermediate-level maintenance and repair services and logistics support for the T-45 aircraft and T-45 support equipment in support of the Aircraft Intermediate Maintenance Department for Chief of Naval Air Training aircraft, tenant activities, and transient aircraft. Work will take place in Texas, Florida and Mississippi. Expected completion is in September 2022. The Boeing-made KC-46A Pegasus multirole tanker has been given the green light to refuel all versions of F-15 and F-16 fighter jets. Gen. Mike Minihan, commander of Air Mobility Command, approved a third Interim Ca…

Americas United States Force in South Korea, is being outfitted with newest AH-64 Version 6 (V6) helicopter. “The upgraded aircraft integrates modern technology for both the aviator and maintainers in our battalion,” Capt. Timothy Luchs, D Company commander, said. “For our maintainers, the new systems onboard allows them better diagnostic capability and decreases the downtime of the aircraft. While for the aviator, AH-64E provides an overall increased situational awareness with an upgraded sensor suite, level 4 manned-unmanned teaming, and an upgraded drive system which is a vast improvement over the Delta variant of the model.” The US Air Force is passing targeting info…

American navalists must endure the hardships of a long march in the winter of their discontent. In this struggle we will see who is dedicated, who is strong, who will be best to bring the fight when the season changes and time is right to advance sea power to its proper place. The self-promoting amongst us will fade away. The weak shall perish. The dishonorable will change sides. The ideologically unsound will confuse themselves and others. This will be a filtering, a purifying, an ultimately strengthening trail of The Terrible 20s. We are only partially through this march, but we are already seeing a healthful pruning of our ranks. The first tranche of the careerists, th…

Americas CFM International won a $47.8 million modification, which exercises options to procure three CFM56-7B27AE spare engines, two for the Navy and one for the government of Germany, in support of the P-8A Poseidon aircraft. The P-8A Poseidon is a military aircraft used for maritime patrol and reconnaissance. It’s often used for tasks like searching […]View the full article

During a recent visit to St. Petersburg, Russian President Vladimir Putin’s personal security team was spotted with what appears to be a newly developed FPV drone designed specifically for countering hostile unmanned aerial systems. The presence of the drone, visibly carried by a member of the presidential protection unit, has drawn attention due to its […] The post Putin’s guards seen with new anti-drone weapon first appeared on Defence Blog.View the full article

Finnish technology company Kelluu announced that its autonomous hydrogen-powered airship will take part in NATO’s upcoming REPMUS 25 exercise, one of the alliance’s largest and most demanding defense trials focused on unmanned systems. Kelluu described its platform as a 12-meter-long autonomous aerostat combining artificial intelligence and modern sensor technology with the century-old concept of lighter-than-air […] The post Finnish hydrogen airship joins NATO exercise first appeared on Defence Blog.View the full article

Ukrainian forces have shot down a Russian Mi-8 transport helicopter with a kamikaze drone, marking only the second time such a strike has been successfully carried out since the start of the full-scale invasion. According to Militarnyi, the shootdown occurred on the morning of September 29, 2025, when an FPV drone from the 1st Battalion […] The post Ukrainian FPV drone shoots down Russian Mi-8 helicopter first appeared on Defence Blog.View the full article

TAC Armored Vehicles LLC, a defense manufacturer based in the United Arab Emirates, has introduced a modular anti-drone protection kit for its Jedi armored personnel carrier, drawing directly from battlefield lessons emerging from the war in Ukraine. In a statement, the company said its new “Active Anti-Drone Net” is designed to counter explosive drone attacks […] The post UAE firm equips armored vehicles with anti-drone mesh first appeared on Defence Blog.View the full article

United States Army Pacific Soldiers assigned to the 8th Military Police Brigade conducted field patrols using the Multi-Utility Tactical Transport robotic vehicle during the Joint Pacific Multinational Readiness Center (JPMRC) 26-01 exercise at Schofield Barracks, Hawaii. The event highlighted the Army’s ongoing experimentation with unmanned ground systems as part of broader modernization efforts across the […]View the full article

American Ordnance has been awarded a firm-fixed-price contract valued at nearly $15 million for new facility construction, marking another step in the U.S. Army’s effort to expand and modernize its industrial base. According to a contract announcement, American Ordnance LLC, based in Middletown, Iowa, received a $14,970,440 award for construction work tied to new facilities. […]View the full article

No need to force yourself to head outside in this horrible weather—unless you are in the Free State of Florida where the high is expected to hit 80F or so. Let not your heart be troubled—we’ve got you covered. Catch up on all your maritime and national security concerns this Sunday afternoon from 5-6pm Eastern with a LIVE Midrats Podcast. From Davos to the Friday Defense Strategy dump to whatever comes over the transom, we’ve got you covered. You can join LIVE at this link. If you are reading this after the show, no problem. Just refresh the Substack later Sunday night for the podcast upload. This Substack is reader-supported. To receive new posts and support my work, con…

German defense company Diehl Defence unveiled the relaunch of its highly mobile counter-unmanned aerial vehicle system at the Enforce Tac exhibition in Nürnberg, introducing the platform under a new name, GARMR, replacing the previously known Kinetic Defence Vehicle (KDV). According to Diehl Defence, GARMR represents a redesigned and expanded version of the earlier KDV system, […]View the full article

Overland AI said it will take part in AUSA Global Force next week in Huntsville, where it plans to present ULTRA, its fully autonomous tactical vehicle, as part of the Army’s push to test new technology with troops in the field. The company tied ULTRA directly to the Army’s Transformation in Contact effort, which is […]View the full article

Teledyne FLIR Defense has secured a contract worth more than $35 million to deliver its TacFLIR 280-HDEP surveillance systems to WB Group, Poland’s largest private defense company, for integration onto reconnaissance armored vehicles. The company announced the award on Thursday, marking the third contract this year in which Teledyne FLIR Defense has been selected to […]View the full article

Huntington Ingalls Industries has secured nearly $37 million to keep its Lionfish underwater drone rolling off the production line, with the U.S. Navy exercising a contract option that locks in delivery through May 2027. The Naval Sea Systems Command in Washington awarded the $36,9 million modification to HII’s Unmanned Systems division on the existing contract […]View the full article