Raw Intel

Americas DigiFlight won a $13.8 million contract modification for programmatic support for the Apache Attack Helicopter. The Boeing AH-64 Apache is a twin-turboshaft attack helicopter. It is equipped with two turboshaft engines, each providing 1,265kW. The American AH-64D has General Electric T700-GE-701 engines and the UK Apache is fitted with RTM322 engines from Rolls-Royce / Turbomeca. Work will take place in Maryland. Estimated completion date is May 23, 2022. The US Army’s 4th Infantry Division participated in a Counter-Small UAS home-station training session at Fort Carson, Colorado, from April 19-May 7. This is the first time such training was held at home-station…

Americas The US Air Force announced that two F-35A Lightning II aircraft recently released B61-12 Joint Test Assemblies, or JTAs, during the F-35A’s first Full Weapon System Demonstration, completing the final flight test exercise of the nuclear design certification process. The 422nd and 59th Test and Evaluation Squadrons led Air Combat Command’s portion of the test effort, with Airmen from the 57th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron, 926th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron and Bolt Aircraft Maintenance Unit leading all maintenance efforts. Thales has unveiled a new ground-based multi-mission radar with simultaneous ground and low-level air surveillance, providing early UAV dete…

EMALS Components (click to view full) As the US Navy continues to build its new CVN-21 Gerald R. Ford Class carriers, few technologies are as important to their success as the next-generation EMALS (Electro-MAgnetic Launch System) catapult. The question is whether that technology will be ready in time, in order to avoid either costly delays to the program – or an even more costly redesign of the first ship of class. Current steam catapult technology is very entertaining when it launches cars more than 100 feet off of a ship, or gives naval fighters the extra boost they need to achieve flight speed within a launch footprint of a few hundred feet. It’s also stressful for…

MiG-29SMT (click to view full) RIA Novosti reports that Russia is buying another 16 MiG-29SMT multi-role fighters, in order to help keep MiG-related technical expertise and infrastructure active until 2016. In August 2013, Russia’s VVS was forced to postpone its planned $1.1 billion MiG-35 buy from state-owned United Aircraft Corp. The new fighter just wasn’t ready, but MiG is a bit squeezed these days. Its main sources of work include carrier-based MiG-29K orders from Russian naval aviation (AVFR) and India, and ongoing upgrades to India’s land-based MiG-29 fleet. Other potential customers could add new orders, including a likely Serbian buy, but Russia needs more figh…

Why must we continue to remind everyone who will listen of the failures of the Age of Transformationalism™? Simple; we cannot afford another generation of programs lost to arrogance, ignorance, and toxic command climates that leave bad ideas and ahistorical program assumptions go unchallenged. Futurism, offset promises, overmatch assumptions, risk devaluation, divest-to-invest – these are all attractive ideas that brief well. They seem to promise to solve so many hard problems. They offer more for less. They seem to allow an easy path; a way to avoid hard work and compromise … and to accrue to their advocates accolades as the “it guy/gal” who has all the vision and provid…

There is still a lot of fighting to be done in the Russo-Ukrainian War, but important lessons can already be drawn from the first 10-months of conflict. One of the most hyped "new" domains of war the last three decades has been what is generally referred to as "cyber." Its growth in interest and buzz paralleled the decline and neglect of a more traditional form of modern war, Electronic Warfare. This Sunday we're going to do a deep dive in what we are seeing, what we thought we should have seen but haven't, and how this should inform present support and future policy in the area of cyber. Our guest for the full hour this Sunday from 4-5pm Eastern will be Shashank Joshi, D…

Americas The US Army will receive more next-generation thermal weapon sights from Leonardo as part of a new $134-million deal. According to the company, the device provides rapid target acquisition capabilities to soldiers, especially during missions in low-light environments. BAE Systems has landed a $5-million contract to develop electronic warfare solutions for the US Navy’s Common-architecture […]View the full article

Americas Lockheed Martin won a $198 million deal, which provides maintenance, program management, and logistics services to support through life support (TLS) services for 36 Royal Australian Navy (RAN) MH-60R aircraft. The TLS services enable the RAN to provide the necessary operational capability and all-inclusive sustainment to include organizational, intermediate, depot, operational and deeper level maintenance, training, and support activities on RAN MH-60R aircraft, aircraft systems, support systems, and support and test equipment for the RAN AIR 9000 Phase 8 Future Naval Aviation Combat System MH-60R Foreign Military Sales FMS program. Naval Air Systems Command, Pa…

