Raw Intel

U.S. Army engineers with the 809th Multi-Role Bridge Company (MRBC), 15th Engineer Battalion, 7th Engineer Brigade, conducted a major river-crossing exercise at the 7th Army Training Command’s Grafenwoehr Training Area in Germany, testing the unit’s ability to deploy quickly and support mobility operations across Europe’s challenging terrain. The 809th MRBC deployed to a designated training […] The post U.S. troops practice rapid bridge deployment in Europe first appeared on Defence Blog.View the full article

Taiwan’s Ministry of National Defense has raised concerns over the delayed delivery of 66 F-16V Block 70 fighter jets purchased from the United States, saying it may retain part of the project budget and demand compensation for what it calls “improper gains” resulting from the delay. At a Legislative Yuan session on October 28, Deputy […]View the full article

The 11th Airborne Division has completed a first-of-its-kind electromagnetic warfare and counter-unmanned aerial system training event in Alaska, bringing together EW Soldiers, UAS operators and industry vendors to test new technology in one of the most demanding environments in the United States. The two-week exercise took place at the Joint Pacific Alaskan Range Complex (JPARC) […]View the full article

Japan’s Ministry of Defense said it has imposed a 2.5-month suspension on Kawasaki Heavy Industries after confirming long-term misconduct in inspections of diesel generators used on submarines. According to a statement released on December 26, the Ministry of Defense of Japan will bar Kawasaki Heavy Industries from designated government contracts from December 26 through March […]View the full article

Sailors aboard the littoral combat ship USS Wichita (LCS 13) completed multiple major engineering repairs while deployed in the U.S. Fourth Fleet area of operations, restoring propulsion and power systems and keeping the ship fully mission capable, the U.S. Navy said. According to the Navy, the Freedom-variant warship’s crew repaired a ship’s service diesel generator, […]View the full article

Canada on February 24, 2026, announced a new package of military assistance to Ukraine that includes the donation of more than 400 armored vehicles and the extension of its military training mission, Operation UNIFIER, for an additional three years, the Canadian government said in a joint statement released in Ottawa. The announcement coincides with the […]View the full article

Japan’s Defense Ministry plans to establish a new coastal defense system built around thousands of drones, allocating about ¥100 billion ($628.7 million) in its fiscal 2026 budget. The planned SHIELD system will include more than 10 types of drones designed for different roles, including attacking enemy ships, gathering intelligence, and protecting radar installations. The concept […]View the full article

Atlanta-based Askari Defense has introduced a new hand-launched interceptor drone built to counter small unmanned aerial systems, bringing forward a compact platform aimed at short-range air defense against low-flying threats. The system, called Rift Alpha, is designed to engage Group 1 and Group 2 drones—categories that typically include small reconnaissance and attack UAVs operating at […]View the full article

Smart Shooter, the Israeli developer of AI-powered rifle-mounted fire control systems, has secured a $10.7 million follow-on U.S. Army contract for its SMASH 2000LE fire control system, with delivery scheduled for the third quarter of 2026. The award was issued through PAE Defensive Fires and will be executed through Atlantic Diving Supply, Inc., according to […]View the full article

Australia fired its first domestically built self-propelled howitzers during live-fire training last week, completing the journey from a production line in Geelong to live rounds downrange in a matter of months — a timeline that would have seemed implausible for a major weapons system just a few years ago. Thirty gunners from Townsville’s 4th Regiment, […]View the full article

A Polish-Turkish unmanned aircraft system demonstrated approximately one-meter accuracy striking a ground target during live field trials, MBF Group S.A. announced June 30, 2026, marking a significant validation milestone for the IRYDA+ X1 swarm-capable drone platform the Warsaw-based company has been developing with Turkish technology partner Shark Aviation Dynamics since their operating agreement was signed […]View the full article

The U.S. Space Development Agency, the Pentagon office building America’s next generation of missile-tracking satellites, awarded General Dynamics Mission Systems a contract with a ceiling of $400 million to develop the ground segment for Tranche Three of the Proliferated Warfighter Space Architecture, the government’s name for a sprawling network of satellites meant to give American […]View the full article

