Raw Intel

Taiwan has announced an expansive new procurement initiative for over 50,000 additional unmanned aerial systems (UAS), marking one of the largest drone acquisitions in the country’s history. Combined with the Ministry of National Defense’s recent order for nearly 49,000 units, the total demand now exceeds 100,000 drones—effectively securing the domestic industry’s production capacity for at […] The post Taiwan to buy over 100,000 military drones first appeared on Defence Blog.View the full article

Israeli defense technology company SMARTSHOOTER announced it will present a new configuration of its combat-proven SMASH 3000 fire control system at the DSEI 2025 exhibition in London. The development follows the company’s participation in Project VANAHEIM/FLYTRAP, a UK–U.S. initiative aimed at accelerating the adoption of Counter-small Unmanned Aircraft System (C-sUAS) technologies for general combat units. […] The post Israeli-made computerized rifle sight tested on heavy weapons first appeared on Defence Blog.View the full article

Rumors are floating about that, in the words of Brent Sadler, The U.S. Navy is reportedly on the cusp of a new force design plan. OK, then what? Who is ready to hear and act on it? Has the intellectual battlefield been properly prepared? We’ve seen over the last few decades, both political parties and the parade of SECDEFs, SECNAVs, CNOs, Commandants of the Marine Corps issue this vision, that strategy, this design, but they all seem to exist in their own little world, impacting only on the edges (big exception is the USMC’s Force Design 2030 that is still creating friction, for good reason) —but not quite gripping and pulling the multiple lines of control that impact ou…

China has conducted the maiden flight of a new jet trainer aircraft, as shown in recently published images circulating on Chinese social media. The prototype aircraft was spotted during pre-flight preparations and later airborne, marking its debut in the People’s Liberation Army Navy’s expanding aviation program. The jet, produced by Hongdu Aviation Industry Group (HAIG), […]View the full article

Chile has revealed new progress on its T-40 Newén trainer aircraft, a project the country describes as a major step in reviving national aerospace manufacturing after several decades. During an event held on Tuesday at El Bosque Air Base, Minister of Defense Adriana Delpiano and senior leaders of the Chilean Air Force presented updated details […]View the full article

Russia’s state aircraft manufacturer has delivered the final batch of Su-35 fighter jets to the country’s air force for 2025, according to official disclosures, closing out another year of tactical aviation deliveries as the war in Ukraine continues. According to the United Aircraft Corporation, the company transferred the final batch of Su-35 fighters to the […]View the full article

The United States Marine Corps has begun training and certifying small attack drone operators at Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton, California, as part of a new course focused on the combat employment of first-person view (FPV) drones. The course, hosted by 1st Marine Division Schools, trains Marines to operate small attack drones for identifying and […]View the full article

BAE Systems confirmed on February 23, 2026, that it successfully demonstrated a scaled modular electromagnetic attack (EA) system during multiple flight test events conducted in collaboration with the United States Air Force, using a prototype mounted in a weapon pod on a test aircraft representing a Group 4 or Group 5 unmanned aerial vehicle. The […]View the full article

Ukrainian drone operators have intercepted and destroyed a rare Russian Skat-type reconnaissance unmanned aerial vehicle, according to video and a statement released by Wild Hornets, a developer of interceptor drones. Systems like the Skat-450M are used not only for surveillance but also for guiding strikes, including those carried out with Iskander ballistic missile systems. Wild […]View the full article

Spain’s EM&E Group has carried out live-fire trials of its Aunav robotic ground vehicles equipped with Guardian Aspis remote weapon stations during a Spanish Army experimentation campaign, showcasing their ability to engage targets while on the move. The testing took place from April 7 to April 17 at the Álvarez de Sotomayor training base in […]View the full article

The U.S. Navy is set to commission a warship in Ohio for the first time in the nation’s 250-year history, with USS Cleveland scheduled to formally enter active service on May 16 during a ceremony at North Coast Yard in the city that gave the vessel its name. USS Cleveland, designated LCS 31, arrived in […]View the full article