Coming up on seven months of the second Trump Administration, I think it is time to survey the services’ competition for attention, funding, and prioritization. Navalists need to take a deep breath and take a bite of humble pie…and perhaps try to learn something. Of course, I am talking about the U.S. Air Force. The boys (and girls) in blue are having a hell of a year, and it isn’t by accident. Yes, there is timing—but as the Roman philosopher Seneca reminded everyone a couple of thousand years ago: "Luck is what happens when preparation meets opportunity" This is more than just bragging rights. People are drawn to success and performance. So is money, influence, and th…

On August 28, 2025, the Main Intelligence Directorate (GUR) of Ukraine confirmed that its special operations forces carried out a coordinated drone attack against a Russian Project 21631 Buyan-M small missile ship. The vessel, a known Kalibr cruise missile carrier, was operating near the Temryuk Bay area off the coast of temporarily occupied Crimea. According […] The post Ukraine hits Russian Kalibr carrier in Azov Sea first appeared on Defence Blog.View the full article

Russia has agreed to supply and train China’s People’s Liberation Army (PLA) in airborne assault tactics — including the airdrop of armored vehicles and special forces — as part of a covert military cooperation deal aimed at preparing for a possible invasion of Taiwan, according to leaked contracts and internal correspondence reviewed by security analysts […] The post Leaked files show Russia aiding China’s Taiwan invasion plans first appeared on Defence Blog.View the full article

U.S. Forces Korea (USFK) has issued a statement condemning North Korea’s latest round of missile launches, calling them “unlawful and destabilizing actions” that defy United Nations Security Council resolutions. The response came hours after Pyongyang’s state media claimed it had successfully tested a new hypersonic weapon system on October 22. “We are fully aware of […] The post U.S. vows readiness after North Korea hypersonic test first appeared on Defence Blog.View the full article

The U.S. Special Operations Command has placed an $877 million order with Boeing for additional MH-47G Chinook helicopters to support its rotary-wing operations through 2030. The Boeing Company, based in Ridley Park, Pennsylvania, has been awarded a firm-fixed-price delivery order valued at $877,742,891 for the procurement of MH-47G helicopters. The aircraft are being purchased to […]View the full article

Northrop Grumman has completed a successful static fire test of a prototype Mk 72 solid rocket motor, a step the company says supports efforts to deliver scalable propulsion systems for U.S. military programs. According to a company statement dated Dec. 18, 2025, the test was conducted at Northrop Grumman’s advanced propulsion production facility in Elkton, […]View the full article

The Norwegian Armed Forces, alongside about 3,000 United States Marines and other U.S. and NATO units, will conduct Exercise Cold Response 26 in northern Norway in March 2026, with allied forces beginning cold-weather training deployments as early as January, U.S. and Norwegian officials confirmed. The exercise is a Norwegian-led, routine winter drill designed to test […]View the full article

BAE Systems FalconWorks and SURVICE Engineering have signed a framework agreement to collaborate on the development of uncrewed air system (UAS) technologies, expanding cooperation tied to military logistics drones and future tactical unmanned aircraft, the companies announced in a joint statement. The agreement builds on an existing partnership dating back to 2015 involving Malloy Aeronautics, […]View the full article

A delegation from the United States Army recently visited the Czechoslovak Group (CSG) in the Czech Republic to examine potential cooperation and assess the group’s capabilities in ground systems and artillery ammunition. During the visit, the delegation toured production sites, assembly lines, and manufacturing processes, including a demonstration of the Morana 155 wheeled self-propelled howitzer […]View the full article

The U.S. Navy commissioned its newest guided-missile destroyer, USS Harvey C. Barnum Jr. (DDG 124), during a ceremony at Naval Station Norfolk on Saturday, April 11, 2026. Approximately 1,800 guests attended the event, including senior military leaders, sailors, Marines, veterans, and family members, marking the formal entry of the Arleigh Burke-class warship into active service. […]View the full article

The U.S. Army is buying a Draganfly commercial, heavy lift drone system for Fort Drum, New York, with the Mission Installation Contracting Command posting a combined synopsis and solicitation on May 6, 2026, for a complete unmanned aerial system package that includes communications hardware, a ground control station, delivery box, batteries, and a sensor gimbal. […]View the full article

An Israeli fire control technology company has now secured contracts with all four major branches of the U.S. military, completing a sweep across the American armed forces that took less than a year. Smart Shooter announced June 1 that it received its first significant U.S. Navy contract, a $1.8 million award for soldier-portable SMASH 2000LE […]View the full article