The U.S. Army awarded Hardwire LLC a $99 million contract to develop advanced processing methods for metallic armor, the Department of War announced August 24. The contract runs through Phase III of the Small Business Innovative Research program and has an estimated completion date of August 23, 2031. Army Contracting Command at Aberdeen Proving Ground, […]View the full article

Americas Lockheed Martin won a $14.1 million contract modification for AN/SLQ-32(V)6 design agent engineering services. The AN/SLQ-32 is a shipboard electronic warfare suite built by Raytheon and the Hughes Aircraft Company. It is currently the primary electronic warfare system in use by US Navy ships. AN/SLQ-32(V)6, the latest fielded variant of the AN/SLQ-32, incorporates receiver, antenna and combat system interface upgrades developed under the SEWIP Block 2 ACAT II program and adds the High Gain High Sensitivity adjunct sensor developed under the SEWIP Block 1B3 ACAT II program. Work will take place in Syracuse, New York, and is expected to be completed by November 20…

Americas Sikorsky Aircraft won a $9.8 million order, which provides for modifications and updates to the CH-53K 2F243-1 Containerized Flight Training Device. Additionally, this order provides flight test data analysis required to update and validate the CH-53K flight model with available flight test data; produces materials focused on pilot and aircrew conversion courseware and maintainer conversion courseware; and trains the schoolhouse instructors at the Center for Naval Aviation Technical Training Marine Unit, New River, North Carolina; and Marine Heavy Helicopter Training Squadron 302, in order to support initial operational capability. Work will take place in North C…

Take a moment to think about all the news concerning the fragility of our maritime supply chain nodes. One good byproduct of this crisis is that the critical importance of merchant ships and maritime infrastructure to our national economy has come under the spotlight. For those who have spent their professional lives feeling like some Cassandra screaming in to a void of national disinterest – the opportunity to educate people while you have their attention is a once in a generation moment. In the US, in addition to the US Merchant Marine Academy, we have some states that have their own state merchant marine academies. It would be logical that the last year would have ins…

Americas During an Employment Concept Exercise in Spain, the US Air Force’s KC-46A carried out the first operational refueling of a foreign aircraft on April 18. The aerial refueling tanker passed fuel to Spanish Hornets during the flight. Four KC-46A tankers are deployed to Moron Air Base for this Employment Concept Exercise. The US Air Force announced on April 26 that it had selected the Boeing E-7 Wedgetail to replace its Boeing E-3 Sentry Airborne Warning and Control System (AWACS) aircraft. The USAF plans to award a contract in fiscal year 2023 and requested $227 million in research, development, test, and evaluation funds for the programme starting in its FY 2023 b…

Americas The Saturn Arch Quick Reaction Capability (QRC) aircraft has flown its final mission in support of the U.S. Army Central Command (CENTCOM) on July 31. The Saturn Arch aerial surveillance program was initiated by the Joint Improvised-Threat Defeat Organization (JIDO) to detect improvised explosive devices (IEDs) using hyperspectral, electro-optical/infrared (EO/IR), and high-resolution imagery (HRI) sensors. Since the program was transitioned to the Army in 2012, it has grown to a fleet of 10 aircraft. Lockheed Martin has integrated the High Energy Laser with Integrated Optical-Dazzler and Surveillance (HELIOS) on guided-missile destroyer USS Preble (DDG 88). The…

There is one area where there is no Civ-Mil Divide™ - that is where smart people with silver tongues, clever ideas, and an instinct for other people's weaknesses see a way to make money and fame quick and easy. Hard things are hard, and usually expensive - there is a desire to be a hero/visionary, and we are pre-wired to have faith and hope in intangibles, and to look for the quick and easy gain. That is why we love sweets so much; a lot a calories very quick for little effort. This is a seductive stew that works on our brain stem instincts which in turn seduces our higher conscious to find some more lofty justifications for our enthusiasm to sate our base needs. Cheap fo…

Americas General Atomics Aeronautical Systems won a $389 million deal by the US Army for the purchase of MQ-1C-25M Gray Eagle Modernized Extended Range systems. Bids were solicited via the internet with one received. Work locations and funding will be determined with each order, with an estimated completion date of November 29, 2024. HII Ingalls […]View the full article