Back in 2007, I did a Battle of Midway FbF that featured one of my favorite aircraft, the Brewster Buffalo. In the post, I focused on then 2LT William “Bill” Brooks, USMCR. In the mid-60’s Mr. Brooks helped found Bellevue University, among other things. Back in 2010, I was notified by the President of Bellevue University that Mr. Brooks passed away. In his honor, I would like to repost that FbF from 2007 and 2010. You could spend a lifetime on Battle of Midway posts - that is what I like about it. This time, I want to focus on the men of Marine Fighting Squadron 221. Men who knew they were being asked to do a suicide mission, but did it - and did it well. They were, as …

When a U.S. Special Operations helicopter or tiltrotor flies into hostile territory and an enemy radar locks onto it, the crew has seconds to break that lock before a missile finds them. The system that buys them those seconds just secured its long-term maintenance pipeline. L3Harris Technologies received a $614 million contract from U.S. Special […]View the full article

The U.S. Department of the Air Force published a market research notice this week seeking companies capable of designing, developing, prototyping, manufacturing and fielding what it calls a Semi-Autonomous Collaborative Platform, government shorthand for an uncrewed jet aircraft smart enough to fly and fight alongside a piloted fighter without a human controlling every move. The […]View the full article

Russia’s Baltic Fleet has fitted several of its warships with improvised netting and irregular camouflage patterns as makeshift protection against drone strikes, according to footage circulating from a recent fleet exercise. The images show at least three vessels equipped with different combinations of netting, deformation-pattern paint and other visual countermeasures on their bridges, radar housings […]View the full article

Heard about the conversation about Naval History at the United States Naval Academy? The original post was very interesting. The follow up was very compelling. An outside observation by a civilian was very encouraging. But I think in the end what I appreciated most was seeing someone in Navy public affairs address the issue professionally and directly in a blog comment. Well done. This week I found myself reading about the value of naval wargaming as it was discussed over email and reading about the value of naval history as it was debated in the blogosphere; and both of these conversations served as a fresh reminder that my hobbies are neither as unique nor as tr…

From here. STRAIT OF HORMUZ (May 19, 2012) The guided-missile destroyer USS Nitze (DDG 94) transits the Strait of Hormuz with Military Sealift Command missile range instrumentation ship USNS Invincible (T-AGM 24) and British Royal Navy ships HMS Ramsey (M110), HMS Pembroke (M107) and RFA Lyme Bay (L3007). Nitze is deployed as part of the Enterprise Carrier Strike Group to the U.S. 5th Fleet area of responsibility conducting maritime security operations, theater security cooperation efforts and support missions as part of Operation Enduring Freedom. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Jeff Atherton/Released) It is very interesting that while …

[From 40 Commando in Afghanistan in 2008...] For those that have ever met and/or partied with these guys know that this is what what you can usually expect... Christmas for the Commandos in Afghanistan was always going to be different - but no one could have predicted just how different. One minute they were singing carols at dusk beneath a mellow sun in the baked bare wasteland of Helmand province while wearing festive Santa hats, the next they were firing mortars after their Christmas Day service came under attack from the Taliban. So rapid was the reaction of Royal Marines of 40 Commando that within less than a minute of the first "contact" from the Taliban's machine g…

BAMS Operation Concept (click to view full) The world’s P-3 Orion fleets have served for a long time, and many are reaching the end of their lifespans. In the USA, and possibly beyond, the new P-8 Poseidon Multi-mission Maritime Aircraft will take up the P-3’s role. While the P-8’s base 737-based airframe offers strong service & maintenance arguments in its favor, the airframe is expensive enough that the P-3s cannot be replaced on a 1:1 basis. In order to extend the P-8 fleet’s reach, and provide additional capabilities, the Poseidon was expected to work with at least one companion UAV platform. This DID FOCUS Article explains the winning BAMS (Broad Area Maritime…

Daring Class (click to view full) The 5,200t Type 42 Sheffield Class destroyers were designed in the late 1960s to provide fleet area air-defense for Britain’s Royal Navy, after the proposed Type 82 air defense cruisers were canceled by the Labour Government in 1966. Britain built 14 of the Type 42s, but these old ships are reaching the limits of their operational lives and effectiveness. To replace them, the Royal Navy planned to induct 12 Type 45 Daring Class destroyers. The Daring class would be built to deal with a new age of threats. Saturation attacks with supersonic ship-killing missiles, that fly from the ship’s radar horizon to ship impact in under 45 seconds